mend fences

Register · Neutral Neutral — appropriate in most situations, both spoken and written, without sounding too casual or too stiff. CEFR B1

Post

Figurative meaning

to rebuild friendly relations after a dispute

Word picture

A damaged relationship is pictured as a broken boundary being repaired so the two sides reconnect.

Example

“Nadia invited her brother to lunch, hoping they could mend fences after their argument.”

Dictionary details

Component words

mend

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

on the mend Neutral · CEFR B2

recovering or improving after illness or damage

bury the hatchet Neutral · CEFR B1

to reconcile with someone and bring a quarrel to an end

kiss and make up Neutral · CEFR B1

to reconcile and become friendly again after an argument

a bone of contention Neutral · CEFR B2

a subject that causes disagreement or argument between people

it takes two to tango Neutral · CEFR B2

both parties are responsible for a situation

keep the peace Neutral · CEFR B2

to prevent conflict and maintain calm between people or groups

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

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