Remend

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To mend or repair something that has been torn or damaged, especially fabric or clothing
2. To fix or patch a broken or worn item by sewing or other means to restore its usefulness
3. To restore the integrity of a ripped or damaged object by careful joining or stitching

Etymology: "Remend" is built from two parts: the prefix "re-", meaning "again" or "back", and "mend", which means to repair or fix. Together they describe the act of mending something once more, which is exactly what happens when a tear in cloth is stitched back together. "Mend" itself traces back to the Latin "emendare", meaning to correct or free from fault, so the idea of setting something right runs through the whole word. The "re-" prefix in "remend" does the same job it does in words like "rebuild" or "renew", adding a sense of returning something to a prior condition. Because "mend" already covers repairing, "remend" is a more specialised term, narrowed to the particular business of fixing torn fabric.

Synonyms: repair, mend, fix, patch, restore

Antonyms: damage, break, harm, ruin, destroy