I. re ‧ pair 1 S3 /rɪˈpeə $ -ˈper/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ repair , ↑ disrepair ; adjective : ↑ repairable , ↑ irreparable ; verb : ↑ repair ; adverb : ↑ irreparably ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: reparer , from Latin reparare , from parare 'to prepare' ]
1 . to fix something that is damaged, broken, split, or not working properly SYN mend British English :
Dad was up the ladder, repairing the roof.
Where can I get my shoes repaired?
2 . formal to do something to remove harm that you have caused SYN mend British English :
Neil tried to repair the damage that his statements had caused.
⇨ ↑ irreparable
repair to something phrasal verb
old-fashioned to go to a place:
Shall we repair to the drawing room?
—repairer noun [countable]
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THESAURUS
▪ repair to do some work on something that is damaged or not working properly, so that it is in good condition again:
The builders are coming to repair the roof.
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Have you had the washing machine repaired yet?
▪ fix especially American English to repair something:
I’m taking the car in to get it fixed.
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The chain on the bike needs fixing.
▪ mend especially British English to repair something that is damaged, torn, or not working:
I’ve found someone who’ll mend the fence.
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Can you mend this sweater for me?
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Fishermen sat mending their nets in the sunshine.
▪ service to check a vehicle or machine and repair it if necessary, especially regularly:
You should have your car serviced every six months.
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When was the last time we had the gas boiler serviced?
▪ renovate to repair an old building so that it looks in good condition again:
They bought an old house and renovated it themselves.
▪ restore to repair something old and valuable, especially a building, piece of furniture, painting etc, so that it looks the same as it did originally:
Many paintings were damaged in the fire but have now been restored.
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The hotel was restored to its original Victorian splendour in 1984.
▪ do up British English informal , fix up American English informal to repair an old building or vehicle, so that it looks in good condition again:
He does up old cars and sells them.
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A builder bought the house and fixed it up.
▪ patch something up to quickly repair something that has a hole in it, by putting a piece of material on it, especially temporarily:
They patched up the wall with bits of cement.
▪ darn to repair holes in clothes:
Are you any good at darning socks?
II. repair 2 W3 BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ repair , ↑ disrepair ; adjective : ↑ repairable , ↑ irreparable ; verb : ↑ repair ; adverb : ↑ irreparably ]
1 . [uncountable and countable] something that you do to fix a thing that is damaged, broken, or not working
repair to
repairs to the roads
make/carry out/do repairs
His job is to make minor repairs on all the machines.
The church tower is in need of repair.
structural/housing/motorway etc repairs
an extensive programme of building repairs
beyond repair
Many of the paintings were beyond repair (=so damaged that they cannot be mended) .
under repair (=being repaired)
Is the bridge still under repair?
They did a good repair job on the roof.
2 . in good/poor etc repair in good or bad condition:
Garden tools should be kept in good repair.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ make/do a repair
I have done some repairs to the chair over the years.
▪ carry out a repair
The school was closed for two months while repairs were carried out.
■ adjectives
▪ a minor repair (=a small one)
In the summer, we had to carry out some minor repairs to the roof.
▪ a major repair (=a big one)
The car didn't need to have any major repairs done.
▪ necessary/essential repairs
The Council has agreed to carry out essential repairs to the fencing.
▪ urgent repairs
More than £40,000 is needed for urgent repairs to the tower.
▪ extensive repairs (=a lot of repair work)
The boat needed extensive repairs.
▪ structural repairs (=to the walls or roof of a building or to the main parts of a bridge or other structure)
A survey showed that the bridge needed significant structural repairs.
▪ electrical repairs
Never attempt electrical repairs without unplugging the appliance.
▪ running repairs (=small things that you do to something to keep it working properly)
Farm workers made their own tools and carried out their own running repairs.
■ phrases
▪ be under repair (=be being repaired)
We were staying at a hotel while our house was under repair.
▪ be in need of repair
Many of the cottages were badly in need of repair.
▪ be beyond repair/be damaged beyond repair (=be so badly damaged that it cannot be repaired)
Unfortunately the engine is beyond repair.
■ repair + NOUN
▪ repair work
The council has been responsible for appointing contractors to carry out this repair work.
▪ a repair job
It looked like a simple repair job to me.
▪ a repair shop/yard (=a place where things of a particular kind are repaired)
He works in a shoe repair shop.
▪ a repair kit (=a set of of tools or equipment that you use to repair something)
a bicycle repair kit