Adj. and adv. (old: now recognised).—Apt, convenient, suitable; timely; exactly to the purpose.—B. E. (c.1696); Grose (1785).
1592. Shakspeare, Mid. Night's Dream, v. 1. It will be full pat as I told you.
1612. Beaumont and Fletcher, Coxcomb, iii. 2. This falls out pat.
1678. Butler, Hudibras, iii. iii. I thank you, . . . 'tis to my purpose pat.
1838. Comic Almanack, 137. 'Tis a matter, I know, that you're pat in.
1869. Blackmore, Lorna Doone, lvii. You are very pat with my grand-*daughter's name, young man.
1895. Marriott-Watson [New Review, 16 July]. A . . . brave bold tongue you ply. . . . You have it all pat.
Patch, subs. (old colloquial).—1.
A saucy fellow; a fool.
Primarily, the domestic jester.
Hence cross-patch = an ill-natured
fool: as in the children's
rhyme:—Cross-patch, draw the
latch, Sit by the fire and spin.
1579. Lyly, Euphues, England, 296. When I heard my Physition so pat to hit my disease I could not dissemble with him.
1588. Marprelate's Epistle (Arber), 3. Bridges was a verie patch and a dims when he was in Cambridg.
1592. Shakspeare, Mids. Night's Dream, iii. 2. A crew of patches . . . That work for bread upon Athenian stalls.
1595. Menœchmi [Halliwell]. Why doating patch, didst thou not come with me . . . from the ship?
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes. Coticone, a great gull, sot, patch, lubbar.
1619. Fletcher, Wild Goose Chase, iv. 2. Call me patch and puppy, And beat me if you please.
1633. Massinger, Old Debts, v. The ideot, the patch, the slave, the booby.
1830. Scott, Doom of Devorgoil, ii. 1. Thou art a foolish patch.
1840 Cunningham [Glossarial Index to Gifford's Massinger, s.v.]. Patch was the cant name of a fool kept by Cardinal Wolsey . . . transmitting his appellation to a very numerous body of descendants.
2. (venery).—The female pudendum: see Monosyllable.
Not a patch upon, phr. (common).—Not to compare to.
1861. Reade, Cloister and Hearth, xxxvii. Not a patch upon you for looks.
1884. Russell, Jack's Courtship, xvii. Is Wellington a patch upon the living splendid generals?
1888. Boldrewood, Robbery under Arms, xxviii. There isn't a woman here that's a patch on her for looks.
1897. Mitford, Romance Cape Frontier, 1. xv. I don't think she's a patch on Miss Brathwaite; but there's something awfully fetching about her.
Patchey, subs. (theatrical).—The
harlequin; spangle-maker (q.v.)
Pate, subs. (old colloquial).—The
head: almost always in derision:
see Crumpet.—Grose (1785).
1604. Shakspeare, Winter's Tale, i. 2. Was this taken By any understanding pate but thine?
1622. Fletcher, Sp. Curate, iii. 4. She gave my pate a sound knock that it rings yet.
1825. Jones, True-Bottom'd Boxer [Univ. Songst. ii. 96.] Shaking a flipper, and milling a pate.
1836. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, i. 54. The thin grey locks of his failing hair Have left his little bald pate all bare.
Patent-coat, subs. phr. (obsolete).—See
quot.
1857. Snowden, Mag. Assist. 446. Inside skirt coat pocket—Patent Coat.
Patent-digester, subs. (common).—See
quot)
1836. Dickens, Pickwick, xxxviii. Ben . . . bring out the patent digester. Mr. Benjamin Allen smiled . . . and produced . . . a black bottle half fulf of brandy.
