Mends

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /mɛndz/

Definitions

1. Fixes a broken or damaged object so it works again ; improves or restores a troubled or damaged relationship or situation
2. Restores something to good condition by repairing it ; makes a difficult or negative circumstance better or resolves conflicts
3. Makes something that was broken whole again through repairing ; heals or reconciles strained relations or problems

Etymology: "Mends" is simply the third-person singular present form of the verb "mend," so its history is really the history of "mend" with a regular ending added. "Mend" is a shortened form of "amend," which came into English from Old French "amender" and ultimately from Latin "emendare," meaning "to free from fault." The sense of correcting faults gradually narrowed to repairing physical damage, so a broken pot or torn sock became the typical thing to mend. The "-s" is the ordinary ending that English attaches to verbs in the third-person singular, as in "he walks" or "she writes." It does not change the meaning, so "she mends the fence" simply says what one person does regularly or at present, while "mend" alone covers the base form and the other persons.

Synonyms: repairs, fixes, restores

Antonyms: breaks, damages