Library / English Dictionary

FIX

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A determination of the place where something is

Example:

he got a good fix on the target

Synonyms:

fix; localisation; localization; locating; location

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("fix" is a kind of...):

determination; finding (the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fix"):

echo sounding; echolocation (determining the location of something by measuring the time it takes for an echo to return from it)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An exemption granted after influence (e.g., money) is brought to bear

Example:

collusion resulted in tax fixes for gamblers

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("fix" is a kind of...):

exemption; granting immunity; immunity (an act exempting someone)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The act of putting something in working order again

Synonyms:

fix; fixing; fixture; mend; mending; repair; reparation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("fix" is a kind of...):

improvement (the act of improving something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fix"):

darning (the act of mending a hole in a garment with crossing threads)

patching (the act of mending a hole in a garment by sewing a patch over it)

care; maintenance; upkeep (activity involved in maintaining something in good working order)

band aid; quick fix; quickie; quicky (hurried repair)

restoration (the act of restoring something or someone to a satisfactory state)

reconstruction (the activity of constructing something again)

restitution (the act of restoring something to its original state)

Derivation:

fix (restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Something craved, especially an intravenous injection of a narcotic drug

Example:

she needed a fix of chocolate

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("fix" is a kind of...):

intravenous injection (an injection into a vein)

Domain usage:

colloquialism (a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Informal terms for a difficult situation

Example:

he made a muddle of his marriage

Synonyms:

fix; hole; jam; kettle of fish; mess; muddle; pickle

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("fix" is a kind of...):

difficulty (a condition or state of affairs almost beyond one's ability to deal with and requiring great effort to bear or overcome)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fix"):

dog's breakfast; dog's dinner (a poor job; a mess)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make infertile

Example:

in some countries, people with genetically transmissible disabilites are sterilized

Synonyms:

desex; desexualise; desexualize; fix; sterilise; sterilize; unsex

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "fix" is one way to...):

operate; operate on (perform surgery on)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fix"):

alter; castrate; neuter; spay (remove the ovaries of)

castrate; demasculinise; demasculinize; emasculate (remove the testicles of a male animal)

vasectomise; vasectomize (remove the vas deferens)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

fixing (the sterilization of an animal)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken

Example:

Repair my shoes please

Synonyms:

bushel; doctor; fix; furbish up; mend; repair; restore; touch on

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "fix" is one way to...):

ameliorate; amend; better; improve; meliorate (to make better)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fix"):

fiddle; tinker (try to fix or mend)

fill (plug with a substance)

patch; piece (repair by adding pieces)

cobble (repair or mend)

point; repoint (repair the joints of bricks)

trouble-shoot; troubleshoot (solve problems)

patch; patch up (mend by putting a patch on)

resole; sole (put a new sole on)

revamp; vamp (provide (a shoe) with a new vamp)

heel; reheel (put a new heel on)

darn (repair by sewing)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

The men fix the chairs

Derivation:

fix (the act of putting something in working order again)

fixer (a skilled worker who mends or repairs things)

fixing; fixture (the act of putting something in working order again)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc

Example:

I was fixing to leave town after I paid the hotel bill

Synonyms:

fix; gear up; prepare; ready; set; set up

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "fix" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fix"):

socialise; socialize (prepare for social life)

provide (take measures in preparation for)

cram (prepare (students) hastily for an impending exam)

precondition (put into the required condition beforehand)

fix (kill, preserve, and harden (tissue) in order to prepare for microscopic study)

mount (fix onto a backing, setting, or support)

lay out; set; set up (get ready for a particular purpose or event)

winterise; winterize (prepare for winter)

summerise; summerize (prepare for summer)

prime (insert a primer into (a gun, mine, or charge) preparatory to detonation or firing)

crop; cultivate; work (prepare for crops)

brace; poise (prepare (oneself) for something unpleasant or difficult)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

Sense 4

Meaning:

Kill, preserve, and harden (tissue) in order to prepare for microscopic study

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "fix" is one way to...):

fix; gear up; prepare; ready; set; set up (make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc)

Domain category:

cytology (the branch of biology that studies the structure and function of cells)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

fixing ((histology) the preservation and hardening of a tissue sample to retain as nearly as possible the same relations they had in the living body)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Make fixed, stable or stationary

Example:

let's fix the picture to the frame

Synonyms:

fix; fixate

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "fix" is one way to...):

attach (cause to be attached)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Decide upon or fix definitely

Example:

specify the parameters

Synonyms:

define; determine; fix; limit; set; specify

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "fix" is one way to...):

choose; pick out; select; take (pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fix"):

quantify (use as a quantifier)

name (mention and identify by name)

reset (set anew)

define (give a definition for the meaning of a word)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 7

Meaning:

Take vengeance on or get even

Example:

This time I got him

Synonyms:

fix; get; pay back; pay off

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "fix" is one way to...):

get back; get even (take revenge or even out a score)

Verb group:

pay (make a compensation for)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP

Sense 8

Meaning:

Cause to be firmly attached

Example:

she fixed her gaze on the man

Synonyms:

fasten; fix; secure

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "fix" is one way to...):

attach (cause to be attached)

Cause:

fasten (become fixed or fastened)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fix"):

strap (secure (a sprained joint) with a strap)

bind; tie (fasten or secure with a rope, string, or cord)

rig (connect or secure to)

bitt (secure with a bitt)

latch (fasten with a latch)

garter (fasten with or as if with a garter)

chain (fasten or secure with chains)

cable (fasten with a cable)

picket (fasten with a picket)

rope up (attach to one another, for safety)

cinch; girth (tie a cinch around)

bandage; bind (wrap around with something so as to cover or enclose)

cramp (secure with a cramp)

cleat (secure on a cleat)

anchor; cast anchor; drop anchor (secure a vessel with an anchor)

anchor; ground (fix firmly and stably)

moor (secure with cables or ropes)

berth; moor; tie up (secure in or as if in a berth or dock)

spike (secure with spikes)

run up; sew; sew together; stitch (fasten by sewing; do needlework)

crank (fasten with a crank)

noose (secure with a noose)

chock (secure with chocks)

brad (fasten with brads)

bight (fasten with a bight)

belay (fasten a boat to a bitt, pin, or cleat)

belay (turn a rope round an object or person in order to secure it or him)

bar (secure with, or as if with, bars)

clamp (fasten or fix with a clamp)

velcro (fasten with Velcro)

stay (fasten with stays)

clinch (flatten the ends (of nails and rivets))

clinch (secure or fasten by flattening the ends of nails or bolts)

lock (fasten with a lock)

lock up (secure by locking)

hasp (secure or lock with a hasp)

zip; zip up; zipper (close with a zipper)

tack (fasten with tacks)

string (string together; tie or fasten with a string)

hook (fasten with a hook)

belt (fasten with a belt)

cement (bind or join with or as if with cement)

grout (bind with grout)

staple (secure or fasten with a staple or staples)

rivet (fasten with a rivet or rivets)

button (fasten with buttons)

pin (attach or fasten with pins)

hang; hang up (cause to be hanging or suspended)

hang (place in position as by a hinge so as to allow free movement in one direction)

deposit; lodge; stick; wedge (put, fix, force, or implant)

entrench; intrench (fix firmly or securely)

buckle; clasp (fasten with a buckle or buckles)

brooch; clasp (fasten with or as if with a brooch)

stake (tie or fasten to a stake)

wire (fasten with wire)

coapt (fit tightly and fasten)

joggle (fasten or join with a joggle)

joint (fasten with a joint)

toggle (fasten with, or as if with, a toggle)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

fixture (an object firmly fixed in place (especially in a household))

fixture (the quality of being fixed in place as by some firm attachment)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Put (something somewhere) firmly

Example:

fix your eyes on this spot

Synonyms:

deposit; fix; posit; situate

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "fix" is one way to...):

lay; place; pose; position; put; set (put into a certain place or abstract location)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fix"):

bury (place in the earth and cover with soil)

sediment (deposit as a sediment)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 10

Meaning:

Set or place definitely

Example:

Let's fix the date for the party!

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "fix" is one way to...):

constitute; establish; found; institute; plant (set up or lay the groundwork for)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 11

Meaning:

Prepare for eating by applying heat

Example:

fix breakfast for the guests, please

Synonyms:

cook; fix; make; prepare; ready

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "fix" is one way to...):

create from raw material; create from raw stuff (make from scratch)

Verb group:

make (gather and light the materials for)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fix"):

keep; preserve (prevent (food) from rotting)

dress; dress out (kill and prepare for market or consumption)

deglaze (dissolve cooking juices or solid food in (a pan) by adding liquid and stirring)

escallop; scallop (bake in a sauce, milk, etc., often with breadcrumbs on top)

flambe (pour liquor over and ignite (a dish))

put on (put on the stove or ready for cooking)

devil (coat or stuff with a spicy paste)

precook (cook beforehand so that the actual preparation won't take long)

whip up; whomp up (prepare or cook quickly or hastily)

concoct; cook up (prepare or cook by mixing ingredients)

lard (prepare or cook with lard)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

The chefs fix the vegetables

Sense 12

Meaning:

Influence an event or its outcome by illegal means

Example:

fix a race

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "fix" is one way to...):

act upon; influence; work (have and exert influence or effect)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Credits

 Context examples: 

There is no evidence to suggest that the fixed nitrogen molecules found by the team were created by life.

(Curiosity Rover Finds Biologically Useful Nitrogen on Mars, NASA)

White Fang endured it, keeping his eyes fixed suspiciously, not upon the man that patted him, but upon the man that stood in the doorway.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

A compound that both fixes tissues or cells and stains it for microscopic study.

(Fixative/Stain, NCI Thesaurus)

A slide on which a fixed specimen has been mounted.

(Fixed Slide, NCI Thesaurus)

A compound that fixes tissues and cells for microscopic study.

(Fixative, NCI Thesaurus)

Her own emotions still kept her fixed.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

A machine which scans and transmits via telephone, fixed graphic material including pictures, text, or images.

(Facsimile Machine, NCI Thesaurus)

Used as a fixed standard of reference for comparison or measurement.

(Fiducial, NCI Thesaurus)

A method for rapid diagnosis that uses a frozen tissue sample rather than a chemically fixed sample.

(Frozen Section Diagnosis, NCI Thesaurus)

To protect yourself, recognize the red flags such as: • Miracle cure • Quick fix • Ancient remedy • Secret ingredient • Scientific breakthrough

(Health Fraud, Food and Drug Administration)