patch

noun, verb

small area 1 a small area of sth, especially one which is different from the area around it: a black dog with a white patch on its back * a bald patch on the top of his head * damp patches on the wall * patches of dense fog * We sat in a patch of shade under a tree. piece of material 2 a small piece of material that is used to cover a hole in sth or to strengthen a weak area: I sewed patches on the knees of my jeans. 3 a piece of material that you wear over an eye, usually because the eye is damaged: He had a black patch over one eye. seealsoEYEPATCH 4 (especially AmE) (BrE usually badge) a piece of material that you sew onto clothes, etc. as a decoration or as part of a uniform 5 a piece of material that people can wear on their skin to help them to stop smoking: nicotine patches piece / area of land 6 a small piece of land, especially one used for growing vegetables or fruit: a vegetable patch 7 (BrE, informal) an area that sb works in, knows well or comes from: He knows every house in his patch. * She has had a lot of success in her home patch. difficult time 8 (informal, especially BrE) a period of time of the type mentioned, usually a difficult or unhappy one: to go through a bad / difficult / sticky patch seealsoPURPLEPATCH IDIOMS be not a patch on sb/sth (informal, especially BrE) to be much less good, attractive, etc. than sb/sth else: This book isn't a patch on her others. * She was no great beauty. Not a patch on Martha. verb [VN] ~ sth (with sth) to cover a hole or a worn place, especially in clothes, with a piece of cloth or other material: patched jeans * to patch a hole in the roof PHRASALVERBS patch sb/sth through (to sb/sth) to connect telephone or electronic equipment temporarily: She was patched through to London on the satellite link. patch sth<->together to make sth from several different parts, especially in a quick careless way: They hope to be able to patch together a temporary settlement. patch sth/sb<->up 1 to repair sth especially in a temporary way by adding a new piece of material or patch: Just to patch the boat up will cost ｣10000. 2 to treat sb's injuries, especially quickly or temporarily: The doctor will soon patch you up. 3 to try to stop quarrelling with sb and be friends again: They've managed to patch up their differences. * Have you tried patching things up with her? 4 to agree on sth, especially after long discussions and even though the agreement is not completely satisfactory: They managed to patch up a deal.