fixing
fixing — noun
- fixingsingular
- fixingsplural
1. the activity of returning something that is broken, damaged, or not working corr
the activity of returning something that is broken, damaged, or not working correctly to a good or working condition.
Matthew is good at bicycle fixing and sells the restored bikes to students at a fair price.
bicycle fixing — noun + noun compound for repair type
The fixing of the leaky pipe under the kitchen sink took the plumber less than an hour.
Romi learned basic bicycle fixing from her grandfather when she was twelve years old.
The shop charges a flat fee of thirty dollars for the fixing of any small household appliance.
- repair
more formal; 'repair' can be both a verb and a noun
- mending
more traditional, often used for clothes or fabric items
- restoration
implies returning something to its original excellent condition
文法句型
[thing] fixing
do some fixing
用法筆記
The most common everyday sense of 'fixing'. Often appears in compounds where the thing being repaired comes first: 'bike fixing', 'car fixing', 'clock fixing'. The structure 'do some fixing' is informal but natural: 'I need to do some fixing around the house.'
常見錯誤
2. the action of putting something into a secure position where it stays firmly and
the action of putting something into a secure position where it stays firmly and does not move, usually by using screws, nails, or other hardware.
Romi checked the fixing of each shelf bracket before placing books on them.
the fixing of [noun] — describes the action of fastening
The fixing of the handrail to the concrete wall took two workers about an hour.
Nila watched the fixing of the fence posts and asked the carpenter many questions.
For a strong result, the fixing of each bolt must be done with the correct tool.
- fastening
more general and slightly more formal than 'fixing'
- loosening
the opposite action of making something less tight
文法句型
the fixing of [something]
用法筆記
Uncountable — do not refer to 'a fixing' when describing the process itself (use 'the fixing of' instead). Distinguish from sense 3, where 'fixing' is a countable physical object.
常見錯誤
3. a small object such as a screw, bolt, bracket, or clip that is used to hold some
a small object such as a screw, bolt, bracket, or clip that is used to hold something firmly in position against a surface.
Haruto bought stainless steel fixings for the bathroom shelves at the hardware store.
stainless steel fixings — material + noun collocation
The box contained eight screws, four wall plugs, and other metal fixings for the shelf kit.
Use the correct fixings for your wall type — plasterboard needs special expanding plugs.
Noa opened the bag of fixings and sorted the screws by size before starting the job.
文法句型
fixings — plural form for a set of fasteners
用法筆記
Commonly used in the plural (fixings) when referring to a set of fasteners. 'Fixing' as a countable singular noun is rarer and usually refers to one specific part: 'one fixing had come loose'.
常見錯誤
4. the dishonest activity of secretly arranging the result of a competition, electi
the dishonest activity of secretly arranging the result of a competition, election, or sports event before it takes place, so that a particular person or team wins.
The football club was banned from the league for three seasons because of match fixing.
match fixing — compound noun for sports corruption
Investigators found clear evidence of vote fixing in the district election results.
vote fixing — compound noun for electoral fraud
Maeve was banned from professional tennis for two years after a judge found evidence of match fixing in three tournaments.
Three company executives went to prison for price fixing in the steel industry.
- rigging
very close in meaning; 'rigging' is slightly more common for elections
- tampering
broader — can apply to any form of unauthorised interference
- manipulation
more formal, covers a wider range of dishonest influence
- fair play
behaviour that follows the rules and is honest
文法句型
match fixing
vote fixing
price fixing
race fixing
用法筆記
Almost always appears as part of a compound noun (match fixing, vote fixing, price fixing, race fixing). Usually refers to illegal activity. Distinguish from sense 1 (repairing) — 'fixing a game' in sports contexts is dishonest, not a repair.
常見錯誤
5. the vegetables, salads, sauces, and other foods that are served together with th
the vegetables, salads, sauces, and other foods that are served together with the main part of a meal to complete it.
Tomás made a Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and all the fixings — mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.
all the fixings — fixed phrase for the complete meal experience
Abigail ordered a hamburger with the full fixings: lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles.
full fixings — common with burgers and sandwiches
Greta prepared a simple roast chicken with roasted vegetable fixings for Sunday dinner.
Sari ordered a baked potato with all the fixings — butter, sour cream, and chives.
- trimmings
very similar meaning; 'turkey with all the trimmings' is the British equivalent
- accompaniments
more formal, used in restaurant menus
- side dishes
the neutral, everyday term for these foods
文法句型
all the fixings
with the fixings
用法筆記
Always plural (fixings). Primarily used in American English. The phrase 'all the fixings' is a fixed expression that suggests a full, generous spread of accompaniments.
常見錯誤
6. the set of food items that are needed in order to prepare a particular dish or m
the set of food items that are needed in order to prepare a particular dish or meal, before any cooking has started.
Defne picked up the fixings for a salad — lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, and dressing.
fixings for [dish] — what you buy before cooking
Amani checked the fridge to see if she had the fixings for an omelette for breakfast.
Mayumi bought the fixings for tacos: tortillas, minced beef, cheese, and fresh salsa.
The chef asked the prep cook to lay out all the fixings for the pasta sauce on the counter.
- ingredients
standard formal term; 'fixings' is more informal
- makings
similar informal tone; 'the makings of a good stew'
- stuff
very informal; avoid in writing
文法句型
fixings for [dish]
用法筆記
Always plural. Chiefly informal American English. Distinguish from sense 5: sense 5 refers to already-prepared foods served alongside a main dish, while sense 6 refers to the raw ingredients you need to cook with. Overlap with 'ingredients', but 'fixings' is more colloquial and suggests a short, familiar list of items.