Definition of "patch" in Anglais

noun

1. A piece of cloth, or other suitable material, sewed or otherwise fixed upon a garment to repair or strengthen it, especially upon an old garment to cover a hole.

   • His sleeves had patches on the elbows where different fabric had been sewn on to replace material that had worn away.

2. A small piece of anything used to repair damage or a breach; as, a patch on a kettle, a roof, etc.

   • I can't afford to replace the roof, which is what it really needs. I'll have the roofer apply a patch.

3. A piece of any size, used to repair something for a temporary period only, or that it is temporary because it is not meant to last long or will be removed as soon as a proper repair can be made, which will happen in the near future.

   • Before you can fix a dam, you have to apply a patch to the hole so that everything can dry off.
   • "This patch should hold until you reach the city," the mechanic said as he patted the car's hood.

4. A small, usually contrasting but always somehow different or distinct, part of something else (location, time, size)

   • The world economy had a rough patch in the 1930s.
   • To me, a normal cow is white with black patches, but Sarah's from Texas and most of the cows there have solid brown, black, or red coats.
   • Doesn't that patch of clouds looks like a bunny?
   • When ice skating, be sure to stay away from reeds: there are always thin patches of ice there, and you could fall through.

5. (specifically) A small area, a small plot of land or piece of ground.

   • scattered patches of trees or growing corn
   • There was a blackberry patch down by the creek, and his grandparents called the pasture down there the cow patch.

6. A local region of professional responsibility.

7. (historical) A small piece of black silk stuck on the face or neck to heighten beauty by contrast, worn by ladies in the 17th and 18th centuries; an imitation beauty mark.

8. (medicine) A piece of material used to cover a wound.

9. (medicine) An adhesive piece of material, impregnated with a drug, which is worn on the skin, the drug being slowly absorbed over a period of time.

   • Many people use a nicotine patch to wean themselves off of nicotine.

10. (medicine) A cover worn over a damaged eye, an eyepatch.

    • He had scratched his cornea so badly that his doctor told him to wear a patch.

11. A block on the muzzle of a gun, to do away with the effect of dispart, in sighting.