Pat Definition
Opportunely, in a timely or suitable way.
A short form of the female given name Patricia.
A short form of the male given name Patrick.
- An expression or gesture of praise or approval:
Let's give them a pat on the back for doing a good job.
- to know or have memorized thoroughly
- to draw no further cards and play the hand as dealt
- to refuse to turn aside from an opinion, course of action, etc.
- a compliment or encouragement
- to compliment or praise
Other Word Forms of Pat
Noun
Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Pat
- pat on the back
- have (down) pat
- stand pat
- pat someone down
- pat on the back
Origin of Pat
-
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.
From Wiktionary
From Middle English a blow perhaps of imitative origin
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From pat
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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