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alexander mccarrell
[muh-kar-uh l] /məˈkær əl/ (show ipa), 1889–1945, u.s. world war ii general.
noun

a piece of material used to mend a garment or to make patchwork, a sewn-on pocket, etc
(as modifier): a patch pocket

a small piece, area, expanse, etc

a small plot of land
its produce: a patch of cabbages

a district for which particular officials, such as social workers or policemen, have responsibility: he’s a problem that’s on your patch, john
(pathol) any discoloured area on the skin, mucous membranes, etc, usually being one sign of a specific disorder
(med)

a protective covering for an injured eye
any protective dressing

an imitation beauty spot, esp one made of black or coloured silk, worn by both s-xes, esp in the 18th century
(us) also called flash. an identifying piece of fabric worn on the shoulder of a uniform, on a vehicle, etc
a small contrasting section or stretch: a patch of cloud in the blue sky
a scr-p; remnant
(computing) a small set of instructions to correct or improve a computer program
(austral, informal) the insignia of a motorcycle club or gang
a bad patch, a difficult or troubled time
(informal) not a patch on, not nearly as good as
verb (transitive)
to mend or supply (a garment, etc) with a patch or patches
to put together or produce with patches
(of material) to serve as a patch to
(often foll by up) to mend hurriedly or in a makeshift way
(often foll by up) to make (up) or settle (a quarrel)
to connect (electric circuits) together temporarily by means of a patch board
(usually foll by through) to connect (a telephone call) by means of a patch board
(computing) to correct or improve (a program) by adding a small set of instructions
n.

“piece of cloth used to mend another material,” late 14c., of obscure origin, perhaps a variant of pece, pieche, from old north french pieche (see piece (n.)), or from an unrecorded old english word (but old english had claðflyhte “a patch”). phrase not a patch on “nowhere near as good as” is from 1860.

“fool, clown,” 1540s, perhaps from italian pazzo “fool,” of unknown origin. possibly from old high german barzjan “to rave” [klein]. but buck says pazzo is originally euphemistic, and from latin patiens “suffering,” in medical use, “the patient.” form perhaps influenced by folk etymology derivation from patch (n.1), on notion of a fool’s patched garb.
v.

mid-15c., from patch (n.1). electronics sense of “to connect temporarily” is attested from 1923. related: patched; patching.

patch (pāch)
n.

a small circ-mscribed area differing from the surrounding surface.

a dressing or covering applied to protect a wound or sore.

a transdermal patch.

patch
(pāch)

a temporary, removable electronic connection, as one between two components in a communications system.

a piece of code added to software in order to fix a bug, especially as a temporary correction between two versions of the same software.

planned approach to community health