fence mending
- noun
- /fɛns ˈmɛndɪŋ/
- Literature
:
reconciliación
- Diplomats engaged in fence mending talks to ease tensions between the neighboring countries.
Examples
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After months of disagreements, there was finally some fence mending between the two leaders.
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After the scandal, the company engaged in fence mending with its clients.
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The new CEO made fence mending a top priority to restore trust in the company.
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The government is focused on fence mending after the recent tensions.
-
After months of disagreements, there was finally some fence mending between the two leaders.
-
Diplomats engaged in fence mending talks to ease tensions between the neighboring countries.
-
The new CEO made fence mending a top priority to restore trust in the company.
Synonyms
114
5.3
A return to friendly relations after a disagreement
8
3.7
Helping people or groups end a conflict and start good relations
7
9.9
Making friendly relations again between countries or groups
6
6.7
An act that brings people or groups back to peace with help from a neutral person
4
6.4
A period when two groups become less angry and more friendly
The act of making people or groups friendly again after a disagreement
Antonyms
How Reconciled
114
5.3
- Literature
- Formal
2
2.3
671
1.0
147
4.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
fence + mend
The verb 'mend' means to repair and 'fence' denotes a physical barrier, so 'fence mending' can be understood as repairing a barrier — a metaphor that maps reasonably onto repairing relationships. However, the social/political sense (repairing interpersonal or group relations) is a metaphorical extension and somewhat idiomatic, so a B1 learner who knows the words may only partially infer the full pragmatic meaning without prior exposure.
Etymology
The phrase fence mending comes from the image of neighbors fixing a broken fence after an argument. Because to mend means to repair, 'fence mending' now means 'working to repair a damaged relationship'.