pat
The sound of a light slap or tap with a soft flat object, especially of a footstep.
Noun 3 meanings
The sound of a light slap or tap with a soft flat object, especially of a footstep.
“We heard a pat on the door.”
A light tap or slap, especially with the hands.
“Give Mary a pat on the shoulder to get her attention.”
A flattish lump of soft matter, especially butter or dung.
Verb 4 meanings
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.”
To hit lightly and repeatedly with the flat of the hand to make smooth or flat
“I patted the cookie dough into shape.”
To stroke or fondle (an animal). Compare pet.
“Do you want to pat the cat?”
To gently rain.
Adjective 2 meanings
Exactly suitable, fitting, apt; timely, convenient, opportune, ready for the occasion; especially of things spoken.
“a pat expression”
Trite, being superficially complete, lacking originality.
Adverb 3 meanings
Opportunely, in a timely or suitable way.
Perfectly.
“He has the routine down pat.”
Straight, right, exactly, precisely.
Etymology
From Middle English pat (“a blow, stroke”), alteration (with loss of medial l) of *plat (> Scots plat (“a blow, buffet”)), from Old English plætt (“a sounding blow, a smack”), from Proto-West Germanic *platt (“a smack, slap, blow”), from Proto-Germanic *plat- (“to strike, beat”), from Proto-Indo-European *blod-, *bled- (“to strike, beat”).
Similar and opposite words
PAT at a glance
PAT has 3 letters and scores 5 points in Scrabble (P 3 + A 1 + T 1) and 6 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #4,697 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with pat
All rhymes- SPAT6
- EXPAT14
- COWPAT13
- PITAPAT11
- BEPAT9
- BESPAT10
- STANDPAT11
- TALIPAT9
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