- patch
- I
[[t]pætʃ[/t]]n.1) a small piece of material used to mend a tear or break, cover a hole, or strengthen a weak place2) med a piece of material used to cover or protect a wound, an injured part, etc3) med an adhesive patch that applies to the skin and gradually delivers drugs or medication to the user:using a nicotine patch to try to quit smoking[/ex]4) any of the pieces of cloth sewn together to form patchwork5) a small piece, scrap, or area of anything:a patch of ice on the road[/ex]6) bot a small plot, esp. one in which a specific type of plant grows:a cabbage patch[/ex]7) mil a cloth emblem worn on the sleeve of a military uniform to identify the wearer's unit8) cvb an organizational or affiliational emblem of cloth sewn to one's jacket, shirt, cap, etc9) clo a tiny, usu. black piece of material applied to the face or neck, as to set off a feature or to cover a flaw10) cvb rtv tgp a connection or hookup, as between radio circuits or telephone lines11) to mend, cover, or strengthen with or as if with a patch12) to repair or restore, esp. in a hasty or makeshift way (usu. fol. by up)13) to make by joining patches or pieces together:to patch a quilt[/ex]14) to settle or smooth over (a quarrel or difference) (often fol. by up)15) cvb tgp rtv (esp. in radio and telephone communications) to connect or hook up (circuits, programs, conversations, etc.) (often fol. by through, into, etc.)16) cvb rtv tgp to make a connection between radio circuits, telephone lines, etc. (often fol. by in or into)•Etymology: 1350–1400; ME pacche; perh. akin to OPr pedas piece to cover a hole < VL *pedaceum lit., something measured; cf. ML pedāre to measure in feet; see ped- patch′a•ble, adj. patch′er, n. IIpatch[[t]pætʃ[/t]] n.clown; fool•Etymology: 1540–50; perh. < It pazzo fool
From formal English to slang. 2014.