pat down
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle down
Meanings
Search someone by feeling over their clothes
Why “down”? The hand moves down along a surface. It presses, fixes, wipes, or checks it closely.
“Security patted him down.”
“The officer patted the suspect down.”
Test yourself
“Security patted him down.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
hammer down
Same down pattern: surface work
Fix something firmly into place with a hammer
hose down
Same down pattern: surface work
Wash something by spraying it with a hose
rub down
Same down pattern: surface work
Dry or massage by rubbing firmly
smooth down
Same down pattern: surface work
Make a surface flat by stroking it
stick down
Same down pattern: surface work
Attach something to a surface with glue or tape
wipe down
Same down pattern: surface work
Clean a surface with a damp cloth
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