Where does the saying down pat come from?
5 min read
Asked by: Lonnie Casida
The phrase “down pat” derives from an old meaning of the noun pat, dating to around 1400, meaning a strike or blow. Today we think of a pat as a soft touch, but back then it would refer to something like a strike with a hand weapon.
Where did the term down pat originate?
American poker players in the late 19th century invented this expression to indicate that a. player was satisfied with the original hand dealt to him and would draw no more cards.
What does down pat stand for?
Adjective. down pat (not comparable) (idiomatic) Thoroughly practiced, rehearsed, or understood; mastered.
Is the expression down pat or down pack?
The Brief: Down packed is a mispronunciation of “down pat.” It means to have something rehearsed or practiced to near perfection.
What is down pat example?
1, I have my story down pat. 2, He had it exactly down pat. 3, They’ve got the system down pat. 4, You look like you have that job down pat.
What does deck stacked against mean?
—used to describe a situation in which one person or group is disadvantaged or faces difficult circumstances as compared to others often in a way that is unfair In many ways, the cards are stacked against immigrants.
What does it mean to worm your way?
Definition of worm into
informal. : to get oneself into (a desired position, situation, etc.) in a gradual and usually clever or dishonest way I wormed my way into a job at the theater. He somehow managed to worm himself back into her life.
Do you have it down pat?
have/get (something) down pat. To learn, master, or understand something perfectly, to the point of requiring little or no focus to do, recall, or accomplish it. Make sure you practice these equations until you have them down pat. I got my routine down pat so there wouldn’t be any room for error during the performance.
What does it mean to use some elbow grease?
Strenuous physical effort
elbow grease. Strenuous physical effort, as in You’ll have to use some elbow grease to get the house painted in time. This term alludes to vigorous use of one’s arm in cleaning, polishing, or the like.
What is a parrot fashion?
Definition of parrot-fashion
British. : without understanding what something means The student recited the speech parrot-fashion and could not answer any questions about it.
What does down the drain mean?
lost or wasted
On the way to being lost or wasted; disappearing. For example, Buying new furniture when they can’t take it with them is just pouring money down the drain, or During the Depression huge fortunes went down the drain. This metaphoric term alludes to water going down a drain and being carried off.
What does cool as cucumber mean?
Calm and composed, self-possessed
Definition of cool as a cucumber
Calm and composed, self-possessed, as in Despite the mishap Margaret was cool as a cucumber. This idiom may be based on the fact that in hot weather the inside of cucumbers remains cooler than the air. [c. 1600] For a synonym, see cool, calm, and collected.
What does blue in the face mean?
Exhausted from anger, strain, or other great effort. For example, You can argue until you’re blue in the face, but I refuse to go. This expression alludes to the bluish skin color resulting from lack of oxygen, which presumably might result from talking until one was breathless. See also under talk one’s arm off.
What does the idiom drink like a fish mean?
Consume large amounts of alcoholic beverages, as in He always drinks like a fish at holiday dinners. The expression, first recorded in the mid-1600s, alludes to the way fish obtain oxygen, which causes them to be open-mouthed and appear to be constantly drinking.
What does dropping like flies mean?
informal. : to become ill or die over a short period of time and in large numbers Horses and cattle dropped like flies during the drought. The heat was so intense that people were dropping like flies.
What is the meaning of to fight to the bitter end?
Definition of to/until the bitter end
: until the end of something that may be very bad, unpleasant, etc. I knew she would stand by me to the bitter end. He vowed that he would keep fighting until the bitter end.
When the wheels fall off meaning?
Definition of wheels come/fall off
informal. —used to say that someone or something fails in a sudden or unexpected way The pitcher was doing well for the first four innings, then the wheels fell off in the fifth.
What is the meaning of till the end?
Definition of to/till/until the end of time
: forever : always He promised to love her to the end of time.
What does left stranded mean?
unable to leave somewhere because of a problem such as not having any transportation or money: He left me stranded downtown with no car and no money for a bus. If the tide comes in, we’ll be stranded on these rocks. Synonym.
What does I’m with you till the wheels come off mean?
phrasemainly journalism. DEFINITIONS1. used for saying that things start to fail or go wrong, especially after a period of success. They were leading 3–1 at half-time, but then the wheels came off and they ended up losing the game.
What does off the rails mean?
Definition of go off the rails
informal. : to lose control and start to behave in a way that is not normal or acceptable He was a promising student but he went off the rails after he started taking drugs.
Can I roll with you meaning?
roll with (someone or something)
1. To associate and spend time with someone.
