To secure or attach something again that had previously been unfastened, detached, or loose. This implies a deliberate action to restore something to a closed, fixed, or connected state. The act of refastening often involves a mechanism like a buckle, button, knot, or adhesive to re-establish a connection, or to fix an object in place.
The process suggests a previous state of being undone and a subsequent act to rectify or improve the situation; it therefore necessitates the presence of a previously loose state for it to be refastened. Refastening can apply to a variety of objects, from clothing and equipment to structural components.
The importance of this depends on what is refastened, and is not necessarily as small as fastening a button.
It is essential that the re-attaching is performed, and that it is done so properly, so as to prevent further unintended detachments, and to maintain the desired function or position of the object.
The act of refastening implies not only the process of attaching, but also that the attachment is either correct or, more rarely, an alternative to a previously incorrect method.