mend

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /mɪnd/ UK /mɛnd/ See IPA manual

Freq #9842

Meanings

1

verb
To repair something that is broken, torn, or damaged.

My trousers have a big rip and need mending.
2

verb
To heal or get better after illness or injury.

His broken leg is mending nicely.
3

verb
To put right a problem, mistake, or relationship.

They worked hard to mend their friendship after the argument.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to repair something that is... fix repair patch

2 verb · to heal or get better after... heal

3 verb · to put right a problem,... set straight

Word family

Forms mendedmending

Derived forms mendablemendermenderymendsmismendremend

Appears in

Idioms (2)

See all

Proverbs (1)

See all

It's never too late to mend

Simplified etymology

Mend is thought to be a shortened form of amend, although mend is recorded slightly earlier. Mend, amend, and emend all ultimately derive from Latin emendare, “to free from faults” or “correct.”

Etymology

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 amen…

*mend- Proto-Indo-European menden Middle English amender Old French ēmendāre Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# mend

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /mɪnd/
**IPA (UK):** /mɛnd/
**Frequency rank:** 9842

## Meanings
1. To repair something that is broken, torn, or damaged.
2. To heal or get better after illness or injury.
3. To put right a problem, mistake, or relationship.

## Examples
- My trousers have a big rip and need mending.
- His broken leg is mending nicely.
- They worked hard to mend their friendship after the argument.

## Derived Forms
- mendable
- mender
- mendery
- mends
- mismend
- remend

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *mend-
- Root: menden
- Root: amender
- Root: ēmendāre

## Etymology
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 amen…

## AI Etymology
Mend comes 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”). In present-day English its meanings include to repair something that is broken, torn, or damaged, to heal or get better after illness or injury, and to put right a problem, mistake, or relationship.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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