mends

Mends is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb mend, meaning to repair or restore something that is broken, torn, or worn. It can apply to physical objects such as clothing, furniture, or infrastructure, as well as to non-physical improvements, such as mending a relationship or a dispute. The related forms include mend (infinitive), mending (present participle), and mended (past tense). The expression “on the mend” is commonly used to describe someone recovering from illness or injury.

Usage and scope commonly involve tangible repairs, such as mending a hole in fabric or mending a broken fence, but the term is also used metaphorically to describe improving conditions, processes, or goodwill between people. In contrast, amadjusting or changing a law or policy uses the term amend rather than mend. The noun form “mend” is rare in everyday usage, though it may appear in historical or dialect contexts, where it can refer to a defect or a repair.

Origins and related terms are tied to the broader family of Germanic-origin verbs meaning to repair or fix. In modern English, mends appears most frequently in practical instructions, narratives about repair work, and figurative language describing repair or reconciliation. Phrases common in everyday speech include “mends the garment,” “mends the broken fence,” and “the relationship is mending.”

See also: repairs, maintenance, restoration, mending, amends.