improvise

im·pro·vise

Use improvise in a sentence

verb

To improvise is defined as to do something on the spur of the moment.

An example of to improvise is someone having to give a speech without any notice.

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"improvise." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Improvise>.

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improvise. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Improvise

improvise

transitive verb

intransitive verb

-·vised·, -·vis·ing

to compose, or simultaneously compose and perform, on the spur of the moment and without any preparation; extemporize
1. to bring about, make, or do on the spur of the moment: to improvise a solution to a problem
2. to make, provide, or do with the tools and materials at hand, usually to fill an unforeseen and immediate need: to improvise a bed out of leaves

Origin of improvise

French improviser from Italian improvvisare from improvviso, unprepared from Classical Latin improvisus, unforeseen from in-, not + provisus, past participle of providere, to foresee, anticipate: see provide

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MLA Style

"improvise." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Improvise>.

APA Style

improvise. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Improvise

improvise

verb

im·pro·vised, im·pro·vis·ing, im·pro·vis·es

verb

transitive

To make, compose, or perform with little or no preparation: improvise a solution to the problem; improvise variations on a melody.
To make or provide from available materials: improvised a dinner from what I found in the refrigerator.

verb

intransitive

To make, compose, or perform something extemporaneously.
To make do with whatever materials are at hand: There isn't much in the cabin. We'll just have to improvise.

Origin of improvise

French improviser from Italian improvvisare from improvviso unforeseen from Latin imprōvīsus in- not ; see in- ¹. prōvīsus past participle of prōvidēre to foresee ; see provide .

Related Forms:

im′pro·vis′er im′pro·vi′sor
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"improvise." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Improvise>.

APA Style

improvise. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Improvise

Verb

(third-person singular simple present improvises, present participle improvising, simple past and past participle improvised)

To make something up or invent it as one goes on; to proceed guided only by imagination, instinct, and guesswork rather than by a careful plan.
He had no speech prepared, so he improvised.
They improvised a simple shelter with branches and the rope they were carrying.
She improvised a lovely solo.

Origin

From French improviser

See also: improvisé

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.