mend

An exclamation showing one's anger or irritation with someone else. I can't believe he stole my idea—hell mend him!

To be in good health again after a period of injury or illness. Jill is happy to be on the mend after her hospital stay. Yes, I was sick earlier this week, but I'm on the mend now.

Prov. It is never too late to apologize for something you have done or try to repair something you have done wrong. Sue: I still miss Tony, but it's been a year since our big fight and we haven't spoken to each other since. Mother: Well, it's never too late to mend; why don't you call him up and apologize?

Fig. to improve one's behavior. John used to be very wild, but he's mended his ways. You'll have to mend your ways if you go out with Mary. She hates people to be late.

getting better; becoming healthy again. I cared for my father while he was on the mend. I took a leave of absence from work while I was on the mend.

to repair a relationship with someone The mayor is trying to mend fences with members of the city council so they will approve his plan.

getting better after an illness, injury, or a bad period He's on the mend and walking a mile a day after a mild heart attack. With fewer people out of work, the economy is clearly on the mend.

to improve your behavior If he wants to continue living here, he's going to have to change his ways.

to manage with less than you would like, by repairing old things instead of buying new ones Our family never had any new furniture. We just had to make do and mend.

if you are on the mend, your health is improving after an illness He's still a bit tired but he's definitely on the mend.

to try to become friendly again with someone after an argument (usually + with ) China is trying to mend fences with Russia after the recent border dispute.

to improve the way in which you behave If he wants to carry on living here, he's going to have to change his ways.

Improve poor relations; placate personal, political, or business contacts. For example, The senator always goes home weekends and spends time mending his fences. This metaphoric expression dates from an 1879 speech by Senator John Sherman in Mansfield, Ohio, to which he said he had returned "to look after my fences." Although he may have meant literally to repair the fences around his farm there, media accounts of the speech took him to mean campaigning among his constituents. In succeeding decades the term was applied to nonpolitical affairs as well.

Improve one's behavior, as in Threatened with suspension, Jerry promised to mend his ways. This expression, transferring a repair of clothes to one of character, was first recorded in 1868, but 150 or so years earlier it had appeared as mend one's manners.

Recovering one's health, as in I heard you had the flu, but I'm glad to see you're on the mend. This idiom uses mend in the sense of "repair." [c. 1800]

To improve poor relations, especially in politics: "Whatever thoughts he may have entertained about mending some fences with [them] were banished" (Conor Cruise O'Brien).

Improving, especially in health.