Fixing

Part of speech: verb, noun

Pronunciation: /ˈfɪksɪŋ/

Definitions

1. The act of repairing or making something functional again ; the process of attaching or fastening something securely in place ; the preparation or provision of food or other items
2. Restoring something broken or damaged to working order ; fastening or anchoring an object firmly ; supplying or arranging something to be ready for use
3. Mending or correcting a fault or problem ; securing an item by fixing it in position ; preparing or making available a meal, drink, or arrangement

Etymology: The verb "fix" has a surprisingly physical ancestry: its Latin source, "figere," meant to drive something into a surface, to stick or fasten it in place. The Latin past participle "fixus" carried the sense of something immovable or stable, and that idea of firmness is what English inherited. Middle English borrowed the verb from Old French, where the form was attested only as "ficher," meaning to thrust in or pin down, and the English spelling and sound drifted from there. Note that "fixing" is simply the present participle and gerund of "fix," so its meaning follows the verb. The original sense of driving something firmly into place survives in the second listed meaning, securing an item in position. The other senses grew out of the idea of making something stable again: repairing a fault restores firmness, and arranging a meal or drink sets things firmly in order for use.

Synonyms: repairing, mending

Antonyms: breaking, damaging