Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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noun
Senses relating to improvement or repairing.
An act of repairing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Senses relating to improvement or repairing.
A place in a thing (such as a tear in clothing) which has been repaired.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Senses relating to improvement or repairing.
Chiefly in on the mend: improvement in health; recovery from illness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Recompense; restoration or reparation, especially (Christianity) from sin.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: mends
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To physically repair (something that is broken, defaced, decayed, torn, or otherwise damaged).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Synonyms: amend, correct, fix, fix up, furbish, retrieve, make whole, mend, patch, put to rights, rectify, recondition, reform, refurbish, remediate, remedy, renew, renovate, restore, restrive, revamp, right
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To add fuel to (a fire).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To correct or put right (an error, a fault, etc.); to rectify, to remedy.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: make good, set straight
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To put (something) in a better state; to ameliorate, to improve, to reform, to set right.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, transitive
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To remove fault or sin from (someone, or their behaviour or character); to improve morally, to reform.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
In mend one's pace: to adjust (a pace or speed), especially to match that of someone or something else; also, to quicken or speed up (a pace).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To correct or put right the defects, errors, or faults of (something); to amend, to emend, to fix.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, figuratively, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To increase the quality of (someone or something); to better, to improve on; also, to produce something better than (something else).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, figuratively, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To make amends or reparation for (a wrong done); to atone.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, figuratively, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To restore (someone or something) to a healthy state; to cure, to heal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, regional, transitive
Qualifier: archaic except UK
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To adjust or correctly position (something; specifically (nautical), a sail).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To put out (a candle).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To add one or more things in order to improve (something, especially wages); to supplement; also, to remedy a shortfall in (something).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To relieve (distress); to alleviate, to ease.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To reform (oneself).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, obsolete, reflexive, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To improve the condition or fortune of (oneself or someone).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: also, figuratively, obsolete, reflexive, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To repair the clothes of (someone).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: England, obsolete, regional, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To cause (a person or animal) to gain weight; to fatten.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Northern-Ireland, Scotland, figuratively, obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Chiefly with the impersonal pronoun it: to provide a benefit to (someone); to advantage, to profit.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Scotland, figuratively, obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Of an illness: to become less severe; also, of an injury or wound, or an injured body part: to get better, to heal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Of a person: to become healthy again; to recover from illness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Now only in least said, soonest mended: to make amends or reparation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, figuratively, intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To become morally improved or reformed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Scotland, figuratively, intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Chiefly used together with make: to make repairs.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To advance to a better state; to become less bad or faulty; to improve.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To improve in amount or price.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Of an error, fault, etc.: to be corrected or put right.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Followed by of: to recover from a bad state; to get better, to grow out of.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Of an animal: to gain weight, to fatten.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Northern-Ireland, Scotland, figuratively, intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To advantage, to avail, to help.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Scotland, figuratively, intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
the act of putting something in working order again
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: repair, fix, fixing, fixture, mending, reparation
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: improvement
Narrower terms: darning, patching, care, maintenance, upkeep, band aid, quick fix, quickie, quicky, restoration, reconstruction, restitution
noun
sewing that repairs a worn or torn hole (especially in a garment)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: patch, darn
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: sewing, stitchery
verb
restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: repair, fix, bushel, doctor, furbish up, restore, touch on
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: better, improve, amend, ameliorate, meliorate
Narrower terms: tinker, fiddle, fill, piece, patch, cobble, point, repoint, trouble-shoot, troubleshoot, patch up, sole, resole, vamp, revamp, heel, reheel, darn
verb
heal or recover
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: heal
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: better, improve, ameliorate, meliorate
History
Partly: * (chiefly etymology 2 sense 2 (“recompense; restoration or reparation”)) from Middle English mend, mende (“cure, remedy; damages, recompense; atonement; penance; relief”), the aphetic form of amende, amendes (“retribution, amends; a fine; atonement; penance”) (though attested slightly earlier); or directly from its etymon Anglo-Norman amende, Middle French amende, and Old French amende (“a fine”) (modern French amende), from amender (verb) (see etymology 1); and * from mend (verb).
From Middle English menden (“to cure; to do good to, benefit; to do or make better, improve; to get better, recover; to keep in a good state; to put right, amend; to reform, repent”), the aphetic form of amenden (“to alter, change (especially for the better); to atone; to chastise, punish; to correct, remedy, amend; to cure; to excel, surpass; to forgive; to get or make better, improve; to make ready; to mend, repair, restore; to get well, recover; to relieve”), or from its etymon Anglo-Norman amender and Old French amender (“to cure; to fix, repair; to set right, correct”) (modern French amender), from Latin ēmendāre, the present active infinitive of ēmendō (“to atone; to chastise, punish; to correct, remedy, amend; to cure”), from ē- (variant of ex- (prefix meaning ‘away; out’)) + mendum (“defect; error, fault”) (from Proto-Indo-European *mend- (“defect; fault”)) + -ō (suffix forming first-conjugation verbs).
Across languages
141 source translations are retained for this English entry.
