pa|ter|nal|ist /pətɜː r nəl I st/ (paternalists )
1 N‑COUNT A paternalist is a person who acts in a paternalistic way. □ Primo de Rivera himself was a benevolent and sincere paternalist.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Paternalist means the same as paternalistic . □ …a paternalist policy of state welfare for the deserving poor.
pa|ter|nal|is|tic /pətɜː r nəl I st I k/ ADJ Someone who is paternalistic takes all the decisions for the people they govern, employ, or are responsible for. □ The doctor is being paternalistic. He's deciding what information the patient needs to know.
pa|ter|nity /pətɜː r n I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT Paternity is the state or fact of being the father of a particular child. [FORMAL ] □ He was of unknown paternity.
pa|te r|nity leave N‑UNCOUNT If a man has paternity leave , his employer allows him some time off work because his child has just been born. [BUSINESS ]
pa|te r|nity suit (paternity suits ) N‑COUNT If a woman starts or takes out a paternity suit , she asks a court of law to help her to prove that a particular man is the father of her child, often in order to claim financial support from him.
path ◆◇◇ /pɑː θ, pæ θ/ (paths )
1 N‑COUNT A path is a long strip of ground which people walk along to get from one place to another. □ We followed the path along the clifftops. □ Feet had worn a path in the rock. □ He went up the garden path to knock on the door.
2 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] Your path is the space ahead of you as you move along. □ A group of reporters blocked his path.
3 N‑COUNT [with poss] The path of something is the line which it moves along in a particular direction. □ [+ of ] He stepped without looking into the path of a reversing car.
4 N‑COUNT A path that you take is a particular course of action or way of achieving something. □ [+ of/to ] The opposition appear to have chosen the path of cooperation rather than confrontation.
5 N‑COUNT [usu with poss] You can say that something is in your path or blocking your path to mean that it is preventing you from doing or achieving what you want. □ [+ of ] There are serious obstacles in the path of reform.
6 PHRASE If you cross someone's path or if your paths cross , you meet them by chance. □ It was highly unlikely that their paths would cross again.
pa|thet|ic /pəθe t I k/
1 ADJ If you describe a person or animal as pathetic , you mean that they are sad and weak or helpless, and they make you feel very sorry for them. □ The small group of onlookers presented a pathetic sight. □ She now looked small, shrunken and pathetic. ● pa|theti|cal|ly /pəθe t I kli/ ADV □ She was pathetically thin.
2 ADJ If you describe someone or something as pathetic , you mean that they make you feel impatient or angry, often because they are weak or not very good. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ What pathetic excuses. □ 'This area is pathetic,' he says. 'It has so few hotels.' ● pa|theti|cal|ly ADV [ADV adj] □ Five women in a group of 18 people is a pathetically small number.
path|finder /pɑː θfa I ndə r , pæ θ-/ (pathfinders ) N‑COUNT A pathfinder is someone whose job is to find routes across areas.
patho|gen /pæ θədʒen/ (pathogens ) N‑COUNT A pathogen is any organism which can cause disease in a person, animal, or plant. [TECHNICAL ]
patho|gen|ic /pæ θədʒe n I k/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A pathogenic organism can cause disease in a person, animal, or plant. [TECHNICAL ]
patho|logi|cal /pæ θəlɒ dʒ I k ə l/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You describe a person or their behaviour as pathological when they behave in an extreme and unacceptable way, and have very powerful feelings which they cannot control. □ He's a pathological liar. □ …a pathological fear of snakes.
2 ADJ Pathological means relating to pathology or illness. [MEDICAL ] □ …pathological conditions in animals.
pa|tholo|gist /pəθɒ lədʒ I st/ (pathologists ) N‑COUNT A pathologist is someone who studies or investigates diseases and illnesses, and examines dead bodies in order to find out the cause of death.
pa|thol|ogy /pəθɒ lədʒi/ N‑UNCOUNT Pathology is the study of the way diseases and illnesses develop. [MEDICAL ]
pa|thos /pe I θɒs/ N‑UNCOUNT Pathos is a quality in a situation, film, or play that makes people feel sadness and pity. □ [+ of ] …the pathos of man's isolation.
path|way /pɑː θwe I , pæ θ-/ (pathways )
1 N‑COUNT A pathway is a path which you can walk along or a route which you can take. □ Richard was coming up the pathway. □ …a pathway leading towards the nearby river.
2 N‑COUNT A pathway is a particular course of action or a way of achieving something. □ [+ to ] Diplomacy will smooth your pathway to success.
pa|tience /pe I ʃ ə ns/
1 N‑UNCOUNT If you have patience , you are able to stay calm and not get annoyed, for example when something takes a long time, or when someone is not doing what you want them to do. □ He doesn't have the patience to wait. □ It was exacting work and required all his patience.
2 PHRASE If someone tries your patience or tests your patience , they annoy you so much that it is very difficult for you to stay calm. □ He tended to stutter, which tried her patience.
pa|tient ◆◆◇ /pe I ʃ ə nt/ (patients )
1 N‑COUNT A patient is a person who is receiving medical treatment from a doctor or hospital. A patient is also someone who is registered with a particular doctor. □ The earlier the treatment is given, the better the patient's chances. □ He specialized in treatment of cancer patients.