What's the difference between amiss and improper?

Amiss


Definition:

  • (adv.) Astray; faultily; improperly; wrongly; ill.
  • (a.) Wrong; faulty; out of order; improper; as, it may not be amiss to ask advice.
  • (n.) A fault, wrong, or mistake.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) "The economy, stupid" is a plausible-sounding answer, but it is stupidly amiss.
  • (2) T-Mobile: ‘Restricted Bling’ (starts at 10:21) Rap star Drake demonstrates extraordinary compliance no matter what’s asked of him in this funny advert for T-Mobile which aims to suggest that the network’s rivals “ruin everything”, but a longer version with him actually incorporating the lines “device eligible for upgrade after 24 months” and “streaming music will incur data charges” into his song wouldn’t go amiss.
  • (3) The coroner found that Ben continued to "play enthusiastically", and "displayed no immediately obvious physical signs that anything was amiss", but in the video, his symptoms clearly tally with those described on the Scat card.
  • (4) How this flora is controlled and what is amiss when virulent or pathogenic bacteria can cause infection are fascinating questions.
  • (5) This is the first time in my reread I've found something amiss: a King novel that doesn't have the story to back itself up.
  • (6) They do seem entirely unaware of contradictions in their arguments – Senator Cory Bernardi, for example, seeing nothing amiss in attacking Turnbull for distracting from the government’s message by responding when commentator Andrew Bolt accused him of leadership manoeuvring on national television and a nationally-syndicated newspaper column.
  • (7) Even the Guardian found nothing amiss in running a story about this and not quoting anyone who currently sells sex .
  • (8) Yes, of course it is, but a bit of humility amongst politicians never goes amiss.
  • (9) But more self-imposed quarantine wouldn't go amiss; more baristas who stay home; more coffee cups that remain untouched by those malign particles.
  • (10) Michael’s mam, my mother-in-law, rang our landline, which was a sign something was amiss, and tearfully delivered the news that Michael had taken his own life.
  • (11) This is not to say grassroot efforts may go amiss but we must not forget the historical socio-economic issues countries are still entrenched in.
  • (12) When the fixture list came out Advocaat would have fancied Sunderland’s chances of having six points by now but something looks seriously amiss within a side requiring a radical rebuild.
  • (13) The residents of Wang Kelian sensed something was amiss when a number of people stumbled on to their streets, weak and injured, and began to beg for food and water.
  • (14) Selby can't hit the yellow, so foul and amiss is called, and then again - this time he gets much closer.
  • (15) That isn’t, of course, because the NHS has taken to medieval blood-letting techniques, but rather because those who showed up at the infirmary door will have disproportionately had something seriously amiss.
  • (16) He is showing encouraging signs of having got the social care message, but a little forceful reminding cannot go amiss.
  • (17) Many new possibilities for treatment which have appeared recently have resulted from the amission of page limitation.
  • (18) Physiocal examination on amission demonstrated revealed a pulsating mass in the midabdomen, absence of pulsation of the right femoral artery and cold pale skin of the right leg.
  • (19) I wouldn’t imagine that people will get enough to cover their whole costs, but I would think that a payment to at least cover some expenses wouldn’t go amiss,” he said.
  • (20) A couple of days off in Blackburn wouldn't go amiss.

Improper


Definition:

  • (a.) Not proper; not suitable; not fitted to the circumstances, design, or end; unfit; not becoming; incongruous; inappropriate; indecent; as, an improper medicine; improper thought, behavior, language, dress.
  • (a.) Not peculiar or appropriate to individuals; general; common.
  • (a.) Not according to facts; inaccurate; erroneous.
  • (v. t.) To appropriate; to limit.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) The purpose of this paper is to outline procedures that will facilitate the integration of microcomputers into the clinical milieu by (a) identifying the reasons why and how these devices are used improperly; (b) proposing ways to correct these problems; (c) providing recommendations concerning the acquisition of major microcomputer hardware, software, and adaptations; and (d) providing an annotated list of resources for further information.
  • (2) While ruling that there had been improper use of Schedule 7 powers, the judge commented: "It was clear that the Security Service, for entirely understandable reasons, was anxious if possible to get information which could not be regarded as tainted by torture allegations or which might confirm the propriety of a control order."
  • (3) Aggressive or improper toothbrushing techniques may have a detrimental impact on the gingiva.
  • (4) By abusing his power, he was engrossed in irregularities and corruption, had improper relations with several women and was wined and dined at back parlours of deluxe restaurants.
  • (5) If the sexual attack is dealt with improperly or repressed it may cause serious psychologic problems for the victim as an adult.
  • (6) He also denied there was anything improper in his taking work writing for News International newspapers immediately after retiring from the force.
  • (7) Improperly prepared home-canned products which are tasted or consumed without heating are more likely to be associated with botulism.
  • (8) "We believe that this is unavoidable following the recent costs to all the citizens of the UK as a result of banking failures, mismanagement and improper practices," said a spokesperson for the City Reform Group.
  • (9) It’s especially not appropriate for a citizen seeking election to this house or selection to the ministry canvassing for money and support to seek to damage individuals’ reputation by commencing court actions for what could only be an improper purpose.” Palmer said the former treasurer, Joe Hockey, had been staying at the resort at the time and “walked past the table” where they were sitting and “merely sat down to have a coffee”.
  • (10) In some cases, however, the enzymatic defect results from improper post-translational modification which affects precursor processing.
  • (11) These operative-technical errors were divided into three groups: improperly determined level of intestinal resection, defects of transposition, defects of anastomosis creation.
  • (12) Of the paralytic cases 22% had proper vaccination while improper vaccination was found in 78%.
  • (13) In overturning the fine, the court today found that the commission had long "practiced restraint" in exercising its authority to sanction broadcasters for indecent content, and that the mammoth fine was an improper departure from that.
  • (14) The frustrations include separation from family, uncomfortable living conditions, language barriers, and inability to change medical practices that seem improper.
  • (15) In this series, there were two treatment-related deaths, one secondary to the chemotherapy, the other to improper catheter placement.
  • (16) The authors mathematically analyze why they feel the risk was improperly computed.
  • (17) Now that we know the practice is widespread among physicians in training, we can conjecture that the demand for improper reporting of diagnostic data by sonographers is likely widespread among physicians in practice also.
  • (18) "Mourinho denied a breach of FA rule E3 in that his behaviour in re-entering the field of play and approaching the match referee [Foy] in an attempt to speak to him, in or around the 90th minute of the game against Aston Villa on 15 March 2014, amounted to improper conduct.
  • (19) Many advantages are credited with this offensive attitude which requires an appropriate organisation of the Departments of Traumatology, the intimate collaboration of surgeons called orthopedic or plastic surgeons, improperly divided by too administrative compartmentalization of the surgical specialties.
  • (20) This led to a need to carry out improper accounting on an even bigger scale, and as this was repeated, the scale of the inappropriate book-keeping also expanded,” it said.