Definition

1. Verb:

   • To touch someone or something lightly and quickly with the flat of your hand, usually in a gentle, friendly, or encouraging way.
   • To flatten or shape something by lightly tapping it with the flat of your hand.

2. Noun:

   • A light, quick touch or stroke with the flat of your hand.
   • The sound made by such a light touch.
   • A small, flat, often round piece of something, especially butter.

3. Adverb:

   • In a way that is exactly right or perfectly suitable for the moment; readily and fluently.
   • (In the phrase "have something down pat") To know or have learned something perfectly.

4. Adjective:

   • (Of an answer, remark, or explanation) Seeming too quick, simple, or prepared in advance and therefore not sincere or deeply considered; glib.

Usage Examples

• Verb:

  • She patted the dog on the head. (She touched the dog's head lightly with her hand.)
  • He patted his pockets, looking for his keys. (He lightly tapped his pockets.)
  • Pat the dough into a flat circle. (Shape the dough by lightly tapping it.)

• Noun:

  • She gave the child a reassuring pat on the back. (A light, encouraging touch on the back.)
  • I heard a soft pat on the window. (The sound of a light touch.)
  • Would you like a pat of butter for your bread? (A small, shaped portion of butter.)

• Adverb:

  • The answer came pat to his lips. (The answer was said immediately and perfectly.)
  • He can recite the poem pat. (He can recite it perfectly from memory.)

• Adjective:

  • He had a pat answer for every difficult question. (A ready, simplistic answer that may lack depth.)

Advanced Usage

• To have/learn/know something down pat: To know or be able to do something perfectly through practice.
  • After weeks of rehearsal, she had her lines down pat.
• To pat someone/oneself on the back: To praise someone or yourself for an achievement.
  • The manager patted the team on the back for their hard work.
  • He's always patting himself on the back for his clever ideas.

Variants and Related Words

• Patty (n): A small, flat cake of minced or ground food, such as a hamburger patty.
• Patter (n): A series of light, quick tapping sounds. (Related to the sound of many light pats.)

Synonyms

• Verb: Tap, dab, stroke.
• Noun: Tap, light blow, dab.
• Adjective: Glib, facile, slick, rehearsed.
• Adverb: Perfectly, exactly, fluently, readily.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• A pat on the back: An expression of praise or encouragement.
  • Everyone needs a pat on the back now and then.
• Stand pat: (Originally from card games) To refuse to change one's mind or course of action; to stick firmly to a decision or opinion.
  • Despite the new evidence, the committee decided to stand pat on its original ruling.

Adjective

1. exactly suited to the occasion
   • a pat reply
2. having only superficial plausibility
   • glib promises
   • a slick commercial

Adverb

1. completely or perfectly
   • he has the lesson pat
   • had the system down pat

Noun

1. a light touch or stroke
2. the sound made by a gentle blow

Verb

1. hit lightly
   • pat him on the shoulder
2. pat or squeeze fondly or playfully, especially under the chin