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Pat vs Swat - What's the difference?

pat | swat |

As nouns the difference between pat and swat

is that pat is the sound of a light slap or tap with a soft flat object, especially of a footstep while SWAT is a SWAT team.

As verbs the difference between pat and swat

is that pat is to (gently) tap the flat of one's hand on a person or thing while swat is to beat off, as insects; to bat, strike, or hit.

As proper nouns the difference between pat and swat

is that pat is a short form of the female given name Patricia while Swat is a valley and a district in NWFP administrative province of Pakistan.

As an adjective pat

is timely, suitable, apt, opportune, ready for the occasion; especially of things spoken.

As an adverb pat

is opportunely, in a timely or suitable way.

As an acronym SWAT is

special weapons and tactics. The area of expertise of police officers trained and equipped to neutralize armed or entrenched criminals.

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

    * ----

    swat

    English

    (wikipedia SWAT)

    Alternative forms

    *

    Acronym

    (Acronym) (head)
  • (chiefly, US, law enforcement) Special weapons and tactics. The area of expertise of police officers trained and equipped to neutralize armed or entrenched criminals.

    • Usage notes

    * Often used attributively before such nouns as (team) or (squad). * While the specific meaning of the acronym applies only to the United States, the term is informally used in other countries to describe similar police teams.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (chiefly, US, law enforcement) a SWAT team
    • "This situation is out of control. We need a SWAT team," the policeman said.

    Anagrams

    *