Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - patch

 I. noun  Etymology: Middle English pacche  Date: 14th century  1. a piece of material used to mend or cover a hole or a weak spot  2. a tiny piece of black silk or court plaster worn on the face or neck especially by women to hide a blemish or to heighten beauty  3.  a. a piece of material (as adhesive plaster) used medically usually to cover a wound  b. a usually disk-shaped piece of material that is worn on the skin and contains a substance (as a drug) that is absorbed at a constant rate through the skin into the bloodstream a nicotine ~  c. a shield worn over the socket of an injured or missing eye  4.  a. a small piece ; scrap  b. a part or area distinct from that about it cabbage ~  c. a period of time ; spell was going through a rough ~  5. someone or something equal or comparable — usually used in negative constructions the new chairman isn't a ~ on his predecessor  6. a piece of cloth sewed on a garment as an ornament or insignia; especially shoulder ~  7. a temporary connection in a communication system (as a telephone hookup)  8. a minor correction or modification in a computer program  II. transitive verb  Date: 15th century  1. to mend, cover, or fill up a hole or weak spot in  2. to provide with a ~  3.  a. to make of ~es or fragments  b. to mend or put together especially in hasty or shabby fashion — usually used with up  c. to apply a ~ to (a computer program)  4.  a. to connect (as circuits) by a ~ cord  b. to connect (as a person or message) to a communication system especially temporarily they ~ed him into the conference call  Synonyms: see mend  III. noun  Etymology: perhaps by folk etymology from Italian dialect paccio  Date: 1549 fool, dolt