to mend
Definition
Meaning: Mend means "to repair something that is broken or damaged" or "to heal or improve a situation." It is used for both physical objects and emotional or relational issues.
La signification : Mend signifie « réparer » ou « raccommoder ». On l’utilise aussi pour dire « guérir » ou « améliorer une situation », notamment dans un contexte émotionnel ou relationnel.
Example: "He tried to mend his relationship with his sister after the argument."
Grammar: The verb can be transitive (e.g., "mend a shirt") or used metaphorically (e.g., "mend a broken heart").
Quote: "The wound is the place where the Light enters you. Give it time, and even the deepest pain will mend." [Rumi]
Word Analysis
French equivalents »» Réparer »» Raccommoder »» Guérir Ⓐ Elle a réparé le vase cassé. Ⓑ Il essaie de guérir ses relations familiales. English equivalents »» Fix »» Heal »» Repair Ⓐ I need to mend my jeans—they're torn at the knee. Ⓑ Time will mend your broken heart.
Dialogue
Tom: "This jacket has a rip in the sleeve."
Ella: "I can help you mend it if you have a needle and thread."
Tom: "Thanks! I’d really appreciate that."
Poem Excerpt
Mending Wall
Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,
That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,
And spills the upper boulders in the sun;
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.
The work of hunters is another thing:
I have come after them and made repair
Where they have left not one stone on a stone,
But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,
To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,
No one has seen them made or heard them made,
But at spring mending-time we find them there.
I let my neighbor know beyond the hill;
And on a day we meet to walk the line
And set the wall between us once again.
We keep the wall between us as we go.
Robert Frost
Read the Full Poem
Etymology
Origin: From Middle English menden (“to repair, rectify”), a back-formation from amenden, borrowed from Old French amender, from Latin emendāre (“to correct, free from fault”).
Modern Usage: Still common in both literal and figurative senses: repairing physical things (e.g., clothes, machines) and healing relationships or health.
Grammar Note: Mend is a regular verb: mend, mends, mended, mending.
Audience
Mend is used in both casual and formal English. It appears in daily speech, literature, technical repair contexts, and emotional or metaphorical discussions.
When to use: Use this verb when referring to fixing something broken, healing a physical or emotional wound, or resolving a relationship. Example: “She tried to mend the tear in his shirt” or “Time can help mend a broken heart.”
Extra! Extra!
For a fun and engaging exploration of our word of the day, watch the following…Mend vs. Fix vs. Repair
To be 'on the mend'
WordReference
For more on idiomatic usage, visit the WordReference Forums for discussions, translations, and examples of "soothe" in context.
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» English⇄English – Discuss and learn about words and their usage.
» English⇄French – Explore translations and linguistic nuances.
» Synonyms⇄Antonyms – Contextual variations, etc.
Common Idioms & Expressions Related to "Mend"
Mend fences
To repair a damaged relationship or reconcile after a disagreement.
Example: "After years of feuding, the neighbors finally decided to mend fences."
Mend one's ways
To improve one's behavior or habits after wrongdoing.
Example: "After the warning, he promised to mend his ways."
On the mend
Recovering from an illness, injury, or difficult situation.
Example: "She was sick last week but is now on the mend."
Mend a broken heart
To recover from emotional pain, especially after a breakup or loss.
Example: "Time and good friends helped her mend her broken heart."
A stitch in time saves nine
Fixing a problem early prevents it from becoming worse later.
Example: "Repair the leak now—a stitch in time saves nine!"
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