patch
patch — noun
1. a small part of a place or surface that stands out because it looks or feels dif
a small part of a place or surface that stands out because it looks or feels different from what is around it
A patch of ice still covered the road near the bridge.
patch of + noun
Sunlight made bright patches on the classroom wall after noon.
plural patches for marks of light
We found a dry patch under the tree after the storm.
A dark patch spread across the ceiling after the pipe burst.
- patch of ice
- patch of grass
- dry patch
- dark patch
Grammar Patterns
a patch of ice
a patch of grass
bright patches on a wall
Usage Note
Usually appears in patterns like a patch of grass, ice, or sunlight. Distinguish from noun/3, which is a separate piece added to repair something.
2. the part of a town or region that someone regularly works in and knows well
the part of a town or region that someone regularly works in and knows well
Officer Chen drove back to his patch for the morning market patrol.
possessive: his patch
The sales team split the city into patches for new workers.
split a city into patches
Nora knows every street in her patch near the station.
After lunch, the nurse visited three homes in her patch.
in her patch
- his patch
- her patch
- know your patch
- return to your patch
Grammar Patterns
his patch
work in your patch
know your patch well
Usage Note
Most often appears as your, his, or her patch. Common for police, nurses, sales workers, and others who cover a fixed local area.
3. a bit of cloth, rubber, or similar material fixed over damage to cover it or mak
a bit of cloth, rubber, or similar material fixed over damage to cover it or make it stronger
Grandma sewed a blue patch over the hole in my jeans.
patch over a hole
Mila sewed a patch onto her torn jacket elbow after dinner.
patch onto + object
A square patch kept rain out of the tent roof.
The bike tube needs a patch before we ride home.
- knee patch
- iron-on patch
- patch over a hole
- tire patch
- covering
broader and does not always suggest repair
- reinforcement
focuses more on making a weak part stronger
- bandage
used mainly for injuries on the body, not general objects
Grammar Patterns
a patch over a hole
sew a patch onto something
put a patch on a tire
Usage Note
Used when one small weak place is covered or strengthened. Distinguish from noun/1, where patch means the different-looking area itself, not a separate added piece.
Common Mistakes
4. a cloth sign sewn onto clothing to show a group, job, rank, or name
a cloth sign sewn onto clothing to show a group, job, rank, or name
A flag patch was sewn onto Maya's scout shirt last week.
collocation: flag patch
The pilot's patch showed his name above the left pocket.
New police recruits received shoulder patches on their first day.
collocation: shoulder patch
Liam stitched each camp patch onto the back of his jacket.
- flag patch
- shoulder patch
- name patch
- uniform patch
Grammar Patterns
a flag patch
shoulder patch
sew a patch onto a shirt
Usage Note
Often used for uniforms, scout groups, and event souvenirs. Distinguish from noun/3, where the piece is meant to repair damage.
5. a small sticky piece put on your skin to let medicine enter the body slowly
a small sticky piece put on your skin to let medicine enter the body slowly
Dad put a nicotine patch on his arm before work.
collocation: nicotine patch
The nurse changed the pain patch after Maria's surgery.
Rosa kept the pain patch on her shoulder for twelve hours.
keep the patch on your skin
Mina wore a travel patch before the long mountain bus ride.
- nicotine patch
- pain patch
- wear a patch
- change the patch
- transdermal patch
the more technical medical term
- skin patch
a plain descriptive phrase
- medicated patch
stresses that it contains a treatment
Grammar Patterns
a nicotine patch
wear a patch on your skin
change the patch
Usage Note
The patch stays on the skin for a period of time while the medicine enters the body slowly. Often named by the treatment, such as nicotine patch or pain patch.
Common Mistakes
6. a covering worn over one eye, usually to protect it while it heals or is treated
a covering worn over one eye, usually to protect it while it heals or is treated
After the accident, Leo wore a black patch over one eye.
patch over one eye
The doctor asked Emma to keep the patch on until morning.
The pirate costume looked better with a red eye patch.
compound: eye patch
A soft patch protected the baby's weak eye during treatment.
- eye patch
- wear a patch
- patch over one eye
- keep the patch on
Grammar Patterns
wear a patch over one eye
keep the patch on
eye patch
Usage Note
Can refer to a medical covering or the costume item that copies it. In medical use, it is often used with keep on, wear, or remove.
7. a small software update installed to fix a problem or help a program run better
a small software update installed to fix a problem or help a program run better
The racing game needs a patch before Friday's online tournament starts.
Our IT team installed the security patch during lunch.
collocation: security patch
This patch stops the school app from crashing on older phones.
Office workers downloaded the patch as soon as the warning email arrived.
download a patch
- security patch
- software patch
- install a patch
- download a patch
Grammar Patterns
install a patch
download a patch
security patch
Usage Note
Usually refers to a small corrective update, not a full new version of a program. Common with security, bug, install, release, and download.
Common Mistakes
8. a stretch of time when life, work, or a relationship is going badly
a stretch of time when life, work, or a relationship is going badly
After losing his job, Ben went through a rough patch.
go through a rough patch
Our marriage hit a bad patch when we moved abroad.
hit a bad patch
The store survived a slow patch after the holiday season.
Since her mother got sick, Mina has been going through a rough patch.
- rough patch
- bad patch
- go through a patch
- hard patch
Grammar Patterns
go through a rough patch
hit a bad patch
a difficult patch
Usage Note
Most often appears with words like rough, bad, hard, or difficult. Common verbs are go through, hit, have, and get past.
Common Mistakes
To be much worse or less impressive than someone or something else.
This new restaurant is not a patch on the old one.
Maya's singing is not a patch on her sister's.
patch — verb
1. to link a person, call, or piece of equipment to a phone or electronic system, o
to link a person, call, or piece of equipment to a phone or electronic system, often for a short time
The operator patched my call through to the sales manager.
patch a call through
Ben patched the speaker into the meeting room system.
patch + equipment into system
At sound check, the engineer patched the guitar into channel three.
Please patch Dr. Singh into the call after lunch.
patch someone into a call
- patch through
- patch into
- patch a call through
- patch someone into a meeting
Grammar Patterns
patch a call through
patch someone into a call
patch equipment into a system
Usage Note
For phone calls, people are often patched through or into something. For devices, the usual pattern is patch something into a system, channel, or network.
Common Mistakes
2. to fix damage by covering a torn or thin place with extra material
to fix damage by covering a torn or thin place with extra material
Mom patched the torn pocket before school started.
patch a torn item
We patched the boat sail with strong white tape.
patch with + material
A worker patched the wall after moving the old sink.
Carla patched her backpack so she could use it again.
- patch a hole
- patch jeans
- patch with tape
- patch a wall
Grammar Patterns
patch a hole
patch something with cloth
patch torn clothes
Usage Note
This sense highlights a local repair done by adding material. Distinguish from verb/4, which often means putting something together roughly from mixed pieces.
Common Mistakes
3. to correct a software or system problem by installing a small fix
to correct a software or system problem by installing a small fix
The company patched the payment system before the weekend sale.
patch a system
By noon, our team patched the login system after the ticket rush.
Engineers patched the server after the attack on Friday.
Last night, the IT team patched the school tablets against the new security hole.
patch against a security hole
- patch a system
- patch a server
- patch the app
- patch against a flaw
Grammar Patterns
patch a system
patch a server
patch something against a flaw
Usage Note
The object is usually software, a server, a system, or a device. In careful technical use, people more often patch the program than patch the bug itself.
Common Mistakes
4. to make or repair something quickly from whatever pieces are available, often no
to make or repair something quickly from whatever pieces are available, often not very neatly
The church volunteers patched two old tables together for the bake sale.
patch together
Grandpa patched the fence from spare boards behind the shed.
patch from spare parts
We patched a costume together from shirts and old curtains.
The team patched the engine enough to reach the next town.
- patch together
- patch from spare parts
- patch the fence
- patch the engine
- cobble together
strongly suggests making something quickly from whatever is available
- piece together
can sound more careful and less rough
- improvise
broader and can refer to creating a solution, not only a physical object
Grammar Patterns
patch something together
patch something from spare parts
patch something enough to use
Usage Note
This sense often suggests a temporary, practical result rather than a careful finish. Common with together and from when the materials come from different places.
Word family
- patchyadjectiveC1
- patchworknounC2
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/2
Patch is useful when damage is dealt with by adding a small extra piece, so the repair is local and often not complete. Mend is broader and often used for clothes or other small things that are made usable again. Repair is the most general choice and can describe larger, more careful work on roofs, machines, or walls. Darn is specific to sewing over holes in socks or sweaters with thread. Fix is the most everyday option, but it does not show how the object is restored. If Maya sews cloth over a torn knee, she patches the jeans. If a mechanic restores the whole engine, he repairs or fixes it rather than patches it.
Etymology
Patch appears in Middle English as pacche. Its earlier source is uncertain, but it may be related to older words for a small piece or marked spot. The earliest core idea was a bit of material used to mend damage. From that physical sense, English later developed wider meanings such as a marked area on a surface, a difficult period, and a small software fix.