Citations:mend

English citations of mend

			1678
ME «	15th c.	16th c.	17th c.	18th c.	19th c.	20th c.	21st c.

Etymology 1

Verb

1. (transitive)
   1. To physically repair (something that is broken, defaced, decayed, torn, or otherwise damaged).
   2. (figurative)
      1. To put (something) in a better state; to ameliorate, to improve, to reform, to set right.
         • 1688, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], 11th edition, London: […] Nathanael Ponder, […], →OCLC, pages 124–125:

           [S]uppose ſuch a one [a tradesman] to have but a poor imploy in the vvorld, but by becoming Religious, he may mend his market, perhaps get a rich VVife, or more and far better cuſtomers to his ſhop. For my part, I ſee no reaſon but that this may be lavvfully done.

      2. To remove fault or sin from (someone, or their behaviour or character); to improve morally, to reform.
         • 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, pages 83–84:

           So I savv that Chriſtian vvent on his vvay, yet at the ſight of the old Man [Pope], that ſat in the mouth of the Cave, he could not tell vvhat to think, ſpecially becauſe he ſpake to him, though he could not go after him; ſaying, You vvill never mend, till more of you be burned: but he held his peace, and ſet a good face on't, and ſo vvent by, and catcht no hurt.

   3. (obsolete)
      1. (also reflexive, figurative) To improve the condition or fortune of (oneself or someone).
         • 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, pages 67–68:

           I vvas born indeed in your Dominions, but your ſe[r]vice vvas hard, and your vvages ſuch as a man could not live on, for the vvages of Sin is death [Romans 6:23]; therefore vvhen I vvas come to years, I did as other conſiderate perſons do, look out, if perhaps I might mend my ſelf.