pat

verb
UK: /pæt/
US: /pæt/

  1. To lightly touch someone or something with a flat hand.

    1. I pat the dog on the head gently. [ ] [ ]
    2. She gave the child a pat on the back to encourage him. [ ] [ ]

  2. To flatten or shape something by gently pressing it.

    1. Pat the ground down with your foot. [ ] [ ]
    2. I pat the clay into the desired shape before baking. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

tap mass stroke slick dab glib lump
pat noun

  1. A light touch or tap with the flat part of the hand.

    1. He gave the dog a pat. [ ] [ ]
    2. The baby received a gentle pat. [ ] [ ]

  2. A small mass of something, especially butter.

    1. I want a pat of butter, please. [ ] [ ]
    2. She added a pat of butter to the hot toast. [ ] [ ]
pat adjective

  1. (of an answer, excuse, etc.) Too simple and quickly spoken, and not completely true.

    1. His answer was a pat reply. [ ] [ ]
    2. She gave a pat explanation for her absence from the meeting. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "pat" in English means: To lightly touch someone or something with a flat hand., To flatten or shape something by gently pressing it..

The phonetic transcription of "pat" is /pæt/ in British English and /pæt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "pat": tap, mass, stroke, slick, dab, glib, lump.

Example usage of "pat": "I pat the dog on the head gently.". More examples on the page.