/ fɪks; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
ATTACH
1.
[ vn ] ( especially BrE ) to put sth firmly in a place so that it will not move :
to fix a shelf to the wall
to fix a post in the ground
( figurative )
He noted every detail so as to fix the scene in his mind.
ARRANGE
2.
[ vn ] to decide on a date, a time, an amount, etc. for sth
SYN set :
Has the date of the next meeting been fixed?
They fixed the rent at £100 a week.
Their prices are fixed until the end of the year (= will not change before then) .
3.
fix sth (up) (for sb) to arrange or organize sth :
[ vn ]
I'll fix a meeting.
You have to fix visits up in advance with the museum.
( informal )
Don't worry, I'll fix it with Sarah.
[ v to inf ]
I've fixed up (for us) to go to the theatre next week.
POSITION / TIME
4.
[ vn ] to discover or say the exact position, time, etc. of sth :
We can fix the ship's exact position at the time the fire broke out.
FOOD / DRINK
5.
fix sth (for sb) | fix sb sth ( especially NAmE ) to provide or prepare sth, especially food :
[ vnn , vn ]
Can I fix you a drink?
Can I fix a drink for you?
[ vn ]
I'll fix supper.
REPAIR
6.
[ vn ] to repair or correct sth :
The car won't start—can you fix it?
I've fixed the problem.
HAIR / FACE
7.
[ vn ] ( especially NAmE ) to make sth such as your hair or face neat and attractive :
I'll fix my hair and then I'll be ready.
RESULT
8.
[ vn ] [ often passive ] ( informal ) to arrange the result of sth in a way that is not honest or fair :
I'm sure the race was fixed.
PUNISH
9.
[ vn ] ( informal ) to punish sb who has harmed you and stop them doing you any more harm :
Don't worry—I'll fix him.
IN PHOTOGRAPHY
10.
[ vn ] ( technical ) to treat film for cameras, etc. with a chemical so that the colours do not change or become less bright
ANIMAL
11.
[ vn ] ( NAmE , informal ) to make an animal unable to have young by means of an operation
—see also neuter
•
IDIOMS
- fix sb with a look, stare, gaze, etc.
—more at ain't
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- fix on sb/sth
- fix sth on sb/sth
- fix sth up
- fix sb up (with sb)
- fix sb up (with sth)
■ noun
SOLUTION
1.
[ C ] ( informal ) a solution to a problem, especially an easy or temporary one :
There is no quick fix for the steel industry.
DRUG
2.
[ sing. ] ( informal ) an amount of sth that you need and want frequently, especially an illegal drug such as heroin :
to get yourself a fix
I need a fix of coffee before I can face the day.
DIFFICULT SITUATION
3.
[ sing. ] a difficult situation
SYN mess :
We've got ourselves in a fix about this.
ON POSITION
4.
[ sing. ] the act of finding the position of a ship or an aircraft :
They managed to get a fix on the yacht's position.
UNDERSTANDING
5.
[ sing. ] ( informal ) an act of understanding sth :
He tried to get a fix on the young man's motives, but he just couldn't understand him.
DISHONEST RESULT
6.
[ sing. ] ( informal ) a thing that is dishonestly arranged; a trick :
Her promotion was a fix, I'm sure!
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : partly from Old French fix fixed, partly from medieval Latin fixare to fix, both from Latin fixus , past participle of figere fix, fasten. The noun dates from the early 19th cent.