PATENT


Meaning of PATENT in English

n., adj., & v.

n. 1 a government authority to an individual or organization conferring a right or title, esp. the sole right to make or use or sell some invention. 2 a document granting this authority. 3 an invention or process protected by it.

adj. 1 obvious, plain. 2 conferred or protected by patent. 3 a made and marketed under a patent; proprietary. b to which one has a proprietary claim. 4 such as might be patented; ingenious, well-contrived. 5 (of an opening etc.) allowing free passage.

v.tr. obtain a patent for (an invention). letters patent an open document from a sovereign or government conferring a patent or other right. patent leather leather with a glossy varnished surface. patent medicine medicine made and marketed under a patent and available without prescription. patent office an office from which patents are issued. Patent Roll (in the UK) a list of patents issued in a year. patency n. patentable adj. patently adv. (in sense 1 of adj.).

[ ME f. OF patent and L patere lie open ]

Concise Oxford English dictionary.      Краткий оксфордский словарь английского языка.