Pat
noun
A light touch with the hand.
She gave the cat a pat on the head.

Often appears as...
- pat on the back
- pat on the head
noun
A small, flat piece of something, usually in a distinctive shape.
I put a pat of butter on my toast.

Often appears as...
- pat of butter
- pat of dough
adverb
Exactly or perfectly.
He knew the answer pat.

Often appears as...
- know something pat
- have something pat
verb
To gently touch or stroke something with your hand.
She patted the dog’s head.

Often appears as...
- pat a dog
- pat a cat
adjective
Ready prepared or suited.
He had a pat answer for our question.

Often appears as...
- pat answer
- pat reply
noun
A light touch with the hand.
She gave the cat a pat on the head.

Often appears as...
- pat on the back
- pat on the head
noun
A small, flat piece of something, usually in a distinctive shape.
I put a pat of butter on my toast.

Often appears as...
- pat of butter
- pat of dough
adverb
Exactly or perfectly.
He knew the answer pat.

Often appears as...
- know something pat
- have something pat
verb
To gently touch or stroke something with your hand.
She patted the dog’s head.

Often appears as...
- pat a dog
- pat a cat
adjective
Ready prepared or suited.
He had a pat answer for our question.

Often appears as...
- pat answer
- pat reply
Definition 1 of 5

Gentle Gesture
Used to show affection or comfort to animals and people in a soft, soothing manner.

She gave her niece a pat on the back for comfort.
Encouragement
A 'pat on the back' often symbolizes praise or approval for a job well done.

After finishing the project, his boss gave him a congratulatory pat on the back.
Gentle Gesture
Used to show affection or comfort to animals and people in a soft, soothing manner.

She gave her niece a pat on the back for comfort.
Encouragement
A 'pat on the back' often symbolizes praise or approval for a job well done.

After finishing the project, his boss gave him a congratulatory pat on the back.
Gentle Gesture
Used to show affection or comfort to animals and people in a soft, soothing manner.

She gave her niece a pat on the back for comfort.
Encouragement
A 'pat on the back' often symbolizes praise or approval for a job well done.

After finishing the project, his boss gave him a congratulatory pat on the back.
Video examples
How to talk (and listen)...
that I sent to every single person I came out to. And I kept it in my email signature for months afterwards, because you also don't ever stop coming out. I came out to the accountant helping me with my taxes and the TSA agents who didn't know which one of them should pat me down, the man or the woman.
Video examples
Asking for help is a...
he patted me on the back and wished me well, and I thanked him so much. And again, I think he's going to remember that experience more than when I first came in, and there was a bit of hesitation. And as you notice, I get a lot of help. I would not be where I am today
Video examples
John McWhorter: Txtng is...
Now that seems kind of mundane, but think about how in real life, if we're having a conversation and we want to change the topic, there are ways of doing it gracefully. You don't just zip right into it. You'll pat your thighs and look wistfully off into the distance,
Video examples
The gift and power of...
with curiosity, compassion, and especially the courage to take values-connected steps. When I was little, I would wake up at night terrified by the idea of death. My father would comfort me with soft pats and kisses. But he would never lie.
Video examples
Why isn't the world...
Inside a tunnel, ball, or pat, once the larvae hatch, they consume the dung before metamorphosing into a pupa and then an adult beetle. Besides clearing dung, the actions of these beetles have considerable ecological importance.
Video examples
LZ Granderson: The myth...
I've taught myself to sew, cook, fix plumbing, build furniture, I can even pat myself on the back when necessary, all so I don't have to ask anyone for anything. There's nothing I need from anyone except for love and respect,
Video examples
The Water Crisis PIPE...
it was one of the driest years on record pat remembers the morning her deputy broke the bad news when she came in and said we've got problems we had huge problems there had been virtually zip snowpack in the upper basin so
Video examples
How to make hard choices...
Drifters allow the world to write the story of their lives. They let mechanisms of reward and punishment -- pats on the head, fear, the easiness of an option -- to determine what they do. So the lesson of hard
Video examples
Empower locals to...
going to write down pup in a few weeks now I was like quickly getting my diving certificate and then a few weeks later we went to write down pat my god the magical of underwater world I fell in
Video examples
Bear Gives a Warning...
Yeah, we're going to be good friends. I almost patted her there. Just seems a natural thing to do.
Video examples
How to talk (and listen)...
that I sent to every single person I came out to. And I kept it in my email signature for months afterwards, because you also don't ever stop coming out. I came out to the accountant helping me with my taxes and the TSA agents who didn't know which one of them should pat me down, the man or the woman.
Video examples
Asking for help is a...
he patted me on the back and wished me well, and I thanked him so much. And again, I think he's going to remember that experience more than when I first came in, and there was a bit of hesitation. And as you notice, I get a lot of help. I would not be where I am today
Video examples
John McWhorter: Txtng is...
Now that seems kind of mundane, but think about how in real life, if we're having a conversation and we want to change the topic, there are ways of doing it gracefully. You don't just zip right into it. You'll pat your thighs and look wistfully off into the distance,
Video examples
The gift and power of...
with curiosity, compassion, and especially the courage to take values-connected steps. When I was little, I would wake up at night terrified by the idea of death. My father would comfort me with soft pats and kisses. But he would never lie.
Video examples
Why isn't the world...
Inside a tunnel, ball, or pat, once the larvae hatch, they consume the dung before metamorphosing into a pupa and then an adult beetle. Besides clearing dung, the actions of these beetles have considerable ecological importance.
Video examples
LZ Granderson: The myth...
I've taught myself to sew, cook, fix plumbing, build furniture, I can even pat myself on the back when necessary, all so I don't have to ask anyone for anything. There's nothing I need from anyone except for love and respect,
Video examples
The Water Crisis PIPE...
it was one of the driest years on record pat remembers the morning her deputy broke the bad news when she came in and said we've got problems we had huge problems there had been virtually zip snowpack in the upper basin so
Video examples
How to make hard choices...
Drifters allow the world to write the story of their lives. They let mechanisms of reward and punishment -- pats on the head, fear, the easiness of an option -- to determine what they do. So the lesson of hard
Video examples
Empower locals to...
going to write down pup in a few weeks now I was like quickly getting my diving certificate and then a few weeks later we went to write down pat my god the magical of underwater world I fell in
Video examples
Bear Gives a Warning...
Yeah, we're going to be good friends. I almost patted her there. Just seems a natural thing to do.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Kevin Frazier
American Journalist
A lot of reporters don't have conversations - they just fire off questions. I'm going to listen to what you're saying. If you start giving me a pat answer, I'm going to challenge you. That's where my sports background helps, because athletes do it all the time. So you have to stop them... and sometimes they're going to yell back at you. So what?

Quote examples
Steve Nicol
I've always said, nothing wrong with being frustrated and upset with bad results, but you get it out of your system. You can't stick it in a bag and carry it around with you. You have to move on, same way you would if things went well. You know, don't spend the rest of the week patting everyone on the back and saying how well they've done.

Quote examples
Margaret Trudeau
Canadian Author
I remember, after my first postpartum depression, I didn't know what had happened to me. I was stuck in this gray depression where I just wanted to retreat and pull the covers over my head and weep. My mother and I, we went to a psychiatrist, and he just patted me on the head and told me I had baby blues, which was not helpful, obviously.

Quote examples
Marquise Goodwin
American Football Player
My wife at home. She didn't have a pregnant belly anymore, nobody to cling to, no shoulder to cry on, no one to talk to, while I'm at work getting the love and everybody just patting me on the back. I was mad. I felt that I should be at home helping my best friend get past the grief.

Quote examples
John Lloyd
British Producer
I do have at home the most ridiculous number of awards for what I have done, which is nice in terms of being patted on the back, yet it does cure you of caring about what other people say about you. Ultimately, you must have your own standard of what is good enough.

Quote examples
Sara Pascoe
English Comedian
There's social media where people's politics are out there, they're forwarding articles and seem engaged, but it's only online. We tweet and pat ourselves on the back, thinking we have done something, said we're interested, but it needs more work.

Quote examples
Jesse Ventura
American Politician
I'm the only person in the world that, when he holds down two jobs, gets criticized for it; everyone else gets a pat on the back and say, 'What an entrepreneuring, hardworking person,' but apparently that doesn't apply to me.

Quote examples
John Mica
American Politician
They've just gone over the line in my opinion, and again, there's a proper time for a pat down, there's a proper time for an advanced technology body search, but it has to be done with some thought.

Quote examples
Niecy Nash
American Comedian
Even after I got my divorce, the ink wasn't even dry on the paper, and I said, 'Ooh, the next time I become a wife, I got this thing down pat!' I always believed that there was someone built for me.

Quote examples
Parvathy
Indian Actress
Awards are like a pat of appreciation from the jury and viewers. It is almost like them saying, 'So, you have done well; we expect you to carry on doing good work.

Quote examples
Kevin Frazier
American Journalist
A lot of reporters don't have conversations - they just fire off questions. I'm going to listen to what you're saying. If you start giving me a pat answer, I'm going to challenge you. That's where my sports background helps, because athletes do it all the time. So you have to stop them... and sometimes they're going to yell back at you. So what?

Quote examples
Steve Nicol
I've always said, nothing wrong with being frustrated and upset with bad results, but you get it out of your system. You can't stick it in a bag and carry it around with you. You have to move on, same way you would if things went well. You know, don't spend the rest of the week patting everyone on the back and saying how well they've done.

Quote examples
Margaret Trudeau
Canadian Author
I remember, after my first postpartum depression, I didn't know what had happened to me. I was stuck in this gray depression where I just wanted to retreat and pull the covers over my head and weep. My mother and I, we went to a psychiatrist, and he just patted me on the head and told me I had baby blues, which was not helpful, obviously.

Quote examples
Marquise Goodwin
American Football Player
My wife at home. She didn't have a pregnant belly anymore, nobody to cling to, no shoulder to cry on, no one to talk to, while I'm at work getting the love and everybody just patting me on the back. I was mad. I felt that I should be at home helping my best friend get past the grief.

Quote examples
John Lloyd
British Producer
I do have at home the most ridiculous number of awards for what I have done, which is nice in terms of being patted on the back, yet it does cure you of caring about what other people say about you. Ultimately, you must have your own standard of what is good enough.

Quote examples
Sara Pascoe
English Comedian
There's social media where people's politics are out there, they're forwarding articles and seem engaged, but it's only online. We tweet and pat ourselves on the back, thinking we have done something, said we're interested, but it needs more work.

Quote examples
Jesse Ventura
American Politician
I'm the only person in the world that, when he holds down two jobs, gets criticized for it; everyone else gets a pat on the back and say, 'What an entrepreneuring, hardworking person,' but apparently that doesn't apply to me.

Quote examples
John Mica
American Politician
They've just gone over the line in my opinion, and again, there's a proper time for a pat down, there's a proper time for an advanced technology body search, but it has to be done with some thought.

Quote examples
Niecy Nash
American Comedian
Even after I got my divorce, the ink wasn't even dry on the paper, and I said, 'Ooh, the next time I become a wife, I got this thing down pat!' I always believed that there was someone built for me.

Quote examples
Parvathy
Indian Actress
Awards are like a pat of appreciation from the jury and viewers. It is almost like them saying, 'So, you have done well; we expect you to carry on doing good work.

Example 1 of 10
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