Pat

Pronunciation

• IPA: /pæt/, pʰæt, enPR: pÇŽt
• Rhymes: -æt

From Middle English *patten, alteration (with loss of medial l) of Middle English platten, pletten ("to pat"), from Old English plættan ("to buffet, strike, slap, smack, to give a sounding blow"), from Proto-Germanic *plat- ("to strike, beat"), from Proto-Indo-European *b(e)lad-, *b(e)led- ("to strike, beat"). Cognate with Middle Dutch platten, pletten ("to strike, bruise, crush, rub"), German platzen ("to split, burst, break up"), Bavarian patzen ("to pat"), Swedish plätta, pjätta ("to pat, tap"). For loss of l, compare patch for platch; pate for plate, etc. See plat.

Full definition of pat

Noun

1. The sound of a light slap or tap with a soft flat object, especially of a footstep
2. A light tap or slap, especially with the hands
3. A flattish lump of soft matter, especially butter or dung.
• Charles DickensIt looked like a tessellated work of pats of butter.

Derived terms

• pat on the back (n.)
• patter

Verb

1. To (gently) tap the flat of one's hand on a person or thing.To show affection, he decided he would pat the boy on the head.
• 1877, Anna Sewell, Black Beauty Chapter 22http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Black_Beauty/22He came round to each of us to pat and speak to us for the last time; his voice sounded very sad.
2. To hit lightly and repeatedly with the flat of the hand to make smooth or flatI patted the cookie dough into shape.
• 1900, L. Frank Baum , The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Chapter 23Before they went to see Glinda, however, they were taken to a room of the Castle, where Dorothy washed her face and combed her hair, and the Lion shook the dust out of his mane, and the Scarecrow patted himself into his best shape, and the Woodman polished his tin and oiled his joints.
3. (Australia, New Zealand) To stroke or fondle (an animal).Do you want to pat the cat?
4. To gently rain.

Derived terms

• pat down
• pat on the back (v.)

Adjective

1. timely, suitable, apt, opportune, ready for the occasion; especially of things spokena pat expression
• 1788, Cowper, Pity for Africans, p 18A story so pat, you may think it is coined.
2. trite, being superficially complete, lacking originality
• 2010, New York Times, Editorial: Jobs and the Class of 2010, May 23.The pat answer is that college students should consider graduate school as a way to delay a job search until things turn around, and that more high school students should go to college to improve their prospects. ''

Derived terms

• pat hand

Adverb

1. opportunely, in a timely or suitable way.
• c. 1600, William Shakespeare, Hamlet III.iiiNow might I do it pat
2. Perfectly.He has the routine down pat.

Derived terms

• pat in the middle

Abbreviation.

Noun

1. patent
2. (knitting) pattern
• 2012, Kari Cornell, Knitting Sweaters from around the World (page 52)Work in pat to next underarm marker, sm, place next st on holder...

Anagrams

• APT, ap't, apt, apt., ATP, PTA, TAP, tap