repair

¹ American  

[ri-pair] / rɪˈpɛər /

verb (used with object)

1. to restore to a good or sound condition after decay or damage; mend.

   to repair a motor.

   Synonyms:

   renovate, remodel, fix

   Antonyms:

   destroy, break

2. to restore or renew by any process of making good, strengthening, etc..

   to repair one's health by resting.

   Synonyms:

   amend, rejuvenate, renew

3. to remedy; make good; put right.

   to repair damage;

   to repair a deficiency.

   Synonyms:

   recoup, retrieve

4. to make amends for; compensate.

   to repair a wrong done.

   Synonyms:

   redress

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noun

1. an act, process, or work of repairing.

   to order the repair of a building.

2. Usually repairs.

   1. an instance or operation of repairing.

      to lay up a boat for repairs.

   2. a repaired part or an addition made in repairing.

      Seventeenth-century repairs in brick are conspicuous in parts of the medieval stonework.

3. repairs, (in bookkeeping, accounting, etc.) the part of maintenance expense that has been paid out to keep fixed assets in usable condition, as distinguished from amounts used for renewal or replacement.

4. the good condition resulting from continued maintenance and repairing.

   to keep in repair.

5. condition with respect to soundness and usability.

   a house in good repair.

repair ² American  

[ri-pair] / rɪˈpɛər /

verb (used without object)

1. to betake oneself; go, as to a place.

   He repaired in haste to Washington.

2. to go frequently or customarily.

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noun

1. a resort or haunt.

2. the act of going or going customarily; resort.

   to have repair to the country.

3. Scot. Obsolete. a meeting, association, or crowd of people.

repair ¹ British  

/ rɪˈpɛə /

verb

1. to restore (something damaged or broken) to good condition or working order

2. to heal (a breach or division) in (something)

   to repair a broken marriage

3. to make good or make amends for (a mistake, injury, etc)

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noun

1. the act, task, or process of repairing

2. a part that has been repaired

3. state or condition

   in good repair

repair ² British  

/ rɪˈpɛə /

verb

1. (usually foll by to) to go (to a place)

   to repair to the country

2. (usually foll by to) to have recourse (to) for help, etc

   to repair to one's lawyer

3. archaic (usually foll by from) to come back; return

---

noun

1. the act of going or returning

2. a haunt or resort

Related Words

See renew.

Other Word Forms

• nonrepairable adjective
• repairability noun
• repairable adjective
• repairableness noun
• repairer noun

Etymology

Origin of repair¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English reparen, repairen, from Middle French reparer, from Latin reparāre, equivalent to re- re- + parāre to prepare; pare

Origin of repair²

First recorded 1300–50; Middle English repairen, repeiren, from Old French repairier, repeirier, “to return,” from Late Latin repatriāre “to return to one's homeland”; repatriate

Example Sentences

As muscles age, their stem cells build up high levels of a protein that makes them slower to switch on and repair damaged tissue.

From Science Daily

The Comfort is undergoing repairs that are expected to be completed in April, while the Mercy is in the middle of a one-year maintenance period that began last July.

From The Wall Street Journal

The carrier, which procured the parts via its suppliers, found fraudulent components on 28 of its engines, and incurred close to $30 million in costs from removing aircraft from service and repairing the turbines.

From The Wall Street Journal

Working from his home office in Surrey, Zamora Yrala sold parts directly to airlines and maintenance and repair companies, as well as to other aircraft parts brokers.

From BBC

He read a lot of science fiction and lent a hand repairing vehicles and tents.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• compensate for
• correct
• heal
• improve
• mend
• overhaul
• patch
• rebuild
• recover
• rectify
• refurbish
• remedy
• renovate
• retrieve
• revamp
• revive