Dictionary

disimprove en · VERB

Etymology

Etymology tree Latin dis- Old French des-bor. Latin dis-bor. Middle English dis- English dis- English improve English disimprove From dis- + improve.

Meanings

1. (rare, transitive) To make worse.
   • To which may be added this advantage, that the services of churchmen are rewardable upon the church's stock: no need to disimprove the royal banks to pay thanks to bishops. 1642, Jeremy Taylor, The Sacred Order and Offices of Episcopacy or Episcopacy Asserted against the Arians and Acephali New and Old:
2. (intransitive, rare) To deteriorate.
3. (informal, qualifier:influenced by the German verb verschlimmbessern, rare) To try to make something better but end up making it worse.

Forms