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fat

Syllabification: (fat)
Pronunciation: /fat/
Translate fat | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of fat

noun

  • a natural oily or greasy substance occurring in animal bodies, especially when deposited as a layer under the skin or around certain organs.
  • a fatty substance made from animal or plant products, used in cooking.
  • the presence of excess fat in a person or animal, causing them to appear corpulent:he was a tall man, running to fat
  • Chemistry any of a group of natural esters of glycerol and various fatty acids, which are solid at room temperature and are the main constituents of animal and vegetable fat. Compare with oil.

adjective (fatter, fattest)

  • (of a person or animal) having a large amount of excess flesh:the driver was a fat, wheezing man
  • (of an animal bred for food) made plump for slaughter.
  • containing much fat:fat bacon
  • large in bulk or circumference:a fat cigarette
  • informal (of an asset or opportunity) financially substantial or desirable:a fat profit fat motion picture deals
  • informal used ironically to express the belief that there is none or very little of something:fat chance she had of influencing him a fat lot of good that’ll do him
  • (of coal) containing a high proportion of volatile oils.
  • (of wood) containing a high proportion of resin:fat pine

verb (fats, fatting, fatted)

archaic
  • make or become fat: [with object]:numbers of black cattle are fatted here [no object]:the hogs have been fatting (as adjective fatted)a fatted duck

Phrases

the fat is in the fire

something has happened that will surely lead to an unpleasant result or angry reaction.

kill the fatted calf

produce one’s best food to celebrate, especially at a prodigal’s return.
[with biblical allusion to Luke 15]

live off (or on) the fat of the land

have the best of everything.

Derivatives

fatless

adjective

fatly

adverb

fatness

noun

fattish

adjective

Origin:

Old English fǣtt 'well fed, plump', also 'fatty, oily'

fat in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of fat in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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