What it means
Your patch is the area you look after, work in, or reckon as your own bit of ground. You hear it a lot from police, wardens, drivers, pub staff, and nosy locals who know every face on the block. If someone says it's not my patch, they mean it's outside their area, so it's not really their problem or their call.
Usage examples
"New kebab shop's opened on our patch. If it's charging eight quid for chips, I'm popping round to have a word."
"The new community officer has been walking the same patch for three years and now knows everyone by name, from the lollipop lady at the primary school to the chap who collects the trolleys at the Tesco Metro."
"That sort of dodgy door-to-door scam is not on our patch this year, the neighbourhood watch has put up posters at every bus stop and the postman has been quietly logging the white vans into a notebook."
"I know that bloke, he’s always knocking about this patch acting like he runs the bins, the buses and everyone’s front gate."
"Leave it, that’s her patch. She knows every shopkeeper round here and who’s fallen out with who."
Where it comes from
Patch started as a word for a small piece of ground or land in English. By the 19th century in Britain, it was being used for the area someone was responsible for, especially in police and work talk. From there it slid neatly into everyday slang for your turf or usual area.
