fix
- 01 A2 Elementary
v.to repair something that is broken or not working correctly.
v.to restore something to a functional or correct state.
Simple“I need to find someone who can fix the leaking pipe in the bathroom.”
In context“The technician spent several hours trying to fix the server error before realizing the hardware was completely obsolete.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
v.to agree on a specific time, date, or price.
v.to establish or agree upon a specific value, time, or location.
Simple“We should fix a date for our next meeting before everyone leaves.”
In context“The two companies agreed to fix the price of the contract to avoid future fluctuations in the market.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
v.to prepare a meal or a drink for someone.
v.to prepare or provide food or refreshment. Often used ditransitively.
Simple“Let me fix you a quick sandwich while you wait for the taxi.”
In context“She offered to fix a drink for the guests while the host finished preparing the main course in the kitchen.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to change the result of a game or election dishonestly.
v.to arrange the outcome of a contest or process dishonestly in advance.
Simple“The fans were angry because they believed the boxing match was fixed.”
In context“Evidence emerged suggesting that several officials had conspired to fix the election results in favor of the incumbent candidate.”
Synonyms - 05 C1 Advanced
v.to make something stable or permanent, like a chemical or a photograph.
v.to convert into a stable or permanent form; in biology, to convert atmospheric nitrogen into organic compounds.
Simple“Plants fix nitrogen from the air into the soil to help them grow.”
In context“The photographer used a chemical bath to fix the image on the paper so it would not fade in the light.”
- 06 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a difficult or embarrassing situation that is hard to get out of.
n.a predicament or a difficult situation requiring a solution.
Simple“I forgot my passport at home, so I am in a bit of a fix.”
In context“The sudden cancellation of the funding left the research team in a terrible fix just weeks before the project was due to start.”
Synonyms - 07 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a quick or temporary solution to a problem.
n.a solution or repair, often one that is implemented quickly or as a temporary measure.
Simple“This software update is just a quick fix for the security problem.”
In context“The government was criticized for offering a short-term fix rather than addressing the underlying causes of the economic crisis.”
- 08 C1 Advanced
n.an amount of a drug that someone takes, or something you need very much.
n.a single dose of a narcotic drug; figuratively, a necessary or habitual experience of something.
Simple“He needs his morning fix of caffeine before he can start working.”
In context“The addict was desperate for a fix, showing the physical symptoms of withdrawal as the hours passed.”
- 09 C1 Advanced
n.a measurement of where you are, used in ships or planes.
n.a determination of a position, typically through navigational or astronomical observations.
Simple“The pilot took a fix on the stars to check the plane's position.”
In context“Without a reliable GPS signal, the captain had to rely on a radio fix to navigate the ship through the fog.”
Synonyms
“We can fix it with a hammer and a blowtorch.”
“We have gone badly wrong and we must fix this.”
From Middle English fixen, borrowed from Old French fixer (attested only as ficher, fichier; > English fitch), from fix (“fastened; fixed”), from Latin fīxus (“immovable; steady; stable; fixed”), from fīgō (“to drive in; stick; fasten”), from Proto-Indo-European dʰeygʷ- (“to jab; stick; set”). Related to dig.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.