patch

I. noun Etymology: Middle English pacche Date: 14th century 1. a piece of material used to mend or cover a hole or a weak spot 2. a tiny piece of black silk or court plaster worn on the face or neck especially by women to hide a blemish or to heighten beauty 3. a. a piece of material (as adhesive plaster) used medically usually to cover a wound b. a usually disk-shaped piece of material that is worn on the skin and contains a substance (as a drug) that is absorbed at a constant rate through the skin into the bloodstream <

a nicotine patch

> c. a shield worn over the socket of an injured or missing eye 4. a. a small piece ; scrap b. a part or area distinct from that about it <

cabbage patch

> c. a period of time ; spell <

was going through a rough patch

> 5. someone or something equal or comparable — usually used in negative constructions <

the new chairman isn't a patch on his predecessor

> 6. a piece of cloth sewed on a garment as an ornament or insignia; especially shoulder patch 7. a temporary connection in a communication system (as a telephone hookup) 8. a minor correction or modification in a computer program II. transitive verb Date: 15th century 1. to mend, cover, or fill up a hole or weak spot in 2. to provide with a patch 3. a. to make of patches or fragments b. to mend or put together especially in hasty or shabby fashion — usually used with up c. to apply a patch to (a computer program) 4. a. to connect (as circuits) by a patch cord b. to connect (as a person or message) to a communication system especially temporarily <

they patched him into the conference call

> Synonyms: see mend III. noun Etymology: perhaps by folk etymology from Italian dialect paccio Date: 1549 fool, dolt