patting

SayPAT-ing/ˈpætɪŋ/

2 meanings of patting

1
verb
Present participle and gerund of pat.
He was patting the dough into a flat round for the pizza.
Patting her pockets, she realized she had left her keys at home.
Note
The t doubles before -ing, as in other short verbs ending in one vowel and one consonant. In British, Australian, New Zealand and South African English, patting a dog or horse can mean stroking it, close to what petting means elsewhere. The form can also describe gentle rain, patting lightly on a roof or a window.
2
noununcountable
The act of giving something light taps with the flat of the hand.
The horse calmed down after a few minutes of patting and quiet talk.
Regular patting with wet hands kept the surface of the clay smooth.
Similartapping
Note
The noun works as a mass noun (a few minutes of patting) and can also count separate touches. Laura Lee Hope's The Outdoor Girls in Army Service (1918) has a girl dressed "to the last little pattings and fluffings" of her morning dress: in the plural, the word suits the small finishing touches that make clothing sit right.

patting is a form of pat

pat, verb: To touch or tap someone or something gently with the flat of the hand, as to comfort, show affection, or dry it. Full entry

Forms: patpats he/she/itpatting -ing formpatted past tense, past participle
Spelling: pat → patting: double the t, add -ing

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