improbable /inTprobabl; NAmE -'praib-/ adj.

1                  ~ (that ... ) not likely to be true or to happen 7A7

) ; 7A"Blf6#J SE! UNLIKELY:

an improbable story A lit 7 ;ll X ^ ftk ^ 0 It seems improbable that the current situation will continue. ^ ift 7A7f££$^TAo o It all sounded highly improbable. - fj] off ± £ jff 0 PEn probable

2                  seeming strange because it is not what you would

expect ^    ; Tit il; 1$ HUH unexpected : Her hair

was an improbable shade of yellow. ktk Eft ^ A; ^ Ef 1$     o ► im prob abil ity /im.proba'bilati; NAmE

-.praiba-/ noun [ U, C]: the improbability of finding them alive $,MIMl # 16 ^   7 A o statistical improb­

ability ^TBt^XAiftXASJt&lEJ^ im prob ably /-abli/ adv.: He claimed, improbably, that he had never been there, faj*      MIRS, 7 AST# 771II o o an

improbably happy end

im promptu /im'pmmptju:; NAmE -'praimptu:/ adj. done without preparation or planning AlfiiirlEj; BP A 1$; BP 0 (tfj H771 improvised : an impromptu speech

bpatm

im proper /im'prDpa(r); NAmE -'praip-/ adj. 1 dishonest, or morally wrong 7 M (ft ; 7 X ii lEl; 7 improper business practices 7 IE ^ Ek 7 'A 0 improper conduct 7 11 H (ft fr A 0 There was nothing improper about our relationship (= it did not involve sex).   A W ft* A 7 IE ^ Ift 0      033 proper

2 (formal) not suited or appropriate to the situation 7 TTii(ft; 7'Sf^£ft; XlWlft HT1 inappropriate: It would be improper to comment at this stage. ^Ai¥'i£Tf7fn 033 proper 3 wrong; not correct fti^lft; 7X$ilft: improper use of the drug gjtyJlfti^jTI > improperly adv.: to behave improperly Tt A 0 He was improperly dressed for the occasion. Ilk (ft A ir 7 A ii 7 M 7 ^ 7 o 0 improperly cooked meat ilf 7 Wl*

im proper 'fraction noun (mathematics W) a frac­tion in which the top number is greater than the bottom number, for example % fHITfk im propriety /.impra'praiati/ noun [U, C] (pi. -ies) (formal) behaviour or actions that are dishonest, morally wrong or not appropriate for a person in a position of responsibility 7M3£ ( l£7IE:^, 7 eKi ) (ftErA^flE Ena propriety im prove 0-w /im'pruiv/ verb to become better than before; to make sth/sb better than before 6k M ; 6k # : [V] His quality of life has

improved dramatically since the operation. 7 7 7 #. (ft 7fSJi:il:AA6kli7o 0 The doctor says she should continue to improve (= after an illness). Eg 4

o 0 [VN] to improve standards ji| 7K7

0                  The company needs to improve performance in all these areas, ^Tlfrl^EEIff AM® Affi6k#iki§o o I need to improve my French. fk # Tk A 7jc 7 o iusi;mti im prove on/upon sth to achieve or produce sth that is of a better quality than sth else 6k M; {$. dj tb • • • Mkf (ft Ail: We’ve certainly improved on last year’s figures. TkfHlftikii(ftMM7A7lftik7o

im-prove-ment o-pr /im'prurvmant/ noun

1                  [U] ~ (in/on/to sth) the act of making sth better; the process of sth becoming better 6k It ; 6k itt : Sales figures continue to show signs of improvement.

tBitf fn (ft;i3j4k0 O There is still room for improve­ment in your work. IE(ftX#jaiA6kM£ft7itk0 o We expect to see further improvement over the coming year.

2 ta - (in/on sth) a change in sth that makes it better; sth that is better than it was before 6k M kk; 6k It (ft : a significant/ substantial/dramatic improvement !r H (ft / M (ft / g A (ft 6k M o a slight/steady improvement 35 $$! (ft / It a£ (ft #t ft o an improvement in Anglo-German relations 7 A 7 (ft 6k It o This is a great improvement on your previous work, jfc (ft X fT fcfc 5fe fl A IS X M 7 0 o improvements to the bus service A7'?v7IMI§-(ft6klt improvident /im'prnvidant; NAmE -'pra:v-/ adj. (formal) not thinking about or planning for the future; spending money in a careless way 7iI#A(ft; EkAfc

1027       impure

SET % $J; 033 provident ► im-

providence /-ans/ noun [U]

im pro vise /Tmpravaiz/ verb 1 to make or do sth using whatever is available, usually because you do not have what you really need itraRfEfiJt; lift BE M: [V] There isn’t much equipment. We’re going to have to improvise. Hr X ^, Ik fl K    o O [VN] We improvised some

shelves out of planks of wood and bricks. Ecillffi AfeTDkk A lira N- ^ 7 ^ ^ 7'0 2 ~ (on sth) to invent music, the words in a play, a statement, etc. while you are playing or speaking, instead of planning it in advance BPA^'JfE ( Hr57 £11], i^ittisl^F ) : [V] ‘It’ll be ready some time next week, I expect,’ she said, improvising. “Tk 16if 77 M$llf]£i&kTWo ” ktkHPi^ilo o He improvised on the melody, ilk BP A H 7 SP ^ ffi 7 e 0 [VN] an impro­vised speech BP^ijti$ ► im-pro-visa-tion /.impravai’zeijn; NAmE im.praiva'zeifn/ noun [U, C] im pru dent /im'pruidnt/ adj. (formal) not wise or sens­ible 7 PE ^ W; 7 unwise : It would be

imprudent to invest all your money in one company. JE

. 033 prudent

► im-pru-dence /-ns/ noun [U] im-prli-dent-ly adv. im-pu-dent /'impjadant/ adj. (formal) rude; not showing respect for other people       ; 7^ W HTfl imper­

tinent : an impudent young fellow # il W 7 35 A 0 an impudent remark      ► im-pu-dence /-ans/ noun [U]

im pugn /im'pjuin/ verb [VN] (formal) to express doubts about whether sth is right, honest, etc. 7f fil$ GEQ CHALLENGE

im pulse /’impAls/ noun 1 [C, usually sing., U] ~ (to do sth) a sudden strong wish or need to do sth, without stopping to think about the results i+zjfj; 7'lfiLAiH;      ‘

flf l$ ^ A: He had a sudden impulse to stand up and sing, ilk^$7'Ifn.^^8,  0 I resisted the

impulse to laugh, fk ® & fl /£ Ef 7 if A c 0 Her first impulse was to run away. 0

The door was open and on (an) impulse she went inside. fXM, ktk—0E7'ifiLAi5^^73®Ao o He tends to act on impulse,     Rf    2 [C] (technical 7i§)

a force or movement of energy that causes sth else to react J$c ; If 7; If M: nerve/electrical impulses If 15If ijj; feU&^cIf 3 [C, usually sing., U] (formal) something that causes sb/sth to do sth or to develop and make progress       ; $!] ^: : to give an impulse to the

struggling car industry      TL7#J?v7Xik—

impulse buying noun [u] buying goods without plan­ning to do so in advance, and without thinking about it carefully BPAi^l Jk ► 'impulse buy noun -. It was an impulse buy.

impulsion /im’pAlJn/ noun (formal) 1 [C] a strong desire to do sth If gfj; 2 [U] a reason for doing

sth SI i 0 if : Lack of food and water provided much of the impulsion for their speed. 7% In >K  ftfeEfl6fl

im pul sive /im'pAlsiv/ adj. (of people or their behav­iour A M '\f A) acting suddenly without thinking carefully about what might happen because of what you are doing ^If  ^If    impetuous,

rash : an impulsive decision/gesture if ^ (ft <7 /E /1? ^ 0 You’re so impulsive! IE A If ifo 7 ! 0 He has an

impulsive nature. #, Xffe If $} 0 ► im-pul-sive-ly adv.; Impulsively he reached out and took her hand. jtk^Rf If im-pul-sive-ness noun [U]

im pun ity /im'pjuinati/ noun [U] (formal, disapproving) if a person does sth bad with impunity, they do not get punished for what they have done ; 7^:®

kt; MiimW

im pure /im'pjua(r); NAmE im'pjor/ adj. 1 not pure or clean; not consisting of only one substance but mixed with one or more substances often of poorer quality 7 £fcfft;--7iSW; Tf    impure gold 7iWi7

2 (old-fashioned or formal) (of thoughts or feelings ® ^ ^ 'If) morally bad, especially because they are connected with sex itHRkiEM; (        ) m&M 033

PURE