pat-down
UK[ˈpæt daʊn]US[ˈpæt daʊn]
n
An act of searching someone by passing the hands over their clothing to find concealed items.
Morpheme Breakdown
pat
down
pat
to tap
down
direction
Etymology
The compound noun "pat-down" is a modern formation from two native English elements. The verb "pat," imitative of a light striking sound, entered Middle English and came to mean to tap gently. The adverb "down," from Old English, signifies direction or completion. Combined in the mid-20th century, the term literally describes the action of patting or moving the hands down over a person's body. This literal description evolved into the specific, abstract meaning of a security or law enforcement search procedure, where the hands are run over the clothing to detect concealed objects, emphasizing a methodical, covering motion from top to bottom.
Analysis
Structure: pat (to tap) + down (direction)
- pat: From Middle English patten, of imitative origin, representing the sound of a light tap. Its functional role is to denote the action of lightly touching or tapping.
- down: From Old English dūne, a variant of of dūne "from the hill". Its functional role is to indicate a direction or a thorough, covering motion.
Examples
Security personnel performed a thorough pat-down before allowing him to board the flight.
The police officer conducted a quick pat-down to check for weapons.
He submitted to a mandatory pat-down at the entrance to the concert venue.