[pad] vb pad.ded ; pad.ding [perh. fr. MD paden to follow a path, fr. pad path] vt (1553): to traverse on foot ~ vi: to go on foot: walk; esp: to walk with or as if with padded feet "the dog padded along beside him" "padding around in bedroom slippers"
[2]pad n [MD pad] (1567) 1 dial Brit: path
2: a horse that moves along at an easy pace 3 archaic: footpad [3]pad n [origin unknown] (1570) 1 a: a thin flat mat or cushion: as (1): a piece of soft stuffed material used as or under a saddle (2): padding used to shape an article of clothing (3): a guard worn to shield body parts against impact (4): a piece of usu. folded absorbent material (as gauze) used as a surgical dressing or protective covering (5): frictional material that presses against the disks in a disk brake b: a piece of material saturated with ink for inking the surface of a rubber stamp
2. a: the foot of an animal b: the cushioned thickening of the underside of the toes of an animal
3: a floating leaf of a water plant
4: a collection of sheets of paper glued together at one end
5. a (1): a section of an airstrip used for warm-ups or turnarounds (2): an area used for helicopter takeoffs and landings b: launchpad c: a horizontal concrete surface (as for parking a mobile home)
6. a: bed b: living quarters [4]pad vt pad.ded ; pad.ding (1827) 1 a: to furnish with a pad or padding b: mute, muffle
2: to expand or increase esp. with needless, misleading, or fraudulent matter "~ an expense account"--often used with out "they ~ out their bibliographies --J. P. Kenyon" [5]pad n [imit.] (1594): a soft muffled or slapping sound