Mat vs. Pat — What's the Difference?

A mat is a piece of fabric material that generally is placed on a floor or other flat surface.

To tap gently with the open hand or with something flat.

A flat piece of coarse fabric or other material used for wiping one's shoes or feet, or in various other forms as a floor covering.

To stroke lightly as a gesture of affection.

A small flat piece of decorated material placed under a lamp, dish of food, or other object.

To mold by tapping gently with the hands or a flat implement.

(Sports) A floor pad to protect athletes, as in wrestling or gymnastics.

To run or walk with a tapping sound.

A densely woven or thickly tangled mass

To hit something or against something gently or lightly.

The solid part of a lace design.

A light gentle stroke or tap.

A heavy woven net of rope or wire cable placed over a blasting site to keep debris from scattering.

The sound made by a light stroke or tap or by light footsteps.

A decorative border placed around a picture to serve as a frame or provide contrast between the picture and the frame.

A small mass shaped by or as if by patting

A dull, often rough finish, as of paint, glass, metal, or paper.

Suitable; fitting

A special tool for producing such a surface or finish.

Fitting or satisfactory in a superficial or contrived way, especially in being trite or glib

(Printing) See matrix.

(Games) Being a poker hand that is strong enough to make drawing cards unlikely to improve it.

To cover, protect, or decorate with mats or a mat.

Readily or perfectly as a result of memorization or familiarization

To pack or interweave into a thick mass

The sound of a light slap or tap with a soft flat object, especially of a footstep

To be packed or interwoven into a thick mass; become entangled.

A light tap or slap, especially with the hands

To put a mat around (a picture).

A flattish lump of soft matter, especially butter or dung.

To produce a dull finish on.

To (gently) tap the flat of one's hand on a person or thing.

Variant of matte1.

To hit lightly and repeatedly with the flat of the hand to make smooth or flat

A flat piece of coarse material used for wiping one’s feet, or as a decorative or protective floor covering.

To stroke or fondle (an animal).

A small flat piece of material used to protect a surface from anything hot or rough; a coaster.

To gently rain.

(athletics) A floor pad to protect athletes.

Exactly suitable, fitting, apt; timely, convenient, opportune, ready for the occasion; especially of things spoken.

A thickly tangled mess.

Trite, being superficially complete, lacking originality.

A thin layer of woven, non-woven, or knitted fiber that serves as reinforcement to a material.

Opportunely, in a timely or suitable way.

A thin surface layer; superficial cover.

Perfectly.

(coppersmithing) An alloy of copper, tin, iron, etc.; white metal.

To strike gently with the fingers or hand; to stroke lightly; to tap; as, to pat a dog.

Abbreviation of matinee

A light, quik blow or stroke with the fingers or hand; a tap.

A material or component needed for a crafting recipe.

A small mass, as of butter, shaped by pats.

(transitive) To cover, protect or decorate with mats.

Exactly suitable; fit; convenient; timely.

(intransitive) To form a thick, tangled mess; to interweave into, or like, a mat; to entangle.

In a pat manner.

A name given by coppersmiths to an alloy of copper, tin, iron, etc., usually called white metal.

The sound made by a gentle blow

A thick flat fabric of sedge, rushes, flags, husks, straw, hemp, or similar material, placed on the floor and used for wiping and cleaning shoes at the door, for covering the floor of a hall or room to protect its surface, and for other purposes.

A light touch or stroke

Any similar flat object made of fabric or other material, such as rubber or plastic, placed flat on a surface for various uses, as for covering plant houses, putting beneath dishes or lamps on a table, securing rigging from friction, and the like.

Pat or squeeze fondly or playfully, especially under the chin

Anything growing thickly, or closely interwoven, so as to resemble a mat in form or texture; as, a mat of weeds; a mat of hair.

Hit lightly;

An ornamental border made of paper, pasterboard, metal, etc., put under the glass which covers a framed picture; as, the mat of a daguerreotype.

Having only superficial plausibility;

Cast down; dejected; overthrown; slain.

Exactly suited to the occasion;

To cover or lay with mats.

Completely or perfectly;

To twist, twine, or felt together; to interweave into, or like, a mat; to entangle.

To grow thick together; to become interwoven or felted together like a mat, as hair when wetted with a sticky substance; as, a long-haired cat whose fur is matted.

A thick flat pad used as a floor covering

Mounting consisting of a border or background for a picture

Sports equipment consisting of a piece of thick padding on the floor for gymnastic sports

A master's degree in teaching

The property of having little or no contrast; lacking highlights or gloss

A small pad of material that is used to protect surface from an object placed on it

Twist together or entwine into a confusing mass;

Change texture so as to become matted and felt-like;

Not reflecting light; not glossy;