📖 P — The English dictionary · page 13

patio — Everyday, meaning 1: A patio is a flat, paved area next to a house, used for sitting, eating and relaxing outside.↗ Example: We had a barbecue on the patio.↗ · Grandma grows tomatoes in pots on the patio.↗ · The cat sleeps on the warm patio stones.↗ · Slide open the patio doors.↗ · Dad swept the patio after the storm.↗ · Be careful, the patio is slippery in the rain.↗

patois — Everyday, meaning 1: A patois is a form of a language spoken by ordinary people in a particular area, different from the standard language.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (Jamaica, UK) Patois (often spelled «Patwa») is the everyday language of Jamaica, based on English with West African influences, also heard among many Black British and Caribbean people.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A patois can also be the special talk or jargon of a group.↗ Example: Grandma speaks Jamaican Patois with her sisters.↗ · «Wah gwaan» is a greeting in Jamaican Patois.↗ · The villagers spoke a patois the visitors could not understand.↗ · Many words in London slang come from Patois.↗ · The poem was written in Caribbean patois.↗ · Every trade has its own patois of special words.↗

patriarch — Everyday, meaning 1: The man who is the head of a family or tribe, often the oldest.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (Bible) One of the great early fathers of the people of Israel.↗ e.g. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (church) A bishop of the highest rank in some churches, such as the Orthodox Churches.↗ Example: Grandpa is the patriarch of our big family.↗ · Abraham is called the first patriarch in the Bible.↗ · The patriarch blessed his twelve sons.↗ · The Patriarch led the Orthodox service.↗ · In the story, the old patriarch ruled the farm with a stern voice.↗ · Jacob was a patriarch whose sons became the twelve tribes of Israel.↗ · And the patriarch came, walking nimbly needing neither guide nor crutch.↗

patrician — Everyday, meaning 1: noun.↗ e.g. In ancient Rome, a member of the old, rich and noble families.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: noun.↗ e.g. A rich, upper-class person.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: adjective.↗ e.g. Belonging to or like the upper class; proud and elegant in manner.↗ Example: In Ancient Rome, patricians were rich landowners.↗ · The plebeians argued with the patricians for more rights.↗ · He spoke with a patrician voice.↗ · The patrician family owned a huge villa.↗ · A patrician wore a toga with a purple stripe.↗ · The old lady had a patrician air about her.↗ · "The Psyche must be executed in marble," said the wealthy patrician.↗

patrimony — Everyday, meaning 1: Patrimony is the money, land or goods handed down to someone by their father or family.↗ Example: He spent all his patrimony on parties.↗ · The young man lost his patrimony in cards.↗ · The land was his father's patrimony.↗

patriotic — Everyday, meaning 1: Loving your country and feeling proud of it, and wanting to help it.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Showing love of your country, such as patriotic songs, flags or colours.↗ Example: She felt patriotic when the national anthem played.↗ · The streets were full of patriotic flags.↗ · Ukrainians sang patriotic songs to keep up their spirits.↗ · It is patriotic to help your community.↗ · The soldiers were praised for their patriotic courage.↗ · We wore patriotic colours for Canada Day.↗ · As will be seen, this superiority of the Celts is due to the phenomenal and patriotic activity of one man, the late J.↗

patrol — Everyday, meaning 1: To patrol an area is to go around it regularly to check that it is safe and that nothing is wrong.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A patrol is a group of people, such as soldiers or police, who do this.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: On patrol means busy patrolling.↗ Example: Police officers patrol the park at night.↗ · Lifeguards patrol the beach in summer.↗ · The soldiers were out on patrol.↗ · Swim between the flags where lifeguards patrol.↗ · The school crossing patrol helps us cross.↗ · Our Scout patrol is called the Eagles.↗ · A guard dog patrols the yard.↗ · It was the colonel himself who came with the patrol, and he was not a little surprised when he found the recruit safe and sound.↗

patron — Everyday, meaning 1: A patron is a person who gives money or support to an artist, a charity or a group.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A customer of a shop, restaurant, library or other place.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A patron saint is a saint who is believed to protect a country, a place or a group of people.↗ Example: Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.↗ · The library asks patrons to be quiet.↗ · The queen was a patron of the hospital charity.↗ · Rich patrons paid painters long ago.↗ · Parking is for patrons only.↗ · The restaurant thanked its patrons.↗ · Saint George is the patron saint of England.↗ · Mercury soon appeared and said to him, “O thou most base fellow? how can I believe thee, who hast disowned and wronged thy former patron?”↗

patronage — Everyday, meaning 1: Patronage is the support or kindness given by a patron, such as a customer, a backer or a lover of the arts.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Patronage can mean the regular custom that keeps a shop or a theatre going.↗ Example: The shop depends on the patronage of local people.↗ · The writer thanked his readers for their patronage.↗ · The theatre survives on patronage from rich families.↗

patroness — Everyday, meaning 1: A patroness is a woman who supports, protects or pays for a cause, a church, a school or an artist.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A patroness can be a female saint or goddess who guards a place or group.↗ Example: She was the patroness of the new library.↗ · The goddess was the patroness of learning.↗ · Our school has a generous patroness.↗

patronising — Everyday, meaning 1: Talking to someone or treating them as if they were less clever or less important than you, in a kind-seeming but rude way.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: verb form.↗ e.g. Being a regular customer of a shop or business (formal).↗ Example: "Don't be patronising; I can tie my own shoes!"↗ · His patronising smile made her angry.↗ · The waiter's patronising voice annoyed Grandad.↗ · She explained it slowly in a patronising way.↗ · Speaking to the new girl as if she were a baby was patronising.↗ · Many families have been patronising the corner shop for years.↗

patronizing — Everyday, meaning 1: Patronizing describes talk or manners that treat someone as if they are less clever or less important, in a kind but proud way.↗ Example: Don't be so patronizing; I can do it myself.↗ · She gave him a patronizing smile.↗ · The giant spoke in a patronizing voice to the children.↗

patronymic — Everyday, meaning 1: A name made from the name of your father or a male ancestor, like Johnson (son of John) or Ukrainian Ivanovych (son of Ivan).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (adjective) Made from a father's name.↗ Example: Johnson is a patronymic surname meaning son of John.↗ · In Ukrainian, a patronymic is used in polite address, like Taras Hryhorovych.↗ · Icelandic people often use patronymics instead of family names.↗ · «Mac» in MacDonald works like a patronymic.↗ · Our teacher explained that Fitzgerald means son of Gerald.↗ · A name from your mother is a matronymic, not a patronymic.↗

patter — Everyday, meaning 1: A quick, light, tapping sound, like rain or small feet.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (verb) To make that sound or move with quick light steps.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Fast, clever talk used by a salesperson, comedian or magician.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (Scotland, informal) Chat and jokes: «He's got great patter.».↗ Example: I love the patter of rain on the roof.↗ · We heard the patter of the cat's paws.↗ · Little feet pattered down the hall.↗ · The magician's patter kept us laughing.↗ · Don't be fooled by the salesman's patter.↗ · My uncle in Glasgow has great patter.↗ · In a few minutes they heard the pattering of tiny feet, and many of the small gray mice came running up to her.↗

pattern — Everyday, meaning 1: A pattern is something that repeats in a rule, like red, blue, red, blue, or 2, 4, 6, 8.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A pattern is a design of lines, shapes or colours on cloth, paper or a wall: a pattern of stars.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A pattern is a usual way that something happens: sleep patterns, weather patterns.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: A pattern is also a shape you copy or cut around to make clothes.↗ Example: What is the next number in the pattern 3, 6, 9?↗ · The pattern is red, red, blue.↗ · Find the rule of the pattern.↗ · The pattern adds 5 each time.↗ · A zebra has a pattern of black and white stripes.↗ · Her dress has a pattern of little flowers.↗ · Scientists look for patterns in their results.↗ · The leaves grow in a spiral pattern.↗ · The detective saw a pattern in the robberies.↗ · "What a beautiful pattern, what brilliant colours!↗ · And see that thou make them after their pattern, which is being shown thee in the mount.↗ (Torah EXO.25.40, JPS 1917)↗ · According to all that I show thee, the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the furniture thereof, even so shall ye make it.↗ (Torah EXO.25.9, JPS 1917)↗ · And this was the work of the candlestick, beaten work of gold; unto the base thereof, and unto the flowers thereof, it was beaten work; according unto the pattern which the LORD had shown Moses, so he made the candlestick.↗ (Torah NUM.8.4, JPS 1917)↗ · 'All this do I give thee in writing, as the LORD hath made me wise by His hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.'↗ (Writings 1CH.28.19, JPS 1917)↗ · and for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot, even the cherubim, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.↗ (Writings 1CH.28.18, JPS 1917)↗

patty — Everyday, meaning 1: A flat round cake of minced meat or other food, especially the meat in a burger.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A small pie or pastry, e.g. a Jamaican patty with a spicy filling.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (US) A small flat sweet, as in a peppermint patty.↗ Example: Dad grilled the burger patties on the barbecue.↗ · My veggie patty is made of beans and sweetcorn.↗ · We bought Jamaican patties for lunch.↗ · Shape the mince into four flat patties.↗ · Make sure the patty is cooked through.↗ · A peppermint patty is a mint sweet covered in chocolate.↗ · In places the air was darkened by showers of lobster-patties, white puddings, sausages, tarts, and all sorts of sweetmeats, or with pieces of gold and silver, diamonds and pearls.↗

paunch — Everyday, meaning 1: A paunch is a large, rounded belly, often a fat one.↗ Example: He had a large paunch from eating so much.↗ · The hunter shot the boar right in the paunch.↗ · The old man patted his paunch after dinner.↗

pause — Everyday, meaning 1: A pause is a short stop or rest.↗ To pause means to stop for a little while and then go on.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To pause a video, film or game is to stop it so you can start it again from the same place.↗ Example: He walked 2 hours with a 15-minute pause.↗ · She paused 3 times for 5 minutes each.↗ · The song has a 10-second pause.↗ · How long was the trip with the pause?↗ · Pause the film while I get a drink.↗ · When you read aloud, pause at each full stop.↗ · There was a long pause before she answered.↗ · Press the pause button to stop the game.↗ · On the hilltop he paused for breath.↗

pave — Everyday, meaning 1: To cover a road, path or yard with a hard flat surface, such as stones, bricks, concrete or tarmac.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: «Pave the way» means to make it easier for something to happen later.↗ Example: The council will pave our street next month.↗ · The yard is paved with red bricks.↗ · How many slabs are needed to pave a 5 m by 3 m patio?↗ · The first pilots paved the way for space travel.↗ · We rode our bikes on the newly paved path.↗ · Workers were paving the car park all week.↗ · The old track was not paved, so it was muddy.↗ · Her hard work paved the way for her success.↗

paved — Everyday, meaning 1: Paved means covered with a hard flat surface such as stones, bricks or asphalt, so people can walk or drive on it.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To pave the way for something is to make it easier for it to happen later.↗ Example: Workers paved 3 kilometres of road on Monday.↗ · The path is 50 metres long and 20 metres are paved.↗ · How many tiles are needed to pave the yard?↗ · They pave 4 metres each hour.↗ · The Romans built paved roads across their empire.↗ · We rode our bikes on the paved path.↗ · The old track was muddy, but now it is paved.↗ · Her hard work paved the way for her success.↗ · At that time the streets were not paved, and there were no sidewalks.↗ · and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under His feet the like of a paved work of sapphire stone, and the like of the very heaven for clearness.↗ (Torah EXO.24.10, JPS 1917)↗

pavement — Everyday, meaning 1: In British English, a pavement is the path at the side of a road for people to walk on (in American English, the sidewalk; in Australia, often the footpath).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: In American English, pavement means the hard surface of a road.↗ Example: Always walk on the pavement, not in the road.↗ · Stop at the edge of the pavement before you cross.↗ · Chalk drawings covered the pavement.↗ · The pavement was icy, so we walked slowly.↗ · Don't ride your bike on a crowded pavement.↗ · In America, the pavement is called the sidewalk.↗ · Tree roots had cracked the pavement.↗ · "Mai--!" they said, as they were bumped upon the pavement.↗ · He covered them like a pavement, and poured upon tliein snort', and the earth was formed."↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · He covered them like a pavement, and poured upon them snow, and the earth was formed.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · And the pavement was by the side of the gates, corresponding unto the length of the gates, even the lower pavement.↗ (Prophets EZK.40.18, JPS 1917)↗ · Then brought he me into the outer court, and, lo, there were chambers and a pavement, made for the court round about; thirty chambers were upon the pavement.↗ (Prophets EZK.40.17, JPS 1917)↗ · over against the twenty cubits which belonged to the inner court, and over against the pavement which belonged to the outer court; with gallery against gallery in three stories.↗ (Prophets EZK.42.3, JPS 1917)↗