to fix the crack
- phrasal verb
- I do not doubt we need to fix the cracks and I do not pretend to know how.
Examples
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To prevent water damage, you should fix the crack in the bathtub.
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You couldn't fix the crack in my arse!
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We need to fix the crack in the wall before it gets bigger.
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The plumber was called to fix the crack in the kitchen sink.
Synonyms
To repair something so it works again
To repair a hole or damaged area by adding a piece of material
To try to make a damaged relationship or reputation better
Fix something that is broken or torn
Mend a hole or tear by putting a piece of material over it
Repair a small inward bend in metal, for example a car door
Close a space between two things to stop air or light coming through
How Repaired
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to repair a break or hole' is directly and compositionally derived from 'fix' (to repair) combined with 'crack' (a split or opening), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE. The definite article 'the' is semantically negligible and similar repair verbs + noun constructions occur across languages, reinforcing its transparency.
Etymology
Fix the crack gives a simple, literal picture: to fix a crack is to fill a gap or join the broken parts of a surface so it becomes smooth and whole again. So, it means 'to repair a break or hole'.