How do you use the word "mend" in a sentence?

Here are real-life examples of using "mend": It is never too late to mend. Love can mend your life.

Mend Meaning

/mɛnd/

Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Definition

verbTo physically repair (something that is broken, defaced, decayed, torn, or otherwise damaged).

verbTo add fuel to (a fire).

Sentence Examples

It is never too late to mend.

Love can mend your life.

He got his wife to mend his shirt.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms:

doctor fix patch

Antonyms:

break

CEFR Practice Quiz

I need to ____ the torn shirt before I can wear it again tomorrow.

CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)

It is often better to ____ something that is broken rather than simply throwing it away and buying a new one.

Word Origin & History

From Middle English menden (“to cure; to do good to, benefit; to do or make better, improve; to get better, recover; to keep in a good state; to put right, amend; to reform, repent”), the aphetic form of amenden (“to alter, change (especially for the better); to atone; to chastise, punish; to correct, remedy, amend; to cure; to excel, surpass; to forgive; to get or make better, improve; to make ready; to mend, repair, restore; to get well, recover; to relieve”), or from its etymon Anglo-Norman amender and Old French amender (“to cure; to fix, repair; to set right, correct”) (modern French amender), from Latin ēmendāre, the present active infinitive of ēmendō (“to atone; to chastise, punish; to correct, remedy, amend; to cure”), from ē- (variant of ex- (prefix meaning ‘away; out’)) + mendum (“defect; error, fault”) (from Proto-Indo-European *mend- (“defect; fault”)) + -ō (suffix forming first-conjugation verbs).

Literary Quotations & Historical Citations

"[H]e [Jesus] ſawe other two brethren, James the ſonne of Zebede, and Jhon his brother, in the ſhip with Zebede their father, mendynge their nettes, and called them. And they without tarynge lefte yͤ ſhyp and their father, and folowed hym." — 1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Machew [Matthew] iiij:[21–22], folio iij, recto, column 2:

"[A] fellow mending the tiles just when the fire broke out, saw a pot with wildfire in the room." — 1713 February 7 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Jonathan Swift, “[Dr. Swift’s Journal to Stella.] Letter LIX.”, in Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, editors, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, […], new edition, volume XV, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1801, →OCLC, page 373:

"Then, Betsey, my dear, run into the kitchen, and see if Rebecca has put the water on; and tell her to bring in the tea-things as soon as she can. I wish we could get the bell mended—but Betsey is a very handy little messenger." — 1814 May 9, [Jane Austen], chapter VII, in Mansfield Park: […], volume III, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 148:

"The boy first remembered him as sitting in the door of the plantation blacksmith-shop, where he sharpened plow-points and mended tools and even did rough carpenter-work when he was not in the woods." — 1941 January 25, William Faulkner, “Go Down, Moses”, in Go Down, Moses, New York, N.Y.: Random House, published 1942 (3rd printing), →OCLC, section 1, page 168:

"[I]n, you Rogue, and vvipe the pigges, and mend the fire, that they fall not, or I'le both baſte and roaſt you, till your eyes drop out, like 'hem." — 1614 November 10 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), Beniamin Iohnson [i.e., Ben Jonson], Bartholmew Fayre: A Comedie, […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for Robert Allot, […], published 1631, →OCLC, Act II, scene v, page 25:

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