fix

[ fiks ]

/ fɪks /

verb (used with object), fixed or fixt, fix·ing.

to repair; mend.

to put in order or in good condition; adjust or arrrange: She fixed her hair in a bun.

to make fast, firm, or stable.

to place definitely and more or less permanently: to fix a circus poster to a wall.

to settle definitely; determine: to fix a price.

to direct (the eyes, the attention, etc.) steadily: His eyes were fixed on the distant ship.

to attract and hold (the eye, the attention, etc.).

to make set or rigid.

to put into permanent form.

to put or place (responsibility, blame, etc.) on a person.

to assign or refer to a definite place, time, etc.

to provide or supply with (something needed or wanted): How are you fixed for money?

Informal. to arrange or influence the outcome or action of, especially privately or dishonestly: to fix a jury; to fix a game.

to get (a meal); prepare (food): What time shall I fix supper?

Informal. to put in a condition or position to make no further trouble.

Informal. to get even with; get revenge upon: I'll fix him!

Informal. to castrate or spay (an animal, especially a pet).

Chemistry.

to make stable in consistency or condition; reduce from fluidity or volatility to a more stable state.
to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a useful compound, as a nitrate fertilizer.

Photography. to render (an image) permanent by removing light-sensitive silver halides.

Microscopy. to kill, make rigid, and preserve for microscopic study.

verb (used without object), fixed or fixt, fix·ing.

to become fixed.

to become set; assume a rigid or solid form.

to become stable or permanent.

to settle down.

Slang. to inject oneself with a narcotic.

Chiefly Southern U.S. to prepare; plan (usually followed by an infinitive): I was just fixing to call you. We're fixing to go to Colorado this summer.

noun

Informal. a position from which it is difficult to escape; predicament.

Informal. a repair, adjustment, or solution, usually of an immediate nature: Can you think of a fix for the problem?

Navigation.

a charted position of a vessel or aircraft, determined by two or more bearings taken on landmarks, heavenly bod-ies, etc.
the determining of the position of a ship, plane, etc., by mathematical, electronic, or other means: The navigator took a fix on the sun and steered the ship due north.

a clear determination: Can you get a fix on what he really means?

Slang.

an injection of heroin or other narcotic.
the narcotic or amount of narcotic injected.
a compulsively sought dose or infusion of something: to need one's daily fix of soap operas on TV.

Slang.

an underhand or illegal arrangement, especially one secured through bribery or influence.
a contest, situation, etc., whose outcome is prearranged dishonestly.

Verb Phrases

fix on/upon, to decide on; determine: We won't be able to fix on a location for the banquet until we know the number of guests.

fix up, Informal.

to arrange for: to fix up a date.
to provide with; furnish.
to repair; renew.
to smooth over; solve: They weren't able to fix up their differences.

Idioms for fix

fix one's wagon, Informal. to exact retribution for an offense; treat someone vengefully: I'll dock his pay and that will fix his wagon.

in a fix, Older Slang. pregnant.

Origin of fix

1350–1400; 1900–05 for def 29; 1935–40 for def 31; Middle English fixen (v.) < Medieval Latin fixāre, derivative of Latin fixus fixed, past participle of fīgere to fasten

SYNONYMS FOR fix

1 correct, amend.

3, 4 fasten, secure, stabilize. Fix, establish imply making firm or permanent. To fix is to fasten in position securely or to make more or less permanent against change, especially something already existing: to fix a bayonet on a gun; fix a principle in one's mind. To establish is to make firm or permanent something (usually newly) originated, created, or ordained: to establish a business, a claim to property.

5 establish, define.

27 dilemma, plight, quandary.

usage note for fix

Fix meaning “to repair” appears to have been used first in America, but it is long established and has been used in England since the early 19th century: The engineer quickly fixed the faulty valve. The verb use is fully standard in all varieties of speech and writing, and objections to it on the grounds of style merely reflect personal prejudice, not the practice of educated speakers and writers. The noun fix meaning “repair, adjustment” is informal.
Fix ( to ) meaning “to prepare, plan (to)” is another Americanism: We're fixing to go to town. It once occurred in all the eastern coastal states, but it is now chiefly an informal spoken form in the South Midland and South.

OTHER WORDS FROM fix

fix·a·ble, adjective fix·a·bil·i·ty, noun o·ver·fix, verb re·fix, verb (used with object), re·fixed, re·fix·ing.

un·fix·a·ble, adjective

Words nearby fix

fivefold, fivepenny, fivepins, fiver, fives, fix, fix someone's wagon, fix up, fix-it, fix-up, fixate

British Dictionary definitions for in a fix

fix

/ (fɪks) /

verb (mainly tr)

(also intr) to make or become firm, stable, or secure

to attach or place permanently fix the mirror to the wall

(often foll by up) to settle definitely; decide let us fix a date

to hold or direct (eyes, attention, etc) steadily he fixed his gaze on the woman

to call to attention or rivet

to make rigid to fix one's jaw

to place or ascribe to fix the blame on someone

to mend or repair

informal to provide with how are you fixed for supplies?

informal to influence (a person, outcome of a contest, etc) unfairly, as by bribery

slang to take revenge on; get even with, esp by killing

informal to give (someone) his just deserts that'll fix him

informal to arrange or put in order to fix one's hair

informal to prepare to fix a meal

dialect, or informal to spay or castrate (an animal)

US dialect, or informal to prepare oneself I'm fixing to go out

photog to treat (a film, plate, or paper) with fixer to make permanent the image rendered visible by developer

cytology to kill, preserve, and harden (tissue, cells, etc) for subsequent microscopic study

to convert (atmospheric nitrogen) into nitrogen compounds, as in the manufacture of fertilizers or the action of bacteria in the soil
to convert (carbon dioxide) into organic compounds, esp carbohydrates, as occurs in photosynthesis in plants and some microorganisms

to reduce (a substance) to a solid or condensed state or a less volatile state

(intr) slang to inject a drug

noun

informal a predicament; dilemma

the ascertaining of the navigational position, as of a ship, by radar, observation, etc

slang an intravenous injection of a drug, esp heroin

informal an act or instance of bribery

Derived forms of fix

fixable, adjective

Word Origin for fix

C15: from Medieval Latin fixāre, from Latin fixus fixed, from Latin fīgere

Scientific definitions for in a fix

fix

[ fĭks ]

To convert inorganic carbon or nitrogen into stable, organic compounds that can be assimilated into organisms. Photosynthetic organisms such as green plants fix carbon in carbohydrates as food; certain bacteria fix nitrogen as ammonia that can be absorbed directly or through nitrification by plant roots. See more at carbon fixation nitrogen fixation.

To convert a substance, especially a gas, into solid or liquid form by chemical reactions.

To kill and preserve a tissue specimen rapidly to retain as nearly as possible the characteristics it had in the living body.

Idioms and Phrases with in a fix (1 of 2)

in a fix

Also, in a pickle or spot. In a difficult or embarrassing situation, in a dilemma. For example, I was really in a fix when I missed the plane, or Lost and out of gas—how did we get in such a pickle? or John had lost all his money in the crap game—now he was in a spot. The first of these colloquial usages dates from the early 1800s; pickle in the sense of a mess or quandary, sometimes put as in a pretty pickle, dates from the 1500s; spot, also put as in a bad spot or tough spot, dates from the early 1900s. Also see in a bind; in deep, def. 2; in the soup; in trouble; on the spot.

Idioms and Phrases with in a fix (2 of 2)

fix

In addition to the idioms beginning with fix

fix someone's wagon
fix up

also see:

get a fix
get a fix on
if it ain't broke don't fix it
in a fix

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

fix

verb (used with object), fixed or fixt, fix·ing.

verb (used without object), fixed or fixt, fix·ing.