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   Fix

   /fiks/

   

   verb

   • 1. fasten (something) securely in a particular place or position: "fix the clamp on a rail" Similar fastenattachaffixsecuremake fastjoinconnectcouplelinkinstallimplantplantembedanchorstickgluebondcementpinnailscrewboltclampclipbindtielashestablishpositionstationsituatesticklodgeimplantembedanchorOpposite remove
   • ▪ direct one's eyes, mind, or attention steadily or unwaveringly toward: "I fixed my attention on the tower"
   • ▪ (of a person's eyes, attention, or mind) be directed steadily or unwaveringly toward: "her gaze fixed on Jess" Similar attractdrawholdgripengagecaptivateabsorbrivetOpposite lose
   • ▪ look at someone unwaveringly: "she fixed her nephew with an unwavering stare"
   • 2. decide or settle on (a specific price, date, course of action, etc.): "no date has yet been fixed for a hearing" Similar decide onselectchooseresolve ondeterminearrive atsettlesetfinalizearrangeprearrangeestablishallotprescribedesignatedefinenameordainappointspecifystipulate
   • ▪ establish the exact location of (something) by using radar or visual bearings or astronomical observation: "having made landfall, he fixed his position"
   • ▪ settle the form of (a language).
   • ▪ assign or determine (a person's liability or responsibility) for legal purposes: "there are no facts that fix the defendant with liability"
   • 3. mend or repair: "you should fix that shelf" Similar repairmendpatch upput rightput to rightsset rightget workingmake as good as newsee torestorerestore to working orderremedyrectifyput back togetheroverhaulservicerenovatereconditionrehabilitaterebuildreconstructrefitadjustfettleOpposite breakdamage
   • ▪ do the necessary work to improve or adapt something: "we want to fix up the house before we sell it"
   • ▪ restore order or tidiness to (something, especially one's hair, clothes, or makeup): informal North American "Laura was fixing her hair" Similar neatenarrangeput in orderadjuststylegroomcombbrushpreenprimpdressinformal:do
   • 4. make arrangements for (something); organize: "I've fixed it for you to see him on Thursday" Similar arrangeorganizecontrivesort outsee tosee aboutmanageengineerorchestratefind a wayinformal:swingwanglepull strings
   • ▪ arrange for someone to have something; provide someone with something: informal "I'll fix you up with a room"
   • ▪ arrange for someone to meet or go out with someone in order to help them establish a romantic relationship. informal
   • ▪ prepare or arrange for the provision of (food or drink): informal North American "Ruth fixed herself a cold drink" Similar preparecookmakemake readyput togethergetinformal:rustle upknock up
   • ▪ be intending or planning to do something: dialect US "you're fixing to get into trouble"
   • 5. make (a dye, photographic image, or drawing) permanent: "he perfected a process of fixing a photographic likeness on a silver plate" Similar make permanentmake fastset
   • ▪ preserve or stabilize (a specimen) with a chemical substance prior to microscopy or other examination: "specimens were fixed in buffered formalin"
   • ▪ (of a plant or microorganism) assimilate (nitrogen or carbon dioxide) by forming a nongaseous compound: "lupins fix gaseous nitrogen in their root nodules"
   • 6. influence the outcome of (something, especially a race, contest, or election) by illegal or underhanded means: informal "the foundation denies fixing races" Similar rigarrange fraudulentlyprearrange/predetermine the result oftamper withmanipulatemaneuvertwistinfluenceinformal:set upfiddle
   • ▪ put (an enemy or rival) out of action, especially by killing them: "don't you tell nobody, or I'll fix you good!" Similar revenge oneself onget one's revenge onbe revenged onavenge oneself onwreak vengeance ontake retribution onget even withgive someone their just desertshit back atget back atsettle the/a score withsettle accounts withtake reprisals againstpunishdeal withinformal:get one's own back onpay someone back/outgive someone their comeuppancesort someone outsettle someone's hashcook someone's goose
   • 7. take an injection of a narcotic drug. informal Similar inject drugstake drugsinformal:shoot upmainlineget one's fix
   • 8. castrate or spay (an animal); neuter. North American Similar castrateneutergeldcutemasculatespaydesexsterilizealterinformal:doctorrare:eviratecaponizeeunuchize

   noun

   • 1. a difficult or awkward situation from which it is hard to extricate oneself; a predicament: informal "how on earth did you get into such a fix?" Similar predicamentplightdifficultydifficult situationawkward situationspot of troublebit of bothercornerticklish/tricky situationtight spotmuddlemessmare's nestquandarydilemmadire straitsinformal:picklejamholespotscrapebindpinchsticky situationhot waterthe soup
   • 2. a dose of a narcotic drug to which one is addicted: informal "he hadn't had his fix" Similar doseinformal:hitrush
   • ▪ a thing or activity that gives a person a feeling of euphoria or pleasure and that it is difficult to do without: "that rush of adrenaline that is the fix of the professional newsman"
   • 3. a measure taken to resolve a problem or correct a mistake; a solution or remedy: "the company is working on a fix but suggests users consider technical workarounds in the meantime" Similar solutionanswerresolutionway outremedyantidotecurenostrumpanaceainformal:magic bullet
   • 4. a position determined by visual or radio bearings or astronomical observations: "the radio operator received the distress call and calculated the fix"
   • 5. a dishonest or underhanded arrangement: informal "obviously, his appointment was a fix" Similar fraudswindlepretensehoaxtrickcharadeshaminformal:setupscamcon trickstingfiddle

   Word Origin late Middle English: partly from Old French fix ‘fixed’, partly from medieval Latin fixare ‘to fix’, both from Latin fixus, past participle of figere ‘fix, fasten’. The noun dates from the early 19th century.

   Derivatives

   • 1. fixable adjective

   Scrabble Points: 13

   • F

     4

   • I

     1

   • X

     8

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