Lewis & Short

imprŏbus (inpr-), a, um, adj. [2. inprobus], not according to the standard.

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. Below the standard, i. e. of bad quality, bad, poor, inferior (rare; mostly post-Aug.): merces, Plaut. Rud. 2, 3, 43: opera araneorum et textura inproba, id. Stich. 2, 2, 24: panis, Mart. 10, 5, 5: improbiores postes, Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 139: tua sum opera et propter te inprobior, id. Bacch. 5, 2, 84.
    2. B. Above or beyond the standard, i. e. enormous, monstrous, excessive: genua, Col. 6, 1, 3: arva, Val. Fl. 1, 510; 2, 631 (cf. Forbig. ad Verg. G. 1, 119; Orell. ad Hor. C. 3, 9, 22): Chilones a labris improbioribus, Charis. p. 78 P.: mons, Verg. A. 12, 687: tegmina plantae, Val. Fl. 6, 702: improbo somno, quem nec tertia saepe rumpit hora, Mart. 12, 18, 13: villus barbarum in capris, Plin. 12, 17, 37, § 73: reptatus (vitium), id. 14, 1, 3, § 13; Stat. Th. 6, 838: imber improbior, Sen. Q. N. 4, 4 fin. (in Sall. ap. Non. 366, 13; Hist. Fragm. 4, 40 Dietsch, the true read. is in prora).
  2. II. Transf., of mind and character.
    1. A. Restless, indomitable, persistent (cf.: pervicax, perstans, vehemens, acer): labor omnia vincit improbus, Verg. G. 1, 146: tum cornix plena pluviam vocat improba voce, id. ib. 1, 388: quatit improbus hastam, id. A. 11, 767; cf. Hor. C. 3, 9, 23; Mart. 1, 105, 2; Ov. Tr. 1, 11, 41.
    2. B. Morally bad; wicked, reprobate, abandoned, vile, base, impious, ungodly, unjust, dishonest; bold, shameless, impudent; violent, fierce, outrageous (syn.: malus, malignus, pravus, depravatus, nequam).
      1. 1. Of living beings: NI TESTIMONIVM FARIATVR IMPROBVS INTESTABILISQVE ESTO, Fragm. XII. Tab. ap. Gell. 15, 13 fin.: qui improbi essent et scelesti, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 137: nequam et improbus, Cic. Deiot. 7, 21: illud vero improbi esse hominis et perfidiosi, id. de Or. 2, 73, 297: Cresphontes, Enn. ap. Auct. Her. 2, 24, 38 (Trag. v. 156 Vahl.): populum aut inflammare in improbos aut incitatum in bonos mitigare, Cic. de Or. 1, 46, 202: longe post natos homines improbisssimus, id. Brut. 62, 224: cum in me tam improbus fuit, id. Att. 9, 15, 5: ab ingenio est improbus, Plaut. Truc. 4, 3, 59: ut alias res est impense improbus, id. Ep. 4, 1, 39: negat improbus et te Neglegit, aut horret, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 63: anus, id. S. 2, 5, 84: cum eum, qui sit improbus, latronem dicimus, Quint. 8, 4, 1; 1, 8, 21: (anguis) piscibus atram inprobus ingluviem explet, voracious, Verg. G. 3, 431: lupus, id. A. 9, 62: Jovis ales, id. ib. 12, 250: annis, by his youth, Juv. 3, 282: Fortuna arridens infantibus, mischievous, id. 6, 605.
        Comp.: inprobior satiram scribente cinaedo, Juv. 4, 106.
          1. * (β) With gen.: conubii, Stat. Th. 7, 300.
      2. 2. Of inanim. and abstr. things: improbo Iracundior Hadria, Hor. C. 3, 9, 22: lavit improba taeter Ora (leonis) cruor, Verg. A. 10, 727: perfricare faciem et quasi improbam facere, shameless, impudent, Quint. 11, 3, 160; cf.: oris improbi homo, Suet. Gramm. 15: divitiae, Hor. C. 3, 24, 62: improba non fuerit si mea charta, dato, Mart. 8, 24, 2: satureia, exciting lust, id. 3, 75, 4: ingenio improbo, Plaut. Ps. 1, 2, 16: facta, id. Truc. 2, 7, 4: dicta, licentious, Ov. F. 5, 686: verba, id. A. A. 3, 796; cf. carmina, id. Tr. 2, 441: legis improbissimae poena, Cic. Fam. 14, 4, 2: testamentum, illegal, id. Verr. 2, 1, 42, § 107: mala et improba defensio, id. ib. 2, 2, 41, § 101: amor, Verg. A. 4, 412; Hor. S. 1, 3, 24 (cf.: improbus, turpis, Schol. Cruq. ad loc.): spes, Quint. 12, 1, 13: improba ventris rabies, Verg. A. 2, 356: quo apertior adulatio, quo improbior, hoc citius expugnat, Sen. Q. N. 4 praef. med.: improba quamvis gratia fallaci praetoris vicerit urna, Juv. 13, 3.
        Adv., in two forms, imprŏbē (class.) and improbĭter (perh. only once in Petr. 66).
      1. 1. Beyond measure, immoderately, enormously (very rare): ad eos, quibus intestinum improbe prominet, Marc. Emp. 31 med.: de quodam procerae staturae improbiusque nato, i. e. uncommonly well furnished, Suet. Vesp. 23: Chilones improbius labrati, Charis. p. 78 P.
      2. 2. (Acc. to II.) Badly, wrongly, improperly: multa scelerate, multa audacter, multa improbe fecisti, Cic. Rosc. Am. 36, 104: facere aliquid, Quint. 1, 3, 13: quibus improbe datum est, Cic. Off. 2, 22, 79: quid ego miror, si quid ab improbis de me improbe dicitur? id. Sull. 10, 30: praeda improbe parta, id. Fin. 1, 16, 51: aliquid petere, Quint. 6, 3, 95: non improbe litigabunt, id. 12, 7, 5: ignorantia et inscitia improbe dicentium, quae non intellegunt, incorrectly, Gell. 15, 5, 1; so with indocte, id. 15, 9, 4.
        Comp.: estne aliquid, quod improbius fieri possit? Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 60, § 140: decerpere oscula, Cat. 68, 126.
        Sup.: quas (res) improbissime fecit, Cic. Caecin. 9, 23: respondere, id. Pis. 6, 13.