betterment, improvement, advance - a change for the better; progress in development

shakedown - initial adjustments to improve the functioning or the efficiency and to bring to a more satisfactory state; "the new industry's economic shakedown"

laxation, loosening - the act of making something less tight

tightening - the act of making something tighter; "the tightening of economic controls"

change - the action of changing something; "the change of government had no impact on the economy"; "his change on abortion cost him the election"

accommodation - (physiology) the automatic adjustment in focal length of the lens of the eye

adaptation - (physiology) the responsive adjustment of a sense organ (as the eye) to varying conditions (as of light)

tune - the adjustment of a radio receiver or other circuit to a required frequency

calibration, standardisation, standardization - the act of checking or adjusting (by comparison with a standard) the accuracy of a measuring instrument; "the thermometer needed calibration"

alignment - the act of adjusting or aligning the parts of a device in relation to each other

collimation - the accurate adjustment of the line of sight of a telescope

temperament - an adjustment of the intervals (as in tuning a keyboard instrument) so that the scale can be used to play in different keys

tune-up - adjustments made to an engine to improve its performance

synchronising, synchronization, synchronizing, synchronisation - an adjustment that causes something to occur or recur in unison

voicing - the act of adjusting an organ pipe (or wind instrument) so that it conforms to the standards of tone and pitch and color

acclimation, acclimatisation, acclimatization - adaptation to a new climate (a new temperature or altitude or environment)

dedifferentiation - the loss of specialization in form or function

domestication - adaptation to intimate association with human beings

biological process, organic process - a process occurring in living organisms

specialisation, specialization, differentiation - (biology) the structural adaptation of some body part for a particular function; "cell differentiation in the developing embryo"

cost-of-living allowance - an allowance for changes in the consumer price index

depreciation allowance - an allowance for loss due to depreciation

deduction, discount - an amount or percentage deducted

seasonal adjustment - a statistical adjustment made to accommodate predictable fluctuations as a function of the season of the year; "seasonal adjustments for housing starts must be made in mid-winter"

recompense - payment or reward (as for service rendered)