pad

[ pad ]

/ pæd /

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noun

a cushionlike mass of soft material used for comfort, protection, or stuffing.

a soft, stuffed cushion used as a saddle; a padded leather saddle without a tree.

a number of sheets of paper glued or otherwise held together at one edge to form a tablet.

a soft, ink-soaked block of absorbent material for inking a rubber stamp.

Anatomy, Zoology. any fleshy mass of tissue that cushions a weight-bearing part of the body, as on the underside of a paw.

the foot, as of a fox, hare, or wolf.

a piece or fold of gauze or other absorbent material for use as a surgical dressing or a protective covering.

Zoology. a pulvillus, as on the tarsus or foot of an insect.

a lily pad.

Rocketry. launch pad (def. 1).

Slang.

one's living quarters, as an apartment or room.
one's bed.
a room where people gather to take narcotics; an addicts' den.

Slang.

money paid as a bribe to and shared among police officers, as for ignoring law violations.
a list of police officers receiving such money.

Electricity. a nonadjustable attenuator consisting of a network of fixed resistors.

Shipbuilding.

a metal plate riveted or welded to a surface as a base or attachment for bolts, hooks, eyes, etc.
a piece of wood laid on the back of a deck beam to give the deck surface a desired amount of camber.

Carpentry.

a handle for holding various small, interchangeable saw blades.
Also pod . a socket in a brace for a bit.

Metallurgy. a raised surface on a casting.

a small deposit of weld metal, as for building up a worn surface.

verb (used with object), pad·ded, pad·ding.

to furnish, protect, fill out, or stuff with a pad or padding.

to expand or add to unnecessarily or dishonestly: to pad a speech; to pad an expense account.

Metallurgy. to add metal to (a casting) above its required dimensions, to insure the flow of enough metal to all parts.

verb (used without object), pad·ded, pad·ding.

to insure the proper forging of a piece.

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Idioms about pad

on the pad, Slang. (of a police officer) receiving a bribe, especially on a regular basis.

Origin of pad

First recorded in 1550–60; originally special uses of obsolete pad “bundle to lie on,” perhaps a blend of pack¹ and bed

Words nearby pad

pact, Pact of Steel, Pactolus, pacy, paczki, pad, pada, Padang, padauk, padded cell, padding

Other definitions for pad (2 of 3)

pad²

[ pad ]

/ pæd /

noun

a dull, muffled sound, as of footsteps on the ground.

a road horse, as distinguished from a hunting or working horse.

a highwayman.

British Dialect. a path, lane, or road.

verb (used with object), pad·ded, pad·ding.

to travel along on foot.

to beat down by treading.

verb (used without object), pad·ded, pad·ding.

to travel on foot; walk.

to walk so that one's footsteps make a dull, muffled sound.

Origin of pad

First recorded in 1545–55; noun from Middle Dutch or Low German pad “path” (originally thieves' and beggars' slang); hence, apparently, “highwayman” and “horse”); verb from Middle Dutch padden “to make or follow a path,” cognate with Old English pæththan “to traverse,” derivative of pæth; see origin at path; defs. 1, 8 perhaps represent an independent expressive word that has been influenced by other senses

Other definitions for pad (3 of 3)

PaD

abbreviation

Pennsylvania Dutch (def. 2).

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use pad in a sentence

However, the smart folks brought along these river-specific sleeping pads.
The Gear You Need to Bring on a 225-Mile River Trip|Mitch Breton|September 6, 2020|Outside Online
Rocket Lab says it has monthly launches scheduled for the rest of 2020, including the company's first flight from a new pad at Wallops Island, Virginia.
Rocket Report: Musk updates Super Heavy plan, China to launch spaceplane?|Eric Berger|September 4, 2020|Ars Technica
You’ll feel better, be back on your couch bingeing Selling Sunset before you know it, and you won’t be stinking up your pad.
Working out at home? Here’s how to keep your house from smelling like a gym.|Harry Guinness|September 3, 2020|Popular-Science
This keyboard is a speed machine with a comfortable wrist pad for sustained comfort.
Serious upgrades for your computer keyboard|PopSci Commerce Team|September 2, 2020|Popular-Science

Marry that with the adventures that nature offers, and the pandemic could serve as a launch pad to teach kids outdoor life skills that will come in handy.
Is School Out Forever?|Daniel Malloy|August 9, 2020|Ozy
Instead, they saw music videos as a launch pad for a whole new artistic movement: virality.
OK Go Is Helping Redefine the Music Video For the Internet Age|Lauren Schwartzberg|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He described in painful detail the composition of the bars and the heavy shackles on the pad locks.
I Shot Bin Laden|Elliot Ackerman|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He has underpinned his future program by winning from NASA a 20-year lease on the legendary launch pad 39A at Cape Canaveral.
Tycoons in Space: One in Orbit and One Still Grounded|Clive Irving|October 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Would you like to come over and see my new pad this weekend?
When Gary Wright Met George Harrison: Dream Weaver, John and Yoko, and More|Gary Wright|September 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If ESPN is a sleek bachelor pad, ESPNW is the cottage next door filled with Activia and ultra-soft toilet paper.
Women's Sports Are Getting Less Airtime|Evelyn Shoop|August 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her mother, wearing an ink-stained jacket, was busy at her desk, the pen scratching on the big sheets of pad paper.
The Girls of Central High on the Stage|Gertrude W. Morrison
Bobby said it should have been written on yellow paper with an asbestos pad under it to save scorching Miss Pendletons desk.
The Girls of Central High on the Stage|Gertrude W. Morrison
Margaret Halley stared reflectively at the blotting-pad for a moment, and then described a typical seance at Kazmah's.
Dope|Sax Rohmer
As she sat by, crushing the juice from the berries with a stick, Jess planned the ink pad.
The Box-Car Children|Gertrude Chandler Warner
These they used for stuffing for the pad, and covered them with a pocket which Violet carefully ripped from her apron.
The Box-Car Children|Gertrude Chandler Warner

British Dictionary definitions for pad (1 of 2)

pad¹

/ (pæd) /

noun

a thick piece of soft material used to make something comfortable, give it shape, or protect it

a guard made of flexible resilient material worn in various sports to protect parts of the body

Also called: stamp pad, ink pad a block of firm absorbent material soaked with ink for transferring to a rubber stamp

Also called: notepad, writing pad a number of sheets of paper fastened together along one edge

a flat piece of stiff material used to back a piece of blotting paper

the fleshy cushion-like underpart of the foot of a cat, dog, etc
any of the parts constituting such a structure

any of various level surfaces or flat-topped structures, such as a launch pad

entomol a nontechnical name for pulvillus

the large flat floating leaf of the water lily

electronics a resistive attenuator network inserted in the path of a signal to reduce amplitude or to match one circuit to another

slang a person's residence

slang a bed or bedroom

verb pads, padding or padded (tr)

to line, stuff, or fill out with soft material, esp in order to protect or give shape to

(often foll by out) to inflate with irrelevant or false informationto pad out a story

Word Origin for pad

C16: origin uncertain; compare Low German pad sole of the foot

British Dictionary definitions for pad (2 of 2)

pad²

/ (pæd) /

verb pads, padding or padded

(intr; often foll by along, up, etc) to walk with a soft or muffled tread

(when intr, often foll by around) to travel (a route) on foot, esp at a slow pace; trampto pad around the country

noun

a dull soft sound, esp of footsteps

archaic short for footpad

archaic, or dialect a slow-paced horse; nag

Australian a path or tracka cattle pad

Word Origin for pad

C16: perhaps from Middle Dutch paden, from pad path

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

pad

Idioms about pad

Origin of pad

Words nearby pad

Other definitions for pad (2 of 3)

Origin of pad

Other definitions for pad (3 of 3)

Words related to pad

How to use pad in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pad (1 of 2)

Word Origin for pad

British Dictionary definitions for pad (2 of 2)

Word Origin for pad