Meaning & Definition
noun
An act of repairing something.
The jacket needed a quick mend before he could wear it again.
verb
To repair or fix something that is damaged or broken.
She decided to mend the tear in her dress before the party.
To improve or rectify a situation.
He worked hard to mend his relationship with his brother after their argument.
To recover from an illness or injury.
It took several weeks for him to mend after the surgery.
Etymology
Middle English: from the verb 'menden', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'menden' and German 'menden'.
Common Phrases and Expressions
mend fences:
to repair a broken relationship
mend one's ways:
to improve one's behavior
mend the sails:
to make repairs to a sail
Slang Meanings
to reconcile or make peace
They had a fight, but they decided to mend things over drinks.
to improve or make better
He’s really trying to mend his reputation after that incident.