If you repair a relationship or someone's reputation after it has been damaged, you do something to improve it.
The government continued to try to repair the damage caused by the minister's interview. [VERB noun]
The first and most important thing was to repair my relationship with my father. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: put right, make up for, compensate for, rectify More Synonyms of repair
3. variable noun
A repair is something that you do to mend a machine, building, piece of clothing, or other thing that has been damaged or is not working properly.
Many people don't know how to carry out repairs on their cars.
Many of the buildings are in need of repair.
There is no doubt now that her relationship is beyond repair.
Synonyms: mending, restoration, overhaul, adjustment More Synonyms of repair
4. verb
If someone repairs to a particular place, they go there.
[formal]
We then repaired to the pavilion for lunch. [VERB + to]
Synonyms: go, retire, withdraw, head for More Synonyms of repair
5.
See in good/bad repair
More Synonyms of repair
repair in British English1
(rɪˈpɛə)
verb(transitive)
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
3.
to make good or make amends for (a mistake, injury, etc)
noun
4.
the act, task, or process of repairing
5.
a part that has been repaired
6.
state or condition
in good repair
Derived forms
repairable (reˈpairable)
adjective
repairer (reˈpairer)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Old French reparer, from Latin reparāre, from re- + parāre to make ready
repair in British English2
(rɪˈpɛə)
verb(intransitive)
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
3. (usually foll by from) archaic
to come back; return
noun archaic
4.
the act of going or returning
5.
a haunt or resort
Word origin
C14: from Old French repairier, from Late Latin repatriāre to return to one's native land, from Latin re- + patria fatherland; compare repatriate
repair in American English1
(rɪˈpɛr)
verb transitive
1.
to put back in good condition after damage, decay, etc.; mend; fix
2.
to renew; restore; revive
to repair one's health
3.
to amend; set right; remedy
to repair a mistake
4.
to make amends for; make up or compensate for (a wrong, injury, etc.)
noun
5.
the act, process, or work of repairing
6. [usually pl.]
an instance of repairing or work done in repairing
7.
the state of being repaired, or fit for use
a car kept in repair
8.
state with respect to being repaired
a house in bad repair
SIMILAR WORDS: mend
Derived forms
repairable (reˈpairable)
adjective
repairer (reˈpairer)
noun
Word origin
ME repairen < OFr reparer < L reparare < re-, again + parare, to get ready, prepare
repair in American English2
(rɪˈpɛr)
verb intransitive
1.
to go or betake oneself (to a place)
2.
to go often, customarily, or in numbers
3. Obsolete
to return
noun
4. Archaic
a place to which one repairs; resort; haunt
Word origin
ME repairen < OFr repairer < LL repatriare < L re-, back + patria, native country < (terra) patria, (land) of one's father, fem. of patrius < pater, father
repair in Hospitality
(rɪpɛər)
Word forms: (present) repairs, (past) repaired, (perfect) repaired, (progressive) repairing
verb
(Hospitality (hotel): General)
If you repair something that has been damaged or is not working properly, you fix it.
COLLOCATIONS: ~ the damage
The staff came promptly to repair the broken lock on the room door.
If the television does not work, we will send someone to repair it.
The damage to the pool was not repaired properly.
Examples of 'repair' in a sentence
repair
We might now be willing to repair such a building.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Can they make it up or is this rift beyond repair?
The Sun (2016)
And the lack of any technical support makes repairs challenging.
Smithsonian Mag (2017)
Over the weekend talks continued to allow a local ceasefire so that the damage can be repaired.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Where prison equipment or buildings are intentionally damaged we work closely with governors and their staff to carry out repairs.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
If you needed something repaired, you said so loudly and a workman would mysteriously turn up.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Emergency repairs now cost 100 million a year.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Don't dismiss it as beyond repair.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
If the mechanism fails while locked, you have to have the car towed as well as repaired.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
If you do not have a comprehensive policy, you must pay for the repairs to your car yourself.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The insurer is now delaying payment for the building repairs.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Minor repairs now could save you heartache down the line.
The Sun (2014)
Veterans as well can back off projects for a time to repair relationships.
Christianity Today (2000)
The grass is still growing so you can still make patch repairs to lawns.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He was taken to hospital where medics repaired the damage.
The Sun (2006)
We should be able to carry out repairs and clean without getting stressed.
The Sun (2012)
People can also avoid waste by looking after their clothes properly and getting repairs done.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Yet we just go on repairing the roads instead of getting rid of the sheep.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
We have experts who assess if antiques in need of repair are worth saving.
The Sun (2010)
There are workshops in which they can repair most parts of the submarine that go wrong.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Those that are beyond repair are destroyed and identical copies are remade.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
All the buildings now need repairs but the aim is to improve facilities for visitors.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Footballers can rejoice that hernia repair is now quicker.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The two men subsequently repaired their fractured relationship.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The equipment is available online and from certain car repair shops.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
For growth and to make and repair all the cells in our bodies.
The Sun (2012)
The issuer undertakes to insure this property and to keep it in good repair.
Charles A. D'Ambrosio & Stewart D. Hodges & Richard Brealey & Stewart Myers Principles of Corporate Finance (1991)
Round will be carrying out running repairs to keep them going.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The driver had gone underground to repair a vehicle when disaster struck.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They had abandoned the vehicle after the incident and come back when it was light to try to repair the damage.
Oliver Poole BLACK KNIGHTS: On the Bloody Road to Baghdad (2003)
Britain's infrastructure is in bad need of repair.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
People didn't have enough money to repair their houses properly.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
A repair job is bad enough; but an investment in managerial ego is worse.
Peter F. Drucker MANAGING FOR RESULTS (1986)
In other languages
repair
British English: repair /rɪˈpɛə/ NOUN
A repair is something that you do to mend something that has been damaged.
Do you know how to carry out repairs on your car?
American English: repair
Arabic: إصْلاح
Brazilian Portuguese: reparo
Chinese: 修理
Croatian: popravka
Czech: oprava
Danish: reparation
Dutch: reparatie
European Spanish: reparación
Finnish: korjaus
French: réparation
German: Reparatur
Greek: επισκευή
Italian: riparazione
Japanese: 修理
Korean: 수리 고치다
Norwegian: reparasjon
Polish: naprawa
European Portuguese: reparação
Romanian: reparație
Russian: ремонт
Latin American Spanish: reparación
Swedish: reparation
Thai: การซ่อม
Turkish: tamir
Ukrainian: ремонт
Vietnamese: sự sửa chữa
British English: repair /rɪˈpɛə/ VERB
If you repair something that has been damaged or is not working properly, you mend it.
We had three weeks to repair it.
American English: repair
Arabic: يُصْلِحُ
Brazilian Portuguese: reparar
Chinese: 修理
Croatian: popraviti
Czech: opravit
Danish: reparere
Dutch: repareren
European Spanish: reparar
Finnish: korjata
French: réparer
German: reparieren
Greek: επισκευάζω
Italian: riparare
Japanese: 修理する
Korean: 수리하다
Norwegian: reparere
Polish: naprawić
European Portuguese: reparar
Romanian: a repara
Russian: ремонтировать
Latin American Spanish: reparar
Swedish: reparera
Thai: ซ่อมแซม
Turkish: tamir etmek
Ukrainian: ремонтувати
Vietnamese: sửa chữa
All related terms of 'repair'
repair bill
A bill is a written statement of money that you owe for goods or services.
repair kit
a set of items , instructions , etc designed to assist with the repair of a specific thing
repair man
a person who mends broken machines such as televisions and telephones
repair men
a person who mends broken machines such as televisions and telephones
repair shop
a shop where you can take broken machines such as televisions , computers, telephones , etc to be repaired
repair outfit
a set of items, instructions , etc designed to assist with the repair of a specific thing
body repair shop
a place where the bodywork of motor vehicles is built or repaired
repair the roof
The roof of a building is the covering on top of it that protects the people and things inside from the weather .
in good/bad repair
If something such as a building is in good repair , it is in good condition . If it is in bad repair , it is in bad condition.
puncture repair kit
a pack , usually kept in the vehicle that has everything required to mend a puncture
repair a relationship
The relationship between two people or groups is the way in which they feel and behave towards each other.
Chinese translation of 'repair'
repair
(rɪˈpɛəʳ)
n(c/u)
修理 (xiūlǐ) (次, cì)
vt
[object, building]修补(補) (xiūbǔ)
[damage]维(維)修 (wéixiū)
in good/bad repair维(維)修良好/不善 (wéixiū liánghǎo/bù shàn)
to be beyond repair无(無)法修复(復) (wúfǎ xiūfù)
under repair (road etc) 在修理中 (zài xiūlǐ zhōng)
1 (verb)
Definition
to restore (something damaged or broken) to good condition or working order
He has repaired the roof.
Synonyms
mend
They took a long time to mend the roof.
fix
If something is broken, we fix it.
recover
Legal action is being taken to try and recover the money.
restore
They partly restored a local castle.
heal
No doctor has ever healed a broken bone. They just set them.
renew
the cost of renewing the buildings
patch
elaborately patched blue jeans
make good
renovate
They spent thousands renovating the house.
patch up
put back together
restore to working order
Opposites
damage
,
destroy
,
harm
,
ruin
,
wreck
2 (verb)
Definition
to make up for (a mistake or injury)
They needed to repair the damage done by the interview.
Synonyms
put right
make up for
compensate for
rectify
Only an act of Congress could rectify the situation.
square
retrieve
He could retrieve the situation.
redress
to redress the economic imbalance
1 (noun)
Definition
the act, task, or process of repairing
Many of the buildings are in need of repair.
Synonyms
mending
restoration
I specialized in the restoration of old houses.
overhaul
adjustment
A technician made an adjustment to a smoke machine at the back.
2 (noun)
Definition
a part that has been repaired
She spotted a couple of obvious repairs in the dress.
Synonyms
darn
blue woollen stockings with untidy darns
mend
patch
3 (noun)
Definition
state or condition
The road was in bad repair.
Synonyms
condition
He was in fine condition for his age.
state
When we moved here the walls and ceiling were in an awful state.
form
He's now fighting his way back to top form.
shape (informal)
He was still in better shape than many young men.
nick (informal)
fettle
You seem in fine fettle.
1 (verb)
Definition
to go to (a place)
We repaired to the pavilion for lunch.
Synonyms
go
Come on, let's go.
retire
He retired from the room with his colleagues.
withdraw
The waiter poured the water and then withdrew.
head for
move
She waited for him to get up, but he didn't move.
remove
They tried to remove the barricades which had been erected.
leave for
set off for
betake yourself
2 (verb)
Synonyms
have recourse
turn
resort
Additional synonyms
in the sense of adjustment
Definition
a slight alteration
A technician made an adjustment to a smoke machine at the back.
Synonyms
alteration,
setting,
change,
ordering,
fixing,
arrangement,
tuning,
repair,
conversion,
modifying,
adaptation,
modification,
remodelling,
redress,
refinement,
rectification
in the sense of fettle
You seem in fine fettle.
Synonyms
health,
form,
condition,
shape,
state
in the sense of fix
Definition
to repair
If something is broken, we fix it.
Synonyms
repair,
mend,
service,
sort,
correct,
restore,
adjust,
regulate,
see to,
overhaul,
patch up,
get working,
put right,
put to rights
Synonyms of 'repair'
repair
Explore 'repair' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of form
Definition
physical or mental condition
He's now fighting his way back to top form.
Synonyms
condition,
health,
shape,
nick (informal),
fitness,
trim,
good condition,
good spirits,
fettle
in the sense of heal
Definition
to restore (someone) to health
No doctor has ever healed a broken bone. They just set them.
Synonyms
cure,
restore,
mend,
make better,
remedy,
make good,
make well
in the sense of move
Definition
to go or take from one place to another
She waited for him to get up, but he didn't move.
Synonyms
go,
walk,
march,
advance,
progress,
shift,
proceed,
stir,
budge,
make a move,
change position
in the sense of patch
Definition
to mend (a garment) with a patch
elaborately patched blue jeans
Synonyms
sew (up),
mend,
repair,
reinforce,
stitch (up)
in the sense of recover
Definition
to gain (something) by the judgment of a court
Legal action is being taken to try and recover the money.
Synonyms
recoup,
restore,
repair,
get back,
regain,
make good,
retrieve,
reclaim,
redeem,
recapture,
win back,
take back,
repossess,
retake,
find again
in the sense of rectify
Definition
to put right
Only an act of Congress could rectify the situation.
Synonyms
correct,
right,
improve,
reform,
square,
fix,
repair,
adjust,
remedy,
amend,
make good,
mend,
redress,
put right,
set the record straight,
emend
in the sense of redress
Definition
to adjust in order to make fair or equal
to redress the economic imbalance
Synonyms
put right,
reform,
balance,
square,
correct,
ease,
repair,
relieve,
adjust,
regulate,
remedy,
amend,
mend,
rectify,
even up,
restore the balance
in the sense of remove
Definition
to take away and place elsewhere
They tried to remove the barricades which had been erected.
Synonyms
take away,
move,
pull,
transfer,
detach,
displace,
do away with,
dislodge,
cart off (slang),
carry off or away
in the sense of renew
Definition
to restore to a new or fresh condition
the cost of renewing the buildings
Synonyms
restore,
repair,
transform,
rebuild,
overhaul,
mend,
refurbish,
renovate,
refit,
redevelop,
fix up (informal, US, Canadian),
modernize,
recondition
in the sense of renovate
Definition
to restore to good condition
They spent thousands renovating the house.
Synonyms
restore,
repair,
refurbish,
do up (informal),
reform,
renew,
overhaul,
revamp,
recreate,
remodel,
rehabilitate,
refit,
fix up (informal, US, Canadian),
modernize,
reconstitute,
recondition
Additional synonyms
in the sense of resort
Definition
to go, esp. often or habitually
Synonyms
go,
visit (old-fashioned),
repair,
head for,
frequent,
haunt
in the sense of restoration
Definition
the act of restoring to a former or original condition, place, etc.
I specialized in the restoration of old houses.
Synonyms
repair,
recovery,
reconstruction,
renewal,
rehabilitation,
refurbishing,
refreshment,
renovation,
rejuvenation,
revitalization
in the sense of restore
Definition
to reconstruct (a ruin, extinct animal, etc.)
They partly restored a local castle.
Synonyms
repair,
refurbish,
renovate,
reconstruct,
fix (up),
recover,
renew,
rebuild,
mend,
rehabilitate,
touch up,
recondition,
retouch,
set to rights
in the sense of retire
Definition
to go away into seclusion
He retired from the room with his colleagues.
Synonyms
withdraw,
leave,
remove,
exit,
go away,
depart,
absent yourself,
betake yourself
in the sense of retrieve
Definition
to rescue or save
He could retrieve the situation.
Synonyms
redeem,
save,
rescue,
repair,
salvage,
win back,
recoup
in the sense of shape
Definition
condition or state of efficiency
He was still in better shape than many young men.
Synonyms
condition,
state,
health,
nick (British, informal),
repair,
trim,
kilter,
fettle
in the sense of state
Definition
the condition or circumstances of a person or thing
When we moved here the walls and ceiling were in an awful state.
Synonyms
condition,
shape,
state of affairs
in the sense of withdraw
Definition
to leave one place to go to another, usually quieter, place