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Pat vs Pant - What's the difference?

pat | pant |

As a noun pant is

a quick breathing; a catching of the breath; a gasp or pant can be (fashion) a pair of pants (trousers or underpants) or pant can be a public drinking fountain in scotland and north-east england.

As a verb pant is

(ambitransitive) to breathe quickly or in a labored manner, as after exertion or from eagerness or excitement; to respire with heaving of the breast; to gasp.

pat

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) . For loss of ''l , compare (patch) for (platch); (pate) for (plate), etc. See (l).

Noun

(en noun)
  • The sound of a light slap or tap with a soft flat object, especially of a footstep
  • A light tap or slap, especially with the hands
  • A flattish lump of soft matter, especially butter or dung.
  • * Charles Dickens
    • It looked like a tessellated work of pats of butter.
    Derived terms
    * pat on the back (n.) * patter * pitter-pat: a diminutive of footfalls. "the pitter-pat of little feet running around the house."

    Verb

    (patt)
  • To (gently) tap the flat of one's hand on a person or thing.
    • To show affection, he decided he would pat the boy on the head.
  • * 1877 , (Anna Sewell), (Black Beauty) Chapter 22[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Black_Beauty/22]
    • He came round to each of us to pat and speak to us for the last time; his voice sounded very sad.
  • To hit lightly and repeatedly with the flat of the hand to make smooth or flat
    • I patted the cookie dough into shape.
  • * 1900 , L. Frank Baum , The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Chapter 23
    • Before they went to see Glinda, however, they were taken to a room of the Castle, where Dorothy washed her face and combed her hair, and the Lion shook the dust out of his mane, and the Scarecrow patted himself into his best shape, and the Woodman polished his tin and oiled his joints.
  • (Australia, New Zealand) To stroke or fondle (an animal).
    • Do you want to pat the cat?
  • To gently rain.
    • Derived terms
    * pat down * pat on the back (v.)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • timely, suitable, apt, opportune, ready for the occasion; especially of things spoken
    • a pat expression
  • * 1788, Cowper, Pity for Africans , p 18
    • A story so pat , you may think it is coined.
  • trite, being superficially complete, lacking originality
  • * 2010, New York Times , Editorial: Jobs and the Class of 2010, May 23.
    • The pat answer is that college students should consider graduate school as a way to delay a job search until things turn around, and that more high school students should go to college to improve their prospects. ''
    Derived terms
    * pat hand

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • opportunely, in a timely or suitable way.
  • * c''. 1600 , William Shakespeare, '' III.iii
    • Now might I do it pat
  • Perfectly.
    • He has the routine down pat .
    Derived terms
    * pat in the middle

    See also

    * strike * hit * feel * name

    Etymology 2

    Abbreviation.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • patent
  • (knitting) pattern
  • * 2012 , Kari Cornell, Knitting Sweaters from around the World (page 52)
    • Work in pat to next underarm marker, sm, place next st on holder

    Anagrams

    * ----

    pant

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) (m), whence also English dialectal (m). Possibly from (etyl) (m), a byform or of (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A quick breathing; a catching of the breath; a gasp.
  • (obsolete) A violent palpitation of the heart.
    • (Shakespeare)
    References
    * *

    Verb

  • (ambitransitive) To breathe quickly or in a labored manner, as after exertion or from eagerness or excitement; to respire with heaving of the breast; to gasp.
  • * Dryden
    • Pluto plants for breath from out his cell.
  • * Shelley
    • There is a cavern where my spirit / Was panted forth in anguish.
    {{quote-Fanny Hill, part=2 , Charles had just slipp'd the bolt of the door, and running, caught me in his arms, and lifting me from the ground, with his lips glew'd to mine, bore me, trembling, panting , dying, with soft fears and tender wishes, to the bed}}
  • To long for (something); to be eager for (something).
  • * Herbert
    • Then shall our hearts pant thee.
  • To long eagerly; to desire earnestly.
  • * Bible, Psalms xlii. 1
    • As the hart panteth after the water brooks.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • Who pants for glory finds but short repose.
  • Of the heart, to beat with unnatural violence or rapidity; to palpitate.
    • (Spenser)
  • To sigh; to flutter; to languish.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • The whispering breeze / Pants on the leaves, and dies upon the trees.
    Synonyms
    * (breathe quickly or in a labored manner) gasp * (long for) crave, desire, long for, pine for * (long eagerly) crave, desire, long, pine * palpitate, pound, throb

    Etymology 2

    From pants

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (fashion) A pair of pants (trousers or underpants).
  • (used attributively as a modifier) Of or relating to pants.
    • Pant leg
    Derived terms
    * pant cuff * pant leg * pantsuit, pant suit * panty, panties

    Etymology 3

    Unknown

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • a public drinking fountain in Scotland and North-East England

    • References

    * PMSA page with several examples * OED 2nd edition

    Anagrams

    * * English intransitive verbs English transitive verbs ----