Mending
/ˈmɛndɪŋ/
nounverbB1present participle
Definition
Mending is the act of repairing or fixing something that is torn, broken, or not working well. It often refers to sewing clothes to close holes or tears, but it can also mean repairing other things or improving a bad situation.
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See It in Action
The action of repairing something broken or torn
- •She is mending her ripped shirt with needle and thread.
- •The tailor spent the afternoon mending the old coat.
- •Mending the fence took all day but now it looks like new.
The process of improving or healing, especially in a non-physical way
- •After the argument, their friendship is slowly mending.
- •The community is mending after the flood damage.
- •Time is mending her broken heart.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "mending" like "fix" (A1 word), but usually for small repairs, especially with cloth or soft things.
- ✓Picture someone sewing a small hole in a shirt or patching a tear in a jacket carefully with a needle and thread.
- ✓It’s the feeling when you make something old or damaged useful again, like when you fix your favorite sweater.
- ✓Sounds like "mend-ing" → imagine "mend" as a hand gently joining two broken parts together.
- ✓Think of the story of a grandmother carefully sewing a patch on a grandchild’s torn pants to make them like new.
- ✓NOT like "throw away" (discard broken things), "mending" means to keep and repair.
- ✓NOT like "replace" (get a new one), "mending" means to fix the original.
- ✓NOT like "breaking" (making something worse), "mending" is about making things better.
Try Other Words
- •Repair: to make something broken work again (Use when talking about fixing machines or objects in general)
- •Heal: to become healthy again (Use when talking about people or feelings getting better)
- •Patch: to cover or close a hole or tear (Use when you want to emphasize covering the damage, often with material)
- •Restore: to bring back to original condition (Use when the repair is complete and makes something like new)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: mend (root) + -ing (suffix showing action or process)
- •Etymology: From Old English "mendian," meaning to repair or fix
- •Historical development: Used for centuries to describe sewing or repairing clothes and objects; later also used for healing relationships or situations
- •Modern usage: Commonly used for fixing clothes, objects, and also for improving emotional or social problems
- •Key insight: "Mending" is about carefully making something whole again, not just quick fixing
Reflect & Connect
•How do you feel when you mend something yourself instead of buying a new one?
•Can mending be important in relationships as well as objects? How?
Fill in the blanks
1.She was mending her jacket because it had a ___ in the sleeve.
2.After their fight, they started mending their ___ slowly over time.
3.Mending a broken chair requires ___ tools and patience.
4.Instead of throwing the shirt away, he chose mending to ___ it last longer.
5.The old book was fragile, so careful mending was ___ to keep it safe.
6.When feelings are hurt, mending often takes more than just ___ words.
7.The tailor is mending ___ the torn fabric with small, careful stitches.