I. verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a pat of butter (= a small flat piece )
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Breakfast was a small roll and a pat of butter.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ NOUN
arm
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Instead, he patted the man's arm once in a gesture of thanks.
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He had reached out his hand to try to pat her on the arm and noticed how erratic his own movements were.
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He patted her arm and picked up the coffee-pot.
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Penny said, patting his arm .
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She leaned over and patted Elizabeth's arm , then she got up to pour the tea. ` Thank you.
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He wondered why he felt helpless as she handed him the paper bag and patted his arm .
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Litchfield got up and patted his arm on the way to the closet.
back
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The manager patted Stuart on the back .
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He patted backs and bought drinks, working the room in political style.
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This time I patted myself on the back all the way to the hotel.
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After his address, Houston worked the crowd, shaking hands, patting backs .
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I patted him on the back as hard as I dared but he still couldn't breathe.
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Every person on the street will pat you on the back .
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How dare she wave her bloody job at us like she wanted us to pat her on the back for it?
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Cliff Nudelman pats me on the back .
cheek
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How terrible, you must leave there at once, they cried, and they patted his cheek .
hair
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Then she patted her hair , as though that might make it behave itself and we all trudged up the beach.
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He removed his hand from my knee to pat his over-perfectly coiffed hair in preparation for the Meeting.
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It was shot entirely through a mirror past which Beattie paced, stopping only to pat her near-perfect hair .
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Delphine stopped typing long enough to pat her teased hair , a nervous habit she was determined to overcome.
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At the same time she kept tossing her head and patting her hair , exploring its new tidied sleekness.
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She unwound the curtain, then wet her fingers and patted his mussed gray hair .
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A little too much wind, and everyone patting his hair back into place inside the door of the register office.
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I smoothed out my necktie and tightened my loosened suspenders and patted down my red hair .
hand
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She held out a hand to him and patted the sofa beside her.
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He had reached out his hand to try to pat her on the arm and noticed how erratic his own movements were.
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Tip a little loose powder into the palm of your hand and pat the powder puff into it.
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After his address, Houston worked the crowd, shaking hands , patting backs.
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Even when his hands pat their way up to my crotch it is less embarrassing than having a tailor measure my inside leg.
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Nelo said, holding her hand , patting it like a gerbil.
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No hands were patted in farewell.
head
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Tam patted his head once or twice, and then Donald led us all outside.
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I seemed to be patting them on the head .
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My next action was fatal - I patted her silly-looking head .
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He patted my head , brushing his fingers across my ear, and I jerked away.
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The doctor patted him on the head .
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Gingrich patted some heads , shook some hands, smiled and left.
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Arnold shook hands formally with Mr and Mrs Hendry and patted David on the head .
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I pat Bob on the head .
knee
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When he patted his knee , she perched hesitantly.
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I pat my pockets and hold my hands up in the air; he does the same.
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I pat down coat pockets , dig through backpacks and open drawers until I find it.
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He just patted his pocket and grinned, looking awfully smug and pleased with himself.
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He patted his pockets , felt it there in his jacket, and stood.
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I pat my trouser pockets for the keys to the car, find them, and begin to lock the doors.
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The rector patted his pockets for the heavy office key and checked his wallet.
shoulder
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She hands Gary a mug, and pats his shoulder affectionately, and smiles at me.
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Strangers patted their shoulders and offered words of support.
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His big hulking frame-leaned over me as he patted my shoulder .
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She strokes her arm, pats her shoulder , smiles up at her.
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Jen patted my shoulder and said she was going to look at her e-mail.
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When I do not answer, Miss Buechler reaches over and reassuringly pats my shoulder .
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They tried to soothe him, pat him on his shoulder .
■ VERB
reach
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Him reaching up to pat a big bronze statue of himself on the shoulder.
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As she reached up to pat his leg, the side of her hand brushed mine where I held him.
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When I do not answer, Miss Buechler reaches over and reassuringly pats my shoulder.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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"Don't worry," he said, patting her hand gently.
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"The baby's due in March," Caroline said grinning and patting her stomach.
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He got up, patted her on the shoulder, and gave her a quick kiss.
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Nancy patted her pillow, trying to make herself more comfortable.
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Roz reached over and patted her hand.
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She bent down and patted the dog on the head.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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Arnold shook hands formally with Mr and Mrs Hendry and patted David on the head.
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Fenella was seated next to Inchbad, who patted her hand and said she was a pretty little thing, but seemed preoccupied.
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He looked as if he was going to pat the astronauts on the head.
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He removed his hand from my knee to pat his over-perfectly coiffed hair in preparation for the Meeting.
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Natalia patted Mephistopheles, who wondered what had so revolutionised his life with so many outings.
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Roxanne pats his hand and tells him not to get upset.
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She strokes her arm, pats her shoulder, smiles up at her.
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She unwound the curtain, then wet her fingers and patted his mussed gray hair.
II. noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ VERB
give
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Brian and I didn't talk, but occasionally gave one another a reassuring pat .
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I then give him an encouraging pat and tell him to continue working.
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I think we should give Fairclough a pat on the back for his performances in the last few games.
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He gives Jody a paternal pat on the back.
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George put down the bucket and strode over to her to give her a pat .
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Then give yourself a pat on the back and tell at least one other person.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
stand pat
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Get Gretzky or stand pat, either Smith disrupted the team or failed to help it.
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They have not stood pat while other teams attempted to capitalize on their setbacks.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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Coach Brown gave him a pat on the shoulder.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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Affection may be expressed with hugs, smiles, pats on the head, friendly greetings, and being tucked into bed.
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Brian and I didn't talk, but occasionally gave one another a reassuring pat .
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Charlie Chaplin had the movement off pat , I haven't, only the bruises! ....
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Finally, there would be more than a pat and a prayer to be distributed along the halls.
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He gets three bets and takes up his butter pat and puts it on his knife, gives it a flip.
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So when your youngster barks and looks back at you, reassure him with a pat .
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The tournament-sponsoring Thunderbirds deserve a pat on the back.
III. adjective
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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There are no pat answers or simple solutions to this.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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This song of himself is filled with exclamation points and pat truisms, however.
IV. adverb
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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He had it exactly down pat .
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They have not stood pat while other teams attempted to capitalize on their setbacks.