Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Having an (over)abundance of flesh; plump: Describes a person or animal with a large amount of body tissue, often implying excess weight.
   • Containing or composed of fat: Describes food or substances that have a high proportion of fatty tissue or lipids.
   • Large, thick, or substantial: Describes an object that is broad or has a relatively large diameter.
   • Rich, fertile, or productive: Describes land or soil that is highly fruitful.
   • Lucrative or profitable: Describes a job, contract, or situation that provides substantial financial gain.

2. Noun:

   • A natural oily or greasy substance in bodies: A kind of body tissue (adipose tissue) that stores energy, cushions organs, and insulates the body.
   • Excess bodily weight: The condition of having too much of this bodily tissue.
   • A soft greasy substance in organic tissue: The general substance consisting of a mixture of lipids.

3. Verb:

   • To make fat or plump: To cause a person or animal to gain weight and become fatter.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • He hadn't remembered how fat she was.
  • Pizza is considered fatty food.
  • He used a fat rope to secure the boat.
  • They bought a piece of fat, fertile farmland.
  • She was offered a fat contract with a large signing bonus.

• Noun:

  • Excess fat can be a risk to your health.
  • Whales have a thick layer of blubber, which is a type of fat, for insulation.
  • The recipe calls for two tablespoons of animal fat.

• Verb (less common):

  • In the past, geese were fatted up for foie gras.

Advanced Usage

• "A fat chance" (idiom, ironic): Used to say that something is very unlikely to happen.

  • You think he'll apologize? A fat chance!

• "A fat lot of good" (idiom, ironic): Used to say that something is of very little use or help.

  • Your advice was a fat lot of good when the computer crashed.

• "The fat is in the fire" (idiom): Said when a serious action has been taken that will certainly cause trouble or anger.

  • Now that the secret is out, the fat is in the fire.

• "Live off the fat of the land" (idiom): To live in luxury, enjoying the best things available.

  • After his success, he was able to live off the fat of the land.

Variants and Related Words

• Fatty (adj): Containing a lot of fat.
  • Avoid fatty meats.
• Fatten (v): To make or become fat.
  • The farmer will fatten the pigs before market.
• Fatness (n): The state or quality of being fat.
  • She was concerned about her fatness.
• Fat-free (adj): Containing no fat.
  • She prefers fat-free yogurt.

Synonyms

• Adjective (for people/animals): Plump, overweight, corpulent, chubby, obese.
• Adjective (for substances): Greasy, oily, fatty.
• Adjective (for profit): Lucrative, profitable, remunerative.
• Noun: Adipose tissue, blubber, lard, suet.

Antonyms

• Adjective (for people/animals): Thin, skinny, slender, lean.
• Adjective (for substances): Lean, nonfat, fat-free.
• Adjective (for profit): Unprofitable, lean.

Phrasal Verbs

• Fat up (v): To make an animal fatter by feeding it a lot.
  • They fatted up the turkey for Thanksgiving.

Adjective

1. marked by great fruitfulness
   • fertile farmland
   • a fat land
   • a productive vineyard
   • rich soil
2. lucrative
   • a juicy contract
   • a nice fat job
3. containing or composed of fat
   • fatty food
   • fat tissue
4. having a relatively large diameter
   • a fat rope
5. having an (over)abundance of flesh
   • he hadn't remembered how fat she was

Noun

1. excess bodily weight
   • she disliked fatness in herself as well as in others
2. a kind of body tissue containing stored fat that serves as a source of energy; it also cushions and insulates vital organs
   • fatty tissue protected them from the severe cold
3. a soft greasy substance occurring in organic tissue and consisting of a mixture of lipids (mostly triglycerides)
   • pizza has too much fat

Verb

1. make fat or plump
   • We will plump out that poor starving child