repair

1
[ ri-pair ]
See synonyms for: repairrepairedrepairingrepairs on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
  1. to restore to a good or sound condition after decay or damage; mend: to repair a motor.

  2. to restore or renew by any process of making good, strengthening, etc.: to repair one's health by resting.

  1. to remedy; make good; put right: to repair damage;to repair a deficiency.

  2. to make amends for; compensate: to repair a wrong done.

noun
  1. an act, process, or work of repairing: to order the repair of a building.

  2. Usually repairs.

    • an instance or operation of repairing: to lay up a boat for repairs.

    • a repaired part or an addition made in repairing: Seventeenth-century repairs in brick are conspicuous in parts of the medieval stonework.

  1. 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.

  2. the good condition resulting from continued maintenance and repairing: to keep in repair.

  3. condition with respect to soundness and usability: a house in good repair.

Origin of repair

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English reparen, repairen, from Middle French reparer, from Latin reparāre, equivalent to re- re- + parāre to prepare; see pare

synonym study For repair

2. See renew.

Other words for repair

Opposites for repair

Other words from repair

  • re·pair·a·ble, adjective
  • re·pair·a·bil·i·ty, re·pair·a·ble·ness, noun
  • non·re·pair·a·ble, adjective

Words that may be confused with repair

Words Nearby repair

Other definitions for repair (2 of 2)

repair2
[ ri-pair ]

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.

noun
  1. a resort or haunt.

  2. the act of going or going customarily; resort: to have repair to the country.

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

Origin of repair

2
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”; see origin at repatriate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use repair in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for repair (1 of 2)

repair1

/ (rɪˈpɛə) /


verb(tr)
  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

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

noun
  1. the act, task, or process of repairing

  2. a part that has been repaired

  1. state or condition: in good repair

Origin of repair

1
C14: from Old French reparer, from Latin reparāre, from re- + parāre to make ready

Derived forms of repair

  • repairable, adjective
  • repairer, noun

British Dictionary definitions for repair (2 of 2)

repair2

/ (rɪˈpɛə) /


verb(intr)
  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

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

nounarchaic
  1. the act of going or returning

  2. a haunt or resort

Origin of repair

2
C14: from Old French repairier, from Late Latin repatriāre to return to one's native land, from Latin re- + patria fatherland; compare repatriate

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012