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pat2

Pronunciation: /pat/
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Definition of pat

adjective

  • simple and somewhat glib or unconvincing:there are no pat answers to these questions

adverb

  • at exactly the right moment or in the right way; very conveniently or opportunely:the happy ending came rather pat

Phrases

have something off (or down) pat

have something memorized perfectly:she has her answer off pat

stand pat

chiefly North American
  • 1stick stubbornly to one’s opinion or decision:many ranchers stood pat with the old strains of cattle
  • 2(in poker and blackjack) retain one’s hand as dealt, without drawing other cards.

Derivatives

patly

adverb

patness

noun

Origin:

late 16th century: related to pat1; apparently originally symbolic: a frequently found early use was hit pat (i.e. hit as if with flat blow)

pat in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of pat in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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