mend
/mɛnd/
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.33 in modern English
Meaning
verb
To physically repair (something that is broken, defaced, decayed, torn, or otherwise damaged).
Transitive verb
verb
To put (something) in a better state; to ameliorate, to improve, to reform, to set right.
Transitive verb
verb
To remove fault or sin from (someone, or their behaviour or character); to improve morally, to reform.
Transitive verb
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).
Transitive verb
verb
To correct or put right the defects, errors, or faults of (something); to amend, to emend, to fix.
Archaic; Transitive verb
verb
To increase the quality of (someone or something); to better, to improve on; also, to produce something better than (something else).
Archaic; Transitive verb
Example Sentences
- "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."
- "[H]e [Jesus] ſawe other two brethren, James the ſonne of Zebede, and Jhon his brother, in the ſhip with Zebede their father, mendynge their nettes, and called them. And they without tarynge lefte yͤ ſhyp and their father, and folowed hym."
- "[A] fellow mending the tiles just when the fire broke out, saw a pot with wildfire in the room."
- "Then, Betsey, my dear, run into the kitchen, and see if Rebecca has put the water on; and tell her to bring in the tea-things as soon as she can. I wish we could get the bell mended—but Betsey is a very handy little messenger."
- "The boy first remembered him as sitting in the door of the plantation blacksmith-shop, where he sharpened plow-points and mended tools and even did rough carpenter-work when he was not in the woods."
Etymology
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /mɛnd/
- British English: /mɛnd/