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Definition of pat verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

pat

verb
 
/pæt/
 
/pæt/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they pat
 
/pæt/
 
/pæt/
he / she / it pats
 
/pæts/
 
/pæts/
past simple patted
 
/ˈpætɪd/
 
/ˈpætɪd/
past participle patted
 
/ˈpætɪd/
 
/ˈpætɪd/
-ing form patting
 
/ˈpætɪŋ/
 
/ˈpætɪŋ/
Idioms
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  1. to touch somebody/something gently several times with your hand flat, especially to show kind feelings
    • pat something She patted the dog on the head.
    • He patted his sister's hand consolingly.
    • pat something + adj. Pat your face dry with a soft towel.
    Extra Examples
    • He patted her gently on the shoulder.
    • I threw my arms around him and he awkwardly patted my back.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • gently
    • lightly
    • affectionately
    preposition
    • on
    See full entry
    Word Originverb late Middle English (as a noun denoting a blow with something flat): probably imitative. The verb dates from the mid 16th cent.
Idioms
pat somebody/yourself on the back
  1. (informal) to praise somebody or yourself for doing something well
See pat in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
halfway
adverb
 
 
From the Word list
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