pat

pat
I. noun Etymology: Middle English patte, probably of imitative origin Date: 15th century 1. a light blow especially with the hand or a flat instrument 2. a light tapping often rhythmical sound 3. something (as butter) shaped into a small flat usually square individual portion II. adverb Date: 1578 in a pat manner ; aptly, perfectly <
has her part down pat
>
III. verb (patted; patting) Date: 1591 transitive verb 1. to strike lightly with a flat instrument 2. to flatten, smooth, or put into place or shape with light blows 3. to tap or stroke gently with the hand to soothe, caress, or show approval intransitive verb to strike or beat gently IV. adjective Date: 1646 1. a. exactly suited to the purpose or occasion ; apt b. suspiciously appropriate ; contrived <
a pat ending
>
2. learned, mastered, or memorized exactly 3. firm, unyielding 4. reduced to a simple or mechanical form ; standard, trite <
pat answers
>
V. abbreviation patent

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • pat — pat …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • pat — [ pat ] adj. inv. et n. m. • 1689; it. patta « quitte » (jeu); lat. pactum « accord » ♦ Échecs Se dit du roi qui, sans être mis en échec, ne peut pourtant plus bouger sans être pris. N. m. Coup qui amène le roi dans cette position. Faire un pat.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Pat — or PAT may refer to: * Pat Condell, comedian * Pat McAfee, American football player * Pat Nixon, former First Lady of the United States * Pat Sajak, the host of the current US Wheel of Fortune * Pat White (football player), American football… …   Wikipedia

  • pat — Ⅰ. pat [1] ► VERB (patted, patting) 1) tap quickly and gently with the flat of the hand. 2) mould or position with gentle taps. ► NOUN 1) an act of patting. 2) a compact …   English terms dictionary

  • pat — pat1 [pat] adj. [prob. < PAT2] 1. apt; timely; opportune 2. exactly suitable 3. so glibly plausible as to seem contrived 4. designating a poker hand to which no cards are drawn because of the unlikelihood of improving it adv. in a pat …   English World dictionary

  • Pat — Pat, a. [Cf. pat a light blow, D. te pas convenient, pat, where pas is fr. F. passer to pass.] Exactly suitable; fit; convenient; timely. Pat allusion. Barrow. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • PAT — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. {{{image}}}   Sigles d une seule lettre   Sigles de deux lettres > Sigles de trois lettres …   Wikipédia en Français

  • pat — PAT. s. indeclinable. Terme d eschetz qui se dit lors qu un des deux joüeurs ne peut joüer sans mettre son roy en eschet. Faire pat. nous sommes pat. je suis pat. vous m avez fait pat …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Pat — Pat, adv. In a pat manner. [1913 Webster] I foresaw then t would come in pat hereafter. Sterne. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • PAT — may refer to: Contents 1 Organizations 2 Science and technology 3 Medicine and biology …   Wikipedia

  • pat — [adj] relevant, suitable apposite, apropos, apt, auspicious, felicitous, fitting, happy, neat, opportune, pertinent, propitious, rehearsed, timely, to the point; concept 558 Ant. imprecise, inexact, irrelevant, unacceptable, unsuitable, wrong pat …   New thesaurus

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