reattach

reattach — verb

1. to fix or join something back to the place it was originally connected to, after

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to fix or join something back to the place it was originally connected to, after it has come off or been removed.

例句

The surgeon carefully reattached the patient's severed finger during the six-hour operation.

medical context: reattach + body part

Feng used strong wood glue to reattach the broken leg of the old chair.

reattach + object + to + object using [tool/material]

同義詞
  • reconnect

    closer in meaning but more general; can refer to electrical or digital connections, not just physical ones

  • rejoin

    slightly more formal; often used for larger structures or tissues

  • refasten

    specifically means to close or secure something that was unfastened, rather than fixing a broken join

反義詞
  • detach

    the opposite action — to remove or separate something

文法句型

reattach + noun + to + noun

用法筆記

Common in medical, mechanical, and household contexts. The object is usually something that has become physically separated — a body part, a component, or a piece of clothing.

常見錯誤

❌The doctor reattached the patient after surgery
✅The doctor reattached the patient's severed finger after surgery.
💡'reattach' needs a specific object that was detached; you cannot use it to mean 'reconnect with a person.'

2. to become joined or connected again naturally, without being put back by someone

2.動詞不及物B2
釋義

to become joined or connected again naturally, without being put back by someone — for example, a torn muscle fiber or a detached retina healing back into place.

例句

After the laser treatment, the retina gradually reattached over the next few weeks.

medical: body part reattaches by itself

The surgeon said the torn ligament might never reattach without stitches.

同義詞
  • heal

    broader meaning — healing includes reattachment but also covers other types of tissue recovery

  • reconnect

    less specific; sounds more technical when used for living tissue

反義詞
  • detach

    the opposite event — something coming loose or separating

文法句型

noun + reattach

noun + reattach + to + noun

用法筆記

Primarily used in medical contexts about body tissues healing. The subject is always the thing that reattaches itself. An agent (someone doing the action) is not expressed — if you want to say who did it, use Sense 1 instead.

常見錯誤

❌The nerve reattached itself naturally' (technically acceptable but rare).
✅The nerve reattached naturally.
💡the reflexive 'itself' is usually dropped in natural usage with this sense.