IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishmend fences
Meaning: To repair a damaged relationship after a disagreement.
Example: “After the wedding fiasco, the two sisters spent a weekend together to mend fences.”
Origin: American political slang. In 1879 Senator John Sherman of Ohio went home to Mansfield, saying, according to a much-repeated account, that he had come to look after his fences, meaning his farm but also his standing with voters. "Fence-mending" soon meant shoring up local support, and later any reconciliation.
Equivalents in other languages
French: Recoller les morceaux Literally: To glue the pieces back together
More English idioms
- not believe one's ears To be so surprised by what one hears that it seems impossible.
- cross the Rubicon To take an irreversible step.
- like a bear with a sore head In a very bad, irritable mood.
- dead on one's feet To be utterly exhausted.
- fall flat on one's face To fail completely and embarrassingly.
- burst someone's bubble To destroy someone's illusion or happy belief.
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