mend
gb/mˈɛnd/ us/mˈɛnd/
B1
English
~ 27800
megjavít, megfoltoz, helyrehoz, gyógyul, javítás, foltozás, javulóban van, gyógyulóban van
VERB
B1
1
Usage pattern:
to mend [something]
She managed to mend the tear in her dress before the party.
Sikerült bevarrnia a szakadást a ruháján a parti előtt.
The farmer spent the afternoon mending the broken fence.
A gazda az egész délutánt a törött kerítés javításával töltötte.
Can you mend this old clock, or is it beyond repair?
He took his shoes to a shop to get them mended.
After the storm, volunteers helped mend roofs all over the village.
Learner examples
My mother can mend my jeans.
Édesanyám meg tudja foltozni a farmeremet.
I need to mend the hole in my sock.
Be kell foltoznom a lyukat a zoknimon.
He mended the chair, and now we can sit on it.
The shop will mend your phone for a small price.
We must mend the gate; it is broken.
Common mistake:
Learners often use "fix" or "repair" for everything and never use "mend." In everyday English, "mend" is especially common for things like clothes, shoes, fences, and sometimes small machines. Do not use "mend" for making or building something new; it is only for something that is damaged.
Meaning
repair something that is damaged
Collocations
mend clothes
|mend a hole
|mend a fence
|mend a broken chair
|mend shoes
|mend the roof
Synonyms
repair (Slightly more formal or technical; used for everything from clothes to machines.)
|
fix (Very common and informal, especially in American English; broader and more casual than "mend".)
Antonyms
damage (Means to harm or spoil something so it needs to be mended.)
|
break (Means to cause something to stop working or come apart, the opposite of repairing it.)
Themes
daily life
|repair
|objects
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
to make something that is broken or torn good again, so it works or looks okay
To repair something that is broken, torn, or not working properly so that it is usable or presentable again.
VERB
B2
2
helyrehoz
B1
Usage pattern:
to mend [a situation / a relationship / one's ways]
They went to counseling to mend their relationship after years of fighting.
Tanácsadásra jártak, hogy helyrehozzák a kapcsolatukat az évekig tartó veszekedés után.
The new policy is an attempt to mend the country's broken health-care system.
Az új intézkedés kísérlet arra, hogy helyrehozzák az ország rosszul működő egészségügyi rendszerét.
He apologized to his sister to mend the rift between them.
The government is trying to mend its reputation after the scandal.
After the accident, she promised to mend her ways and drive more carefully.
Learner examples
I want to mend my friendship with her.
Szeretném helyrehozni a vele való barátságomat.
He said sorry to mend the problem.
Bocsánatot kért, hogy helyrehozza a helyzetet.
The company is working hard to mend its image.
She is trying to mend her marriage.
He must mend his ways and stop lying.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "mend" only for physical things and forget it can be used for relationships and situations. Also, they may say *"mend the situation of"* when a simpler pattern like "mend the situation" is more natural. Remember that "mend your ways" is a set phrase meaning to change bad behavior.
Meaning
improve a bad situation or relationship
Collocations
mend a relationship
|mend a rift
|mend fences with [someone]
|mend their marriage
|mend his ways
Synonyms
improve (Very general; does not always suggest something was damaged before, while "mend" usually does.)
|
repair (Often used metaphorically like "mend" for relationships and reputations, slightly more formal.)
Antonyms
worsen (Means to make a situation or relationship more bad instead of better.)
|
damage (In this context, means to harm a relationship or situation, the opposite of improving it.)
Themes
relationships
|social
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definition
to make a bad situation or relationship better again
To make a situation, relationship, or state of affairs better after it has become bad or damaged.
VERB
B2
3
gyógyul
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] mends
He was seriously injured in the crash but is now mending well.
Súlyosan megsérült a balesetben, de most már szépen gyógyul.
The doctor said her broken arm is mending nicely.
Az orvos azt mondta, hogy szépen gyógyul a törött karja.
After a few days of rest, she finally felt that she was mending.
His health began to mend once he stopped smoking.
It took months for his ankle to mend completely.
Learner examples
She was sick, but now she is mending.
Beteg volt, de most már gyógyul.
His leg is mending after the accident.
A baleset után gyógyul a lába.
The child is mending quickly in the hospital.
After a week in bed, I started to mend.
The cut is mending, and it does not hurt now.
Common mistake:
Learners often know "get better" or "recover" and may not recognize "mend" used without an object, as in "He is mending well." Also, they may try to say *"mend from a cold"*; it is more natural to say "mend after a cold" or simply "mend" or "recover from a cold."
Meaning
become healthy again
Collocations
is mending well
|is slowly mending
|she is on the mend
|his leg is mending
|the wound is mending nicely
Synonyms
heal (Focuses more on the physical process of the body repairing itself.)
|
recover (Very common; emphasizes returning to normal health or strength.)
Antonyms
deteriorate (Means to become worse in condition or health instead of better.)
|
relapse (Means to get sick again after starting to mend.)
Themes
health
|medicine
|daily life
|body
Definition
to get better again after you are sick or hurt
To heal or improve in health after an illness or injury.
NOUN
C1
4
Usage pattern:
a mend in [something]
You can hardly see the mend in his jacket sleeve.
Alig lehet látni a javítást a kabátja ujján.
Her sewing is so good that the mend is almost invisible.
Olyan szépen varr, hogy a javítás szinte láthatatlan.
The shoes will need a proper mend if you want them to last.
He did a quick mend on the net before going back to sea.
Learner examples
There is a small mend in my shirt.
Van egy kis javítás az ingemen.
She did a neat mend on my sock.
Szépen megfoltozta a zoknimat.
The mend in his pants is very clear.
This coat needs a mend at the pocket.
Common mistake:
Learners rarely use "mend" as a noun and may think it is always a verb. It is less common in modern English and often sounds a bit old-fashioned. In many cases, "repair" or "patch" is more frequent.
Meaning
an act or result of repair
Collocations
do a quick mend
|a neat mend
|a visible mend
|a careful mend
|a mend in his trousers
Synonyms
repair (Common as both noun and verb; slightly more formal and general.)
|
patch (Refers especially to a piece of material covering a hole; more concrete than "mend.")
Antonyms
damage (Refers to harm done to something, which may later need a mend.)
Themes
repair
|objects
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
the action of repairing something, or the part that has been repaired
An act of repairing something that is damaged, or the repaired area itself.
NOUN
B2
5
Usage pattern:
on the mend
After a difficult year, the local economy is finally on the mend.
Egy nehéz év után a helyi gazdaság végre javulóban van.
Following surgery, her health is clearly on the mend now.
A műtét után az egészségi állapota most már egyértelműen javulóban van.
Relations between the two countries are on the mend after the agreement.
Learner examples
He was very ill, but now he is on the mend.
Nagyon beteg volt, de most már gyógyulóban van.
Our business is on the mend after a bad year.
A vállalkozásunk a rossz év után javulóban van.
Her knee is on the mend, so she can walk more.
Things at home are on the mend now.
Common mistake:
Learners may not recognize that in "on the mend," "mend" is a noun. The whole phrase should be learned as a fixed expression meaning "getting better." Do not say *"in the mend"* or *"at the mend"*; the correct preposition is always "on."
Meaning
state of getting better again
Collocations
on the mend
|finally on the mend
|well on the mend
|seems to be on the mend
Synonyms
recovery (More general and common noun for becoming healthy again.)
Antonyms
decline (Refers to a state of getting worse instead of better.)
Themes
health
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
a state of becoming better again, especially after being sick, usually in the phrase "on the mend"
A state or process of improvement, especially in health, after illness or difficulty, most commonly used in the fixed phrase "on the mend."
Grammar
Dictionary form
mend
IPA
GB/mˈɛnd/
US/mˈɛnd/
Syllables & stress
mend (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (mend)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: mend
- Plural: mends
Verb
- Base: mend
- 3rd Person Singular: mends
- Present Participle: mending
- Past: mended
Word family
Expressions
mend one's ways
2/mˈɛnd wˈʌnz wˈeɪz/
idiom
change from bad to better behavior
to change your bad behavior and start to live in a better, more correct way
Examples
- After getting into trouble with the law, he promised the judge he would mend his ways.
- She really has mended her ways since she became a parent.
on the mend
3/ˈɔn ðə mˈɛnd/
idiom
getting better after illness or trouble
getting better again after being sick or after a bad time
Examples
- He was in the hospital last week, but he’s on the mend now.
- The company struggled during the pandemic, but profits are finally on the mend.
- Their relationship went through a rough patch, yet it seems to be on the mend.
mend fences
1/mˈɛnd fˈɛnsɪz/
idiom
repair a damaged relationship
to make a bad or broken relationship friendly again
Examples
- After years of not talking, they finally tried to mend fences.
- After years of not speaking, he finally tried to mend fences with his brother.
- The company is working to mend fences with its angry customers.
- The politician is working hard to mend fences with voters after the scandal.
- She called her brother to mend fences after their fight.