[a. mod.Fr. amélioration, or analogously formed on AMELIORATE. Quot. 1659 ought perh. to read ‘a melioration.’]

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  1.  The action of making better; or the condition of being made better; improvement.

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1659.  Morrice, in Burton, Diary (1828), IV. 355. The fruit receives amelioration by the second concoction.

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1796.  Burke, Regic. Peace (T.). These very robbers and murderers are in a course of amelioration.

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1813.  Wellington, in Gurwood, Desp., X. 475. We cannot hope for any permanent amelioration.

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1813.  Sir H. Davy, Agric. Chem., 260. Plants are capable of amelioration by peculiar methods of cultivation.

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1875.  Wood, Therap. (1879), 107. If recovery occur, it is by a gradual amelioration of the symptoms.

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  2.  concr. A thing wherein improvement is realized; an improvement.

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1776.  Adam Smith, W. N., V. ix. (1869), 248. The buildings, drains, enclosures, and other ameliorations which they may either make or maintain.

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