patch
Preserved but no longer current.
This old English term of reproach, long obsolete in polite language, may yet occasionally be heard in sentences like these:—"Why, he’s not a PATCH upon him," i.e., he is not to be compared with him; "one’s not a PATCH on the other," &c. Shakspeare uses the word in the sense of a paltry fellow:—
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “patch” mean?
This old English term of reproach, long obsolete in polite language, may yet occasionally be heard in sentences like these:—"Why, he’s not a PATCH upon him," i.e., he is not to be compared with him; "one’s not a PATCH on the other," &c. Shakspeare uses the word in the sense of a paltry fellow:—
Is “patch” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.