repair
Definitions
General English
Aviation
- noun an action designed to return something to good condition after damage
Cars & Driving
- verb to restore something to working condition, e.g. by reconditioning, rebuilding, replacing
Electronics
Medical
- verb to make something that is damaged good again
Real Estate
- verb to restore something broken or damaged to good condition
Travel
- noun an act of mending or making good something which is broken
Origin & History of “repair”
Repair ‘mend’ (14th c.) and repair ‘go’ (14th c.) are two distinct words. The former comes via Old French reparer from Latin reparāre ‘put back in order’, a compound verb formed from the prefix re- ‘back’ and parāre ‘put in order’ (source of English prepare). Repair ‘go’ is ultimately the same word as repatriate (17th c.). both go back to late Latin repatriāre ‘go home’, a compound verb based on Latin patria ‘homeland’ (a relative of English father, patron, etc). Repatriate was acquired direct from Latin, whereas repair was routed via Old French repairer.
