pat
adverb/pæt/
/pæt/
Word Originadverb late 16th cent.: related to pat (verb); apparently originally symbolic: a frequently found early use was hit pat (i.e. hit as if with flat blow).
Idioms Idioms
See pat in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionaryhave/know something off pat (British English)
(North American English have/know something down pat)
- to know something perfectly so that you can repeat it at any time without having to think about it
- He had all the answers off pat.
stand pat
- (especially North American English) to refuse to change your mind about a decision you have made or an opinion you haveTopics Opinion and argumentc2
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pat