Patch  —n. 1 material used to mend a hole or as reinforcement. 2 shield protecting an injured eye. 3 large or irregular distinguishable area. 4 colloq. Period of a specified, esp. Unpleasant, kind (went through a bad patch). 5 piece of ground. 6 colloq. Area assigned to, or patrolled by, esp. A police officer. 7 plants growing in one place (cabbage patch). 8 scrap, remnant. —v. 1 (often foll. By up) repair with a patch or patches. 2 (of material) serve as a patch to. 3 (often foll. By up) put together, esp. Hastily. 4 (foll. By up) settle (a quarrel etc.), esp. Hastily or temporarily.  not a patch on colloq. Greatly inferior to. [perhaps french, var. Of *piece]