A noun for a piece of fabric, often a patch or rag. Both uses are in the parable of the unshrunk patch. Matthew 9:16 and Mark 2:21 record Jesus warning that no one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, lest the new piece tear away and make the tear worse. The term emphasizes the incompatibility—new, unshrunken fabric will pull away from old, worn material. Jesus uses this domestic illustration to explain why his new-covenant message does not fit into old wineskin structures.