noun
    
    plural patches
    
    [count] a piece of material that is used to cover a hole in something or to provide extra protection to an area
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    a piece of material that is worn over your eye because of injury or for medical reasons
    
    a piece of material that contains a drug and that is worn on your skin to allow the drug to slowly enter your body over a long period of time
    
    
    
    a small spot or area that is different from the surrounding area
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    a small area of land where a particular fruit or vegetable grows
    
    
    
    a period of time
    
    
    
    US :a piece of cloth with words or pictures that is sewn on clothing as a decoration or as part of a uniform :badge
    
    computers :a program that corrects or updates an existing program
    
    
    
    Brit informal :an area that someone knows well, works or lives in, or comes from
    
    
    
    be not a patch on
    
    Brit informal :to be much less good, appealing, impressive, etc., than (someone or something)
    
    
    
    verb
    
    patches; patched; patching
    
    [+ obj] to cover a hole in (something) with a piece of material
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    to connect (a person, telephone call, etc.) to a communication system especially for a short period of time
    
    
    
    
    
    patch together
    
    [phrasal verb]
    
    patch (something) together or patch together (something) :to put (something) together usually in a quick or careless way
    
    
    
    
    
    patch up
    
    [phrasal verb]
    
    patch (something) up or patch up (something) :to deal with (a problem, disagreement, etc.) in order to improve or repair a relationship
    
    
    
    
    
    patch (something or someone) up or patch up (something or someone) :to give quick and usually temporary medical treatment to (someone or something)