patch together

patch together

1. To build something hastily or temporarily using various disparate pieces or parts. A noun or pronoun can be used between "patch" and "together." My wife is an amazing tinkerer. She patched together a working robot just out of spare parts she found lying around our garage!
2. To mend, repair, or service something to the point of being functional or whole again, especially temporarily, typically by adding material to cover or connect broken or missing parts. A noun or pronoun can be used between "patch" and "together." The car broke down in the middle of the interstate, so I had to patch it together with what little I had available just so I could get it to a service station. Will you see if you can patch this pipe together while we wait for the repairman?
3. To conceive of something very hastily or haphazardly. A noun or pronoun can be used between "patch" and "together." I had to patch together a story for the boss about why I was late again. I had forgotten to bring my notes for the presentation, so I just patched something together at the last minute
See also: patch, together
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

patch something together (with something)

to use something to repair something hastily or temporarily. I think I can patch the exhaust pipe together with some wire. See if you can patch this engine together well enough to run for a few more hours.
See also: patch, together
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • piece out
  • involve with
  • involve with (someone or something)
  • involved with
  • arrange for
  • arrange for some time
  • arrange some music for
  • back into
  • back into (someone or something)
  • add in
References in periodicals archive
The question is can we patch together a team capable of emerging from the pack come May?
Football: Take your boots you may get a game
They cut the organism's six chromosomes into fragments, sequenced just the fragment ends, and then used a computer program to virtually patch together these bits.
Trichomoniasis-causing organism is sequenced
And she runs the organisation at one of the toughest times in its history, with job cuts to be implemented as part of an efficiency drive, the twin challenges of digital television and a Government charter review - not to mention helping to patch together the reputation of BBC news after the Hutton report saga.
Menna Richards tops our power poll
Women in jobs not covered by the FMLA often must patch together various forms of leave, including paid, unpaid, and disability, to spend time with their new borns after childbirth.
Longer maternity leave may cut number, frequency of depressive episodes
At the same time, they have used cloned genomic DNA to painstakingly patch together an improved fine-structure physical map of the region.
Sequencing CYP: more data allows cross-species comparison
They find jobs in the export factories, patch together homes from pieces of wood, metal, and plastic, and find ways to tap into the power line (some get fried).
The end of the Maquila era
So, while the guys of Queer as Folk focus mainly on getting laid, the lesbians on the show have to work overtime to patch together their relationship.
Pass the Popcorn