3 N‑COUNT A patrol is a group of soldiers or vehicles that are patrolling an area. □ Guerrillas attacked a patrol with hand grenades.
pa|tro l car (patrol cars ) N‑COUNT A patrol car is a police car used for patrolling streets and roads.
patrol|man /pətroʊ lmən/ (patrolmen )
1 N‑COUNT A patrolman is a police officer who patrols a particular area. [AM ]
2 N‑COUNT A patrolman is a person employed by a motoring organization to help members of the organization when their cars break down. [BRIT ]
pa|tro l wag|on (patrol wagons ) N‑COUNT A patrol wagon is a van or truck which the police use for transporting prisoners. [AM ]
pa|tron /pe I trən/ (patrons )
1 N‑COUNT A patron is a person who supports and gives money to artists, writers, or musicians. □ [+ of ] Catherine the Great was a patron of the arts and sciences.
2 N‑COUNT The patron of a charity, group, or campaign is an important person who allows his or her name to be used for publicity. □ [+ of ] Fiona and Alastair have become patrons of the National Missing Person's Helpline.
3 N‑COUNT The patrons of a place such as a pub, bar, or hotel are its customers. [FORMAL ]
pat|ron|age /pæ trən I dʒ, pe I t-/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft with poss] Patronage is the support and money given by someone to a person or a group such as a charity. □ [+ of ] …government patronage of the arts in Europe.
pa|tron|ess /pe I trənes/ (patronesses ) N‑COUNT A woman who is a patron of something can be described as a patroness .
pat|ron|ize /pæ trəna I z, [AM ] pe I t-/ (patronizes , patronizing , patronized ) in BRIT, also use patronise 1 VERB If someone patronizes you, they speak or behave towards you in a way which seems friendly, but which shows that they think they are superior to you in some way. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V n] Don't you patronize me! □ [V -ed] Cornelia often felt patronised by her tutors.
2 VERB Someone who patronizes artists, writers, or musicians supports them and gives them money. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] The Japanese Imperial family patronises the Japanese Art Association.
3 VERB If someone patronizes a place such as a pub, bar, or hotel, they are one of its customers. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] The ladies of Berne liked to patronize the Palace for tea and little cakes.
pat|ron|iz|ing /pæ trəna I z I ŋ, [AM ] pe I t-/ in BRIT, also use patronising ADJ If someone is patronizing , they speak or behave towards you in a way that seems friendly, but which shows that they think they are superior to you. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ The tone of the interview was unnecessarily patronizing .
pa t|ron sai nt (patron saints ) N‑COUNT [usu with poss] The patron saint of a place, an activity, or a group of people is a saint who is believed to give them special help and protection. □ [+ of ] Chiswick church is dedicated to St Nicholas, patron saint of sailors.
pat|sy /pæ tsi/ (patsies ) N‑COUNT If you describe someone as a patsy , you mean that they are rather stupid and are easily tricked by other people, or can be made to take the blame for other people's actions. [AM , INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Davis was nobody's patsy.
pat|ter /pæ tə r / (patters , pattering , pattered )
1 VERB If something patters on a surface, it hits it quickly several times, making quiet, tapping sounds. □ [V adv/prep] Rain pattered gently outside, dripping on to the roof from the pines.
2 N‑SING A patter is a series of quick, quiet, tapping sounds. □ [+ of ] …the patter of the driving rain on the roof.
3 N‑SING [usu poss N ] Someone's patter is a series of things that they say quickly and easily, usually in order to entertain people or to persuade them to buy or do something. □ Fran began her automatic patter about how Jon had been unavoidably detained.
pat|tern ◆◆◇ /pæ tə r n/ (patterns )
1 N‑COUNT A pattern is the repeated or regular way in which something happens or is done. □ All three attacks followed the same pattern. □ [+ of ] A change in the pattern of his breathing became apparent.
2 N‑COUNT A pattern is an arrangement of lines or shapes, especially a design in which the same shape is repeated at regular intervals over a surface. □ [+ of ] …a golden robe embroidered with red and purple thread stitched into a pattern of flames.
3 N‑COUNT A pattern is a diagram or shape that you can use as a guide when you are making something such as a model or a piece of clothing. □ [+ for ] …cutting out a pattern for trousers. COLLOCATIONS pattern NOUN
1
noun + pattern : breathing, sleep, speech, thought; shift, weather; behaviour, migration, voting
adjective + pattern : familiar, normal, regular
verb + pattern : exhibit, follow, repeat, show; establish, set
2
adjective + pattern : complex, floral, geometric, intricate SYNONYMS pattern NOUN
1
order: List the key headings and sort them into a logical order.
system: …a flexible and relatively efficient filing system.
arrangement: …an arrangement of dark-blue armchairs around a coffee table.
sequence: …the colour sequence yellow, orange, purple, blue, green and white.
2
design: Their range of tableware is decorated with a blackberry design.
decoration: The only wall decorations are candles and a single mirror.