PATCH

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does patch mean? 

• PATCH (noun)
  The noun PATCH has 9 senses:

1. a small contrasting part of something

2. a small area of ground covered by specific vegetation

3. a piece of cloth used as decoration or to mend or cover a hole

4. a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition

5. a short set of commands to correct a bug in a computer program

6. a connection intended to be used for a limited time

7. sewing that repairs a worn or torn hole (especially in a garment)

8. a protective cloth covering for an injured eye

9. a piece of soft material that covers and protects an injured part of the body

  Familiarity information: PATCH used as a noun is familiar.

• PATCH (verb)
  The verb PATCH has 4 senses:

1. to join or unite the pieces of

2. provide with a patch; also used metaphorically

3. mend by putting a patch on

4. repair by adding pieces

  Familiarity information: PATCH used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PATCH (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A small contrasting part of something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

dapple; fleck; maculation; patch; speckle; spot

Context example:

a fleck of red

Hypernyms ("patch" is a kind of...):

marking (a pattern of marks)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "patch"):

pinpoint; speck (a very small spot)

facula (a bright spot on a planet)

facula; solar facula (a large bright spot on the sun's photosphere occurring most frequently in the vicinity of sunspots)

macula; sunspot (a cooler darker spot appearing periodically on the sun's photosphere; associated with a strong magnetic field)

mock sun; parhelion; sundog (a bright spot on the parhelic circle; caused by diffraction by ice crystals)

macula; macule (a patch of skin that is discolored but not usually elevated; caused by various diseases)

plaque ((pathology) a small abnormal patch on or inside the body)

fret; worn spot (a spot that has been worn away by abrasion or erosion)

splash (a patch of bright color)

nebula ((pathology) a faint cloudy spot on the cornea)

Derivation:

patch (provide with a patch; also used metaphorically)

patchy (irregular or uneven in quality, texture, etc.)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A small area of ground covered by specific vegetation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Synonyms:

patch; plot; plot of ground; plot of land

Context example:

a briar patch

Hypernyms ("patch" is a kind of...):

parcel; parcel of land; piece of ground; piece of land; tract (an extended area of land)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "patch"):

bed (a plot of ground in which plants are growing)

garden (a plot of ground where plants are cultivated)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A piece of cloth used as decoration or to mend or cover a hole

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("patch" is a kind of...):

piece of cloth; piece of material (a separate part consisting of fabric)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "patch"):

flash (a bright patch of color used for decoration or identification)

pasty ((usually used in the plural) one of a pair of adhesive patches worn to cover the nipples of exotic dancers and striptease performers)

shoulder patch (patch worn on the shoulder of a military uniform to indicate rank)

Derivation:

patch (to join or unite the pieces of)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Synonyms:

patch; piece; spell; while

Context example:

a patch of bad weather

Hypernyms ("patch" is a kind of...):

time (an indefinite period (usually marked by specific attributes or activities))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "patch"):

cold snap; cold spell (a spell of cold weather)

hot spell (a spell of hot weather)

snap (a spell of cold weather)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A short set of commands to correct a bug in a computer program

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("patch" is a kind of...):

computer program; computer programme; program; programme ((computer science) a sequence of instructions that a computer can interpret and execute)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A connection intended to be used for a limited time

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

patch; temporary hookup

Hypernyms ("patch" is a kind of...):

connecter; connection; connective; connector; connexion (an instrumentality that connects)

contrivance; lash-up (any improvised arrangement for temporary use)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Sewing that repairs a worn or torn hole (especially in a garment)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

darn; mend; patch

Context example:

her stockings had several mends

Hypernyms ("patch" is a kind of...):

sewing; stitchery (needlework on which you are working with needle and thread)

Derivation:

patch (mend by putting a patch on)

patch (to join or unite the pieces of)

Sense 8

Meaning:

A protective cloth covering for an injured eye

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

eyepatch; patch

Hypernyms ("patch" is a kind of...):

cloth covering (a covering made of cloth)

Sense 9

Meaning:

A piece of soft material that covers and protects an injured part of the body

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

bandage; patch

Hypernyms ("patch" is a kind of...):

dressing; medical dressing (a cloth covering for a wound or sore)

Meronyms (parts of "patch"):

gauze; gauze bandage ((medicine) bleached cotton cloth of plain weave used for bandages and dressings)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "patch"):

capeline bandage (bandage that covers the head or an amputation stump like a cap)

adhesive bandage (bandage consisting of a medical dressing of plain absorbent gauze held in place by a plastic or fabric tape coated with adhesive)

truss ((medicine) a bandage consisting of a pad and belt; worn to hold a hernia in place by pressure)

swathe; wrapping (an enveloping bandage)

suspensory; suspensory bandage (a bandage of elastic fabric applied to uplift a dependant part (as the scrotum or a pendulous breast))

scarf bandage; sling; triangular bandage (bandage to support an injured forearm; consisting of a wide triangular piece of cloth hanging from around the neck)

roller bandage (bandage consisting of a strip of sterile fabric (of variable width) rolled into a cylinder to facilitate application)

oblique bandage (a bandage in which successive turns proceed obliquely up or down a limb)

immovable bandage (a bandage of cloth impregnated with a substance (e.g., plaster of Paris) that hardens soon after it is applied)

four-tailed bandage (a bandage consisting of a strip of cloth split in two on both ends; the central part is placed under the chin to restrict motion of the mandible and the tails are tied over the top of the head)

elastic bandage (a bandage containing stretchable material that can apply local pressure)

compression bandage; tourniquet (bandage that stops the flow of blood from an artery by applying pressure)

cast; plaster bandage; plaster cast (bandage consisting of a firm covering (often made of plaster of Paris) that immobilizes broken bones while they heal)

• PATCH (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

To join or unite the pieces of

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

patch; piece

Context example:

patch the skirt

Hypernyms (to "patch" is one way to...):

conjoin; join (make contact or come together)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "patch"):

vamp; vamp up (piece (something old) with a new part)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something with something

Sentence example:

They patch the cape

Derivation:

patch (sewing that repairs a worn or torn hole (especially in a garment))

patch (a piece of cloth used as decoration or to mend or cover a hole)

patching (the act of mending a hole in a garment by sewing a patch over it)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Provide with a patch; also used metaphorically

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

The field was patched with snow

Hypernyms (to "patch" is one way to...):

furnish; provide; render; supply (give something useful or necessary to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

patch (a small contrasting part of something)

patching (the act of mending a hole in a garment by sewing a patch over it)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Mend by putting a patch on

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

patch; patch up

Context example:

patch a hole

Hypernyms (to "patch" is one way to...):

bushel; doctor; fix; furbish up; mend; repair; restore; touch on (restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something with something

Sentence example:

They patch the cape

Also:

patch up (come to terms)

Derivation:

patch (sewing that repairs a worn or torn hole (especially in a garment))

patching (the act of mending a hole in a garment by sewing a patch over it)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Repair by adding pieces

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

patch; piece

Context example:

She pieced the china cup

Hypernyms (to "patch" is one way to...):

bushel; doctor; fix; furbish up; mend; repair; restore; touch on (restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

A transdermal matrix patch containing the synthetic opioid buprenorphine with analgesic and sedative activities.

(Buprenorphine Transdermal Matrix Patch, NCI Thesaurus)

These patches may become malignant (cancer).

(Bowen disease, NCI Dictionary)

A benign condition characterized by the development of irregular patches in the surface of the tongue resulting in a map-like appearance.

(Benign Migratory Glossitis, NCI Thesaurus)

It comes in solid black, brown, and white, or in a patched pattern of white with black or brown.

(Canaan Dog, NCI Thesaurus)

A dermal patch that contains estrogen and progestin hormones for release and absorption through the skin and into the body to prevent pregnancy.

(Contraceptive Patch, NCI Thesaurus)

These patches may become malignant (cancerous).

(Cutaneous Precancerous Condition, NCI Dictionary)

A thick, scaly patch of skin that may become cancer.

(Actinic (Solar) Keratosis, NCI Dictionary)

It is characterized by the presence of thick, scaly patches of skin.

(Actinic (Solar) Keratosis, NCI Thesaurus)

But just south of these patches, the scientists were surprised to find broad areas extending 300 to 600 miles (500 to 1,000 kilometers) where the electrons were "almost vacuumed out".

(Solar Storms Can Drain Electrical Charge Above Earth, NASA)

Because of this combination of textures, the researchers refer to these unusual areas as "irregular mare patches."

(Evidence for Young Lunar Volcanism, NASA)