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🤲 A soft touch 🤲 To touch gently 👣 A soft sound 💬 Too simple ✅ Perfectly correct
to pat

to pat

110 1.0
To touch gently to show comfort or approval
  • verb
  • /pæt/
translation icon : dar una palmadita
  • He felt encouraged when his friend pat him on the shoulder and offered words of support.
  • pat someone's back
  • pat someone's knee
  • pat your hands

I'm going to dip into that and then pat onto a tissue.

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Examples

  • Stand up and pat 'em on the back.

    Fletch (1985)

  • "We like it here, though," she said, patting Mr. Fedorenko's thick square hand.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • You should pat yourself on the back.

    A Man Called Otto (2022)

  • Then you pat him right here on the side of his face.

    Ezra (2024)

  • And I'm just going to pat my skin dry.

  • Before she leaves, she pats his hand, which is still on the counter.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Luke puts the dog down, pats him, then also heads for the waist hatch.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • "Brave lady," Adam whispered, patting her hand a final time before releasing it.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • "Thanks, Nana," Patricia said, patting the bag when they got on the bus for the ride home.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • After the game, the coach gave each player a quick pat on the back to show his appreciation.

Synonyms

to caress
vsto pat
55 3.4

To touch someone or something gently to show love

is a shorter less intimate touch for comfort or approval
to pet
vsto pat
54 1.0

To stroke an animal gently to show affection

is a single light touch used for comfort approval or affection
to dab
vsto pat
11 2.8

To touch or apply something lightly and quickly with your hand

is more affectionate and meant to comfort or show approval
to chuck
vsto pat
  • UK
1 7.4

To pat someone gently, often under the chin

is gentler and less playful, used for comfort or approval

Antonyms

to hit
∞ 1.0

To strike someone or something with force

Idioms

to pat oneself on the back
  • Informal
28 6.9

To praise yourself too much for something you did

down pat
  • Informal
8 7.5

Learned so well you can do it without thinking

off pat
8.9

Learned so well that you can say or do it without thinking

Phrasal Verbs

to stand pat
2 7.9

To keep the same opinion or decision and not change it

to pat-down
1 6.0

To search someone by touching their clothes to find hidden items

to pat-down
3.8

To press something gently with repeated light touches to make it flat

Compounds

pat-down
47 4.9

A quick search of someone's clothes by touching to find hidden items

arm pat
1.8

A gentle touch on the arm to show comfort or support

How Gentle

to caress
55 3.4
to stroke
84 1.9
to pat
110 1.0
to tap
174 1.0

Surface Forms

pat infinitive
pat past
pat past participle
patting present participle
pats third person singular

Etymology

To pat is the same idea: the soft 'pat' noise of a light touch, so to pat someone is to touch them gently to comfort or praise.