pate - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From Middle English pate, of uncertain origin. Perhaps a shortened form of Old French patene or Medieval Latin patena, both from Latin patina (“pan, dish”). Alternatively, perhaps akin to Old Frisian pote (“skull”).

IPA(key): /peɪt/
Rhymes: -eɪt

pate (plural pates)

(somewhat archaic) The head, particularly the top or crown.
He had a shiny, bald pate.
- 1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Psalm vij:[16], folio xiij, recto, column 2:
  For his vnhappynes ſhall come vpon his owne heade, ⁊ his wickednes ſhall fall vpon his owne pate.
- 1918, Norman Lindsay, The Magic Pudding, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 167:
  The whole benighted, blooming crew,
  The Puddin'-thieves, the Usher too,
  Are being beaten black and blue
  With bottles on the pate.
(archaic) Wit, cleverness, cognitive abilities.
- c. 1595–1596 (date written), W. Shakespere [_i.e._, William Shakespeare], A Pleasant Conceited Comedie Called, Loues Labors Lost. […] (First Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for Cut[h]bert Burby, published 1598, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
  I am reſolued, tis but a thee yeeres faſt:
  The minde ſhall banquet, though the body pine,
  Fat paunches haue leane pates: and daynty bits
  Make rich the ribbes, but banerout quite the wits.
- 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 16, column 1:
  I thank thee for that ieſt; heer’s a garment for’t:
  Wit ſhall not goe vn-rewarded while I am King of this
  Country: Steale by line and leuell, is an excellent paſſe
  of pate: there’s another garment for’t.

top of the head

Albanian: rrashtë (sq) f, tepe (sq) f, çaçkë (sq) f
Bulgarian: теме (bg) (teme)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 頭 / 头 (zh), 腦袋 / 脑袋 (zh)
Czech: temeno (cs) n
Finnish: päälaki (fi)
Hungarian: fejtető (hu), fej(e) búbja
Irish: plait f
Russian: маку́шка (ru) f (makúška), ма́ковка (ru) f (mákovka)
Scottish Gaelic: claigeann m
Spanish: corona (es) f
Swedish: hjässa (sv) c, skult (sv) c
Ugaritic: 𐎖𐎄𐎖𐎄 (qdqd)
Welsh: iad f

wit, cleverness

Bulgarian: акъл (bg) m (akǎl)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 智力 (zh) (zhìlì), 頭腦 / 头脑 (zh) (tóunǎo)
Russian: ум (ru) m (um), рассу́док (ru) m (rassúdok)
Spanish: vivaracho (es)
capital

Attested since circa 1700, from French pâté, from Old French paste, pastée. Doublet of pâté and patty.

IPA(key): /ˈpæt.eɪ/, /pæˈteɪ/
Rhymes: -æteɪ, -eɪ

pate (plural pates)

Alternative spelling of pâté (finely-ground paste of meat, fish, etc.)
The interior body, or non-rind portion of cheese, described by its texture, density, and color.