pat

UK: /ˈpæt/ US: /pæt/ ,(pat)

Inflections of 'pat' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

pats

v 3rd person singular

patting

v pres p

patted

v past

patting

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pat¹ /pæt/   v., pat•ted, pat•ting, n. 
v. [~ + object]

1. to strike lightly, as with the hand, to flatten, smooth, or shape:
   She patted her hair.
2. to stroke or tap gently as an expression of affection, pity, etc.:
   She patted her dog on the head.

n. [countable]

3. a light stroke, tap, or blow, as with the hand.
4. a small piece, usually flat and square, formed by patting, cutting, etc.:
   a pat of butter.

Idioms

5. Idioms pat on the back:
   • [countable] praise, congratulations, or encouragement:
     She just needed a pat on the back.
   • [~ + object + on the back] to praise, congratulate, or encourage:
     The boss patted him on the back for his fine work.

pat² /pæt/   adj. 

1. exactly to the point or purpose:
   a pat solution to the problem.
2. unconvincing because it seems to have been rehearsed, practiced, or memorized;
   shallow:
   gave his usual pat answers to difficult questions.

adv. 

3. exactly or perfectly:
   He had those answers down pat.

Idioms

4. Idioms stand pat, [no object] to cling firmly to one's decision or beliefs:
   The boss stood pat and would not budge from his position.

-pat-, root. 

1. -pat- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "suffer;
   experience.'' It is related to -pass-². This meaning is found in such words as: compatible, impatience, impatient, incompatible, outpatient, patience, patient, simpatico.

pat.,  an abbreviation of:

1. patent.
2. patented.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pat¹  (pat), v., pat•ted, pat•ting, n. 
v.t. 

1. to strike lightly or gently with something flat, as with a paddle or the palm of the hand, usually in order to flatten, smooth, or shape:
   to pat dough into flat pastry forms.
2. to stroke or tap gently with the palm or fingers as an expression of affection, approbation, etc.
3. to strike (the floor, ground, etc.) with light footsteps.

v.i. 

4. to strike lightly or gently.
5. to walk or run with light footsteps.
6. Idioms pat down, to pat or pass the hands over the body of (a clothed person) to detect concealed weapons, drugs, etc.
7. Idioms pat on the back, to praise, congratulate, or encourage:
   The boss patted him on the back for the deal he made yesterday.

n. 

8. a light stroke, tap, or blow with the palm, fingers, or a flat object.
9. the sound of a light stroke or of light footsteps.
10. a small piece or mass, usually flat and square, formed by patting, cutting, etc.:
    a pat of butter.
11. Idioms a pat on the back, a word of praise, congratulations, or encouragement:
    Everyone needs a pat on the back now and then.

• late Middle English pat blow, stroke, apparently of expressive origin, originally 1375–1425

Synonyms

• 10. square, cake, dab.

pat²  (pat), adj. 

1. exactly to the point or purpose;
   apt;
   opportune:
   a pat solution to a problem.
2. excessively glib;
   unconvincingly facile:
   His answers were too pat to suit the examining board.
3. learned, known, or mastered perfectly or exactly:
   to have something pat.

adv. 

4. exactly or perfectly.
5. aptly;
   opportunely.
6. Idioms down pat. See down ¹ (def. 37).
7. Games stand pat:
   • Idioms to cling or hold firm to one's decision, policy, or beliefs:
     The government must stand pat in its policy.
   • Games [Poker.] to play a hand as dealt, without drawing other cards.

• origin, originally adverbial use of pat¹, as obsolete to hit pat to strike accurately 1570–80

pat′ness, n. 
pat′ter, n. 

Pat  (pat), n. 

1. a male given name, form of Patrick. 
2. a female given name, form of Patricia. 

PAT, 

1. Sport [Football.] point after touchdown;
   points after touchdown.
2. Business [Banking.] preauthorized automatic transfer.

pat., 

1. patent.
2. patented.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

pat / pæt/ verb (pats, patting, patted)

1. to hit (something) lightly with the palm of the hand or some other flat surface: to pat a ball
2. to slap (a person or animal) gently, esp on the back, as an expression of affection, congratulation, etc
3. (transitive) to shape, smooth, etc, with a flat instrument or the palm
4. (intransitive) to walk or run with light footsteps
5. pat someone on the back ⇒ to congratulate or encourage someone

noun

1. a light blow with something flat
2. a gentle slap
3. a small mass of something: a pat of butter
4. the sound made by a light stroke or light footsteps
5. pat on the back ⇒ a gesture or word indicating approval or encouragement

Etymology: 14th Century: perhaps imitative

pat / pæt/ adverb

1. Also: off pat exactly or fluently memorized or mastered: he recited it pat
2. opportunely or aptly
3. stand pat ⇒ to refuse to abandon a belief, decision, etc
4. (in poker, etc) to play without adding new cards to the hand dealt

adjective

1. exactly right for the occasion; apt: a pat reply
2. too exactly fitting; glib: a pat answer to a difficult problem
3. exactly right: a pat hand in poker

Etymology: 17th Century: perhaps adverbial use ("with a light stroke") of pat¹

pat / pæt/ noun

1. on one's pat ⇒ alone; on one's own

Etymology: 20th Century: rhyming slang, from Pat Malone