What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Pat vs Ready - What's the difference?

pat | ready | Synonyms |

Pat is a synonym of ready.


As an adjective ready is

prepared for immediate action or use.

As a verb ready is

to make prepared for action.

As a noun ready is

(slang) ready money; cash.

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

    * ----

    ready

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Prepared for immediate action or use.
  • :
  • *(John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • *:If need be, I am ready to forego / And quit.
  • *(Henry Fielding) (1707-1754)
  • *:Dinner was ready .
  • Inclined; apt to happen.
  • Liable at any moment.
  • :
  • *(William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • *:My heart is ready to crack.
  • Not slow or hesitating; quick in action or perception of any kind; dexterous; prompt; easy; expert.
  • :
  • *Sir (Walter Scott) (1771-1832)
  • *:whose temper was ready , through surly
  • * (1800-1859)
  • *:ready in devising expedients
  • *
  • *:Molly the dairymaid came a little way from the rickyard, and said she would pluck the pigeon that very night after work. She was always ready to do anything for us boys; and we could never quite make out why they scolded her so for an idle hussy indoors. It seemed so unjust. Looking back, I recollect she had very beautiful brown eyes.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-10, volume=408, issue=8848, magazine=(The Economist), author=Lexington
    • , title= Keeping the mighty honest , passage=The [Washington] Post's proprietor through those turbulent [Watergate] days, Katharine Graham, held a double place in Washington’s hierarchy: at once regal Georgetown hostess and scrappy newshound, ready to hold the establishment to account.}}
  • Offering itself at once; at hand; opportune; convenient.
  • *(John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • *:the readiest way
  • *(John Dryden) (1631-1700)
  • *:A sapling pine he wrenched from out the ground, / The readiest weapon that his fury found.

    • Synonyms

    * good to go

    Verb

  • To make prepared for action.

    • Derived terms

    * at the ready * cable ready * camera-ready * make-ready * on the ready * oven-ready * * readiness * ready-made * ready money * ready or not * ready reckoner * ready room * * * ready to hand * ready-to-wear * * rough and ready

    Related terms

    * (l)

    Noun

  • (slang) ready money; cash
  • * Arbuthnot
    • Lord Strut was not flush in ready , either to go to law, or to clear old debts.

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * (l) * (l) * (l) 1000 English basic words