mend

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See also: mënd

English

Etymology

From Middle English menden, by apheresis for amenden (“to amend”); see amend.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /mɛnd/
  • Audio (UK):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛnd

Noun

mend (plural mends)

  1. A place, as in clothing, which has been repaired by mending.
  2. The act of repairing or recovering.
    My trousers have a big rip in them and need a mend.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

mend (third-person singular simple present mends, present participle mending, simple past and past participle mended)

  1. (transitive) To repair (something that is torn, broken, defaced, decayed, or otherwise damaged)
    My trousers have a big rip in them and need mending.
    When your car breaks down, you can take it to the garage to have it mended.
  2. (transitive) To put in a better state; to set right; to reform;
    Her stutter was mended by a speech therapist.
    My broken heart was mended.
    • 1881, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], “The Sacrifice”, in The Prince and the Pauper: A Tale for Young People of All Ages, Montreal, Que.: Dawson Brothers, →OCLC, page 222:
      "Give thyself no trouble as to the matter of minding him, good man, I have small mind to mind him; but as to teaching him somewhat, to that I am well inclined." He turned to a subordinate and said, "Give the little fool a taste or two of the lash, to mend his manners."
    • 1685, William Temple, Of Gardens
      [they] therefore thought all the Service they could do to the State they live under, was to mend the Lives and Manners of particular Men that composed it
  3. To quicken
  4. (transitive) To help, to advance, to further; to add to.
    • 1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land. […], London: […] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for H[enry] Mortlock […], and J[onathan] Robinson […], →OCLC:
      Though in some lands the grass is but short, yet it […] mends garden herbs and fruit.
    • c. 1605–1608, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
      You mend the jewel by the wearing it.
    • 1863, Sheridan Le Fanu, The House by the Churchyard:
      But my lord was angry, and being disguised with liquor too, he would not let him go till they played more; and play they did, and the luck still went the same way; and my lord grew fierce over it, and cursed and drank, and that did not mend his luck you may be sure […]
  5. (intransitive) To grow better; to advance to a better state; to become improved.
    • August 11 1711, Jonathan Swift, letter to Stella
      We have had terrible rains these two or three days. I intended to dine at lord treasurer's, but went to see lady Abercorn, who is come to town, and my lord; and I dined with them, and visited lord treasurer this evening. His porter is mending.
    • 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide
      Some days later it happened that young Heriotside was stepping home over the Lang Muir about ten at night, it being his first jaunt from home since his arm had mended.

Derived terms

Synonyms

Translations

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Translations to be checked

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Further reading

Polish

Pronunciation

Template:pl-p

Noun

mend

  1. genitive plural of menda
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