pat

A gentle touch with an open hand, often to show care or approval.

• She gave the dog a pat.
• He thanked me with a pat on the back.
• A gentle pat on her hand made her smile.

How to use it: give someone a pat on something (She gave him a pat on the shoulder.)

Similar words: tap

Common phrases: gentle pat, a reassuring pat, pat on something, a friendly pat

The soft sound made when something touches or hits a surface lightly.

• I heard a soft pat.
• The pat of rain broke the silence.
• We listened to the quiet pat of her feet on the floor.

Similar words: tap

Common phrases: soft pat, pat of rain, pat of feet, pat of footsteps

To touch someone or something gently with your open hand, often several times.

• She patted his hand.
• He patted the child gently on the back.
• Pat the fish dry before cooking it.

How to use it: pat someone on the head/back/shoulder (He patted me on the shoulder.); pat something dry (Pat your face dry with a soft towel.)

Similar words: tap, dab

Common phrases: pat someone's back, pat someone gently, pat something dry

To move your hand gently over an animal to show affection.

• Can I pat your dog?
• She patted the horse's neck gently.
• The children took turns patting the friendly puppy.

Similar words: pet, stroke

Common phrases: pat a dog, pat a horse, pat the cat

To press something repeatedly with your open hand to make it flat, smooth, or a particular shape.

• Pat the soil down gently.
• She patted the dough into a circle.
• He patted the sand flat with both hands.

How to use it: pat something flat/smooth (She patted the dough flat with her hands.); pat something into something (Pat the mixture into a round shape.)

Similar words: press, flatten, smooth

Common phrases: pat something flat, pat something down, pat into shape

So well that you can remember or perform something easily and without mistakes.

• I've got the routine down pat.
• She knew all her lines off pat.
• Have you learned the steps pat yet?

How to use it: have/get something down pat (After weeks of practice, she had the dance down pat.); know something off pat (He knew the opening speech off pat.)

Similar words: perfectly, by heart

Common phrases: down pat, off pat, have something pat

Exactly right for a particular situation, especially when said at the right moment.

• Her reply was perfectly pat.
• He found a pat expression for the occasion.
• That pat remark captured exactly what everyone was thinking.

Similar words: apt, fitting, appropriate, timely

Opposites: inappropriate, inapt

Common phrases: pat reply, pat expression, pat remark