Patching

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈpæ.t͡ʃɪŋ/

Definitions

1. The act of fixing or mending something by attaching pieces of material over holes or damage
2. A process involving covering damaged areas with patches to restore functionality or appearance
3. Repair work that involves placing small pieces of fabric or material onto worn or torn sections to improve condition

Etymology: The most striking thing about "patching" is how little anyone is sure of about its ancestry. The noun "patch" may come from a Germanic word for a spot or mark, one that also gave Dutch "plek" (place, spot), a link that suggests a patch was originally just a bit of ground or a blemish before it was a scrap of cloth. Other scholars propose an Old French word "pieche", a dialect form of "piece", and some have even suggested an Italian source, though that idea is less firmly supported. Whatever its source, "patch" was established in Middle English as a word for a piece of cloth or a spot, and "patching" is simply the everyday action of applying such pieces to repair something. The "-ing" ending turns the verb into a noun for that work, so the word describes both the activity and the result, as in a garment that shows years of patching.

Synonyms: mending, repairing

Antonyms: damaging