mend
Noun:
- The act of repairing something: "mend" refers to the process of fixing something that is broken, damaged, or torn to restore it to working order.
- A repaired area: "mend" can also refer to the specific place on an object, especially clothing, that has been repaired.
Verb:
- To repair or fix: The primary meaning is to restore something broken, torn, or not working correctly by repairing it.
- To heal or recover: Used to describe the process of getting better from an illness or injury.
- To improve or correct: Used figuratively to mean improving a situation, behavior, or relationship.
Noun:
- The old quilt was full of colorful mends. (The old quilt had many repaired patches.)
- He made a neat mend on the torn page. (He performed a neat repair on the torn page.)
Verb (Transitive - with an object):
- Can you mend this broken vase? (Can you repair this broken vase?)
- She learned to mend her own clothes. (She learned to repair her own clothes.)
Verb (Intransitive - without an object):
- His broken arm is starting to mend. (His broken arm is beginning to heal.)
- Relations between the two countries are slowly mending. (Relations between the two countries are slowly improving.)
"to be on the mend": To be recovering or improving, especially after an illness or setback.
- After a week in bed, she is finally on the mend. (She is finally recovering after a week in bed.)
"to mend one's ways": To improve one's behavior or habits; to reform.
- After the warning, he promised to mend his ways. (He promised to reform his behavior after the warning.)
"Least said, soonest mended" (Idiom): A situation will improve more quickly if you avoid talking or arguing about it.
- They decided not to discuss the argument further, believing least said, soonest mended. (They believed avoiding further discussion would help resolve the issue faster.)
Mender (n): A person who mends things.
- He worked as a shoe mender. (He repaired shoes for a living.)
Mending (n): The action of repairing things; items that need to be repaired.
- She had a basket full of mending. (She had a basket full of clothes that needed repairs.)
- Repair: To fix something that is broken or damaged.
- Fix: To restore something to good condition.
- Heal: To become healthy again (for living things).
- Correct: To make right; to rectify (often for behavior or errors).
(Note: "Mend" is not commonly used with particles to form phrasal verbs. Its meanings are typically expressed directly or with prepositions like "mend with" [a specific material].)
"Mend fences": To try to improve a damaged relationship with someone; to reconcile.
- After their disagreement, they met for coffee to mend fences. (They met to try to repair their relationship.)
"Mend your pace" (Archaic/Literary): To walk faster; to hurry up.
- "We must mend our pace if we are to arrive before dark," he said. (He said they needed to walk faster to arrive before dark.)
- the act of putting something in working order again
- sewing that repairs a worn or torn hole (especially in a garment)
- her stockings had several mends
- heal or recover
- My broken leg is mending
- restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken
- She repaired her TV set
- Repair my shoes please