“Patches”: Definitions Across Sewing, Computing, Slang & More

Noun Meanings

1. Sewing/Textiles: A piece of fabric sewn onto a garment to repair, reinforce, or decorate. “Leather patches reinforced the elbows.”
2. General: A small area differing from its surroundings. “Patches of sunlight on the floor.”
3. Computing: A software update that fixes bugs, adds features, or closes security vulnerabilities. “Microsoft released a patch for the Windows XP crash bug.”
4. Slang (dated): A person’s eye. “She’s got big blue patches.”
5. Card Games (poker): A hand with five cards of mixed suits and ranks (no pair, no flush, no straight).
6. Agriculture (US Southwest, plural): Irrigated farmland plots in desert regions.
7. Clothing (plural, informal): Flared/trouser pants (“bell-bottoms”).

Verb: “To Patch”

• Repair with a patch.
• Apply a software patch.
• Temporarily fix or connect (e.g., “patch a call through”).