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Definition of home improvement noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

home improvement

noun
 
/ˌhəʊm ɪmˈpruːvmənt/
 
/ˌhəʊm ɪmˈpruːvmənt/
[countable, uncountable]
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  1. changes that are made to a house that increase its value; the activity of making these changes
    • They've spent a lot of money on home improvements.
    • home improvement products
    Collocations Decorating and home improvementDecorating and home improvementHouses
    • refurbish/​renovate/ (British English) do up a building/​a house
    • convert a building/​house/​room into homes/​offices/(especially North American English) apartments/(British English) flats
    • extend/​enlarge a house/​building/​room/​kitchen
    • build (British English) an extension (to the back/​rear of a house)/(North American English) an addition (on/​to something)/(British English) a conservatory
    • knock down/​demolish a house/​home/​building/​wall
    • knock out/​through the wall separating two rooms
    Decoration
    • furnish/​paint/ (especially British English) decorate a home/​a house/​an apartment/​a flat/​a room
    • be decorated in bright colours/​in a traditional style/​with flowers/​with paintings
    • paint/​plaster the walls/​ceiling
    • hang/​put up/​strip off/​remove the wallpaper
    • install/​replace/​remove the bathroom fixtures/(British English) fittings
    • build/​put up shelves
    • lay wooden flooring/​timber decking/​floor tiles/​a carpet/​a patio
    • put up/​hang/​take down a picture/​painting/​poster/​curtain
    DIY/​home improvement
    • do (British English) DIY/​carpentry/​the plumbing/​the wiring
    • make home improvements
    • add/​install central heating/​underfloor heating/​insulation
    • fit/​install double-glazing/​a smoke alarm
    • insulate your house/​your home/​the walls/​the pipes/​the tanks/(especially British English) the loft
    • fix/​repair a roof/​a leak/​a pipe/​the plumbing/​a leaking (especially British English) tap/(North American English usually) faucet
    • block/​clog (up)/unblock/​unclog a pipe/​sink
    • make/​drill/​fill a hole
    • hammer (in)/pull out/​remove a nail
    • tighten/​untighten/​loosen/​remove a screw
    • saw/​cut/​treat/​stain/​varnish/​paint wood
    Topics Houses and homesc1
See home improvement in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
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