A patch

[pach] /pætʃ/
noun
alexander mccarrell
[muh-kar-uh l] /məˈkær əl/ (show ipa), 1889–1945, u.s. world war ii general.
patch
/pætʃ/
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
derived forms
patchable, adjective
patcher, noun
word origin
c16 pacche, perhaps from french piechepiece
patch
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