Two Repairs: To Mend and To Go
To repair is to mend. A second repair, meaning to go somewhere, is a different word entirely.
To repair is to restore something damaged. A second and now archaic *repair* means to go to a place — *they repaired to the drawing room* — and the two are unrelated: mending comes from Latin *reparare*, to prepare again, while going comes from *repatriare*, to return to one's country, which also gives *repatriate*.
- To mend. *Repair the roof.*
- A mend. *A crude repair.*
- To go somewhere (archaic). *They repaired to the study.*
- In good repair — well maintained. *Kept in good repair.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | repair | Repair the wall. |
| Noun | repair | An urgent repair. |
| Adjective | reparable | A reparable fault. |
| Noun | reparation | War reparations. |
| Related | repatriate | Repatriate the funds. |
How it is used in a sentence
- They repaired to the library.Archaic: went there.
- Beyond repair.Cannot be mended.
- Reparations are payments for damage caused.Especially after conflict.
Mending words
- Repair — restore to working order
- Mend — a shortening of *amend*
- Restore — return to an earlier condition
- Refurbish — renovate and clean up
- Reparation — compensation for harm, not physical mending
The mending sense is from Latin *reparare*, to prepare again. The going sense is from Late Latin *repatriare*, to return home.
Are the two repairs related?
No. Mending comes from *reparare*, to prepare again; going comes from *repatriare*, to return to one's homeland.
Repair or restore?
Repair fixes what is broken. Restore returns something to a former condition, which may involve more than mending.