patching

patch

P0106500 (păch)n.1. a. A small piece of material affixed to another, larger piece to conceal, reinforce, or repair a worn area, hole, or tear.b. A small piece of cloth used for patchwork.2. A small cloth badge affixed to a garment as a decoration or an insignia, as of a military unit.3. a. A dressing or covering applied to protect a wound or sore.b. A pad or shield of cloth worn over an eye socket or an injured eye.c. A transdermal patch.4. See beauty spot.5. a. A small piece, part, or section, especially that which differs from or contrasts with the whole: a patch of thin ice; patches of sunlight.b. A small plot or piece of land, especially one that produces or is used for growing specific vegetation: a briar patch; a bean patch.6. An indefinite period of time; a spell: weathered a difficult patch after losing his job.7. A temporary, removable electronic connection, as one between two components in a communications system.8. Computers A piece of code added to software in order to fix a bug, especially as a temporary correction between two releases.v. patched, patch·ing, patch·es v.tr.1. To put a patch or patches on: patched my pants.2. To make by sewing scraps of material together: patch a quilt.3. To mend, repair, or put together, especially hastily, clumsily, or poorly: They patched together the broken statues with glue and plaster. The delegates will be forced to patch up their differences.4. To connect temporarily (electronic components), as with a patch cord.5. Computers To correct a bug in (an item of software), especially as a temporary correction between releases.v.intr. Electronics To be connected temporarily.

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[Middle English pacche, perhaps alteration of pece, pecche, piece; see piece.]

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patch′a·ble adj.patch′er n.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

patching - the act of mending a hole in a garment by sewing a patch over itfixing, repair, mend, mending, reparation, fix, fixture - the act of putting something in working order again