pat (redirected from patting on the back)

have calluses from patting one's own back and break one's arm patting oneself on the back

Fig. to be a braggart. If you haven't heard about Bill's latest achievement, he'd be glad to tell you. He has calluses from patting his own back. Jane: I did a really wonderful job, if I do say so myself. Tom: If you're not careful, you'll break your arm patting yourself on the back.

See also: back, have

pat someone or something on something

to tap someone or something on a particular place with the open hand. She patted the child on the bottom. I patted the car on its hood to show how proud I was of it.

pat someone on the back and give someone a pat on the back 

1. Lit. to pat someone's back to show praise. The coach patted each player on the back after the game.

2. Fig. to praise someone for something. The teacher patted all the students on the back for their good work. They were patting themselves on the back for winning when the final whistle blew.

See also: back

pat something down

to tap something down with the open hand. I heaped some soil over the seeds and patted it down. I patted down the soil.

pat answer

a quick, easy answer; a simplified or evasive answer. Don't just give them a pat answer. Give some more explanation and justification. Otherwise you will just end up answering a lot more questions.

See also: answer

stand pat (on something)

to stick firmly to one's position or opinions. I am going to stand pat on this issue. I thought you would stand pat in the absence of new information.

See also: stand

---

a pat on the back

if you give someone a pat on the back, you praise them for something good that they have done (often + for ) She deserves a pat on the back for keeping things going while you were away.

See also: back

learn something off pat  (British, American & Australian) also learn something down pat (American)

to learn something so well that you do not have to think about how to do or say it All the answers he'd learned off pat for the interview sounded unconvincing now. (British, American & Australian)

See also: learn

stand pat  (American informal) also sit pat (Australian informal)

to refuse to make any changes Our advice to investors is, stand pat - the recession will soon be over.

See learn off pat

See also: stand

---

a pat on the back

praise a slap on the back The White House gave her a pat on the back Thursday, when the president said she was a highly valued member of his staff.

Related vocabulary: a kick in the butt

See also: back

have something down pat

to learn something so well that you do not have to think about how to do or say it Bud had his answers down pat, but he knew there could be some questions on the test that he hadn't thought of.

See also: have

stand pat (slightly formal)

to leave something just as it is, without any change While he stood pat, other people found a better way to solve the problem.

See also: stand