758 results for: Fat

fat    Audio Help   /fæt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[fat] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation adjective, fat·ter, fat·test, noun, verb, fat·ted, fat·ting.

–adjective

1.	having too much flabby tissue; corpulent; obese: a fat person.

2.	plump; well-fed: a good, fat chicken.

3.	consisting of or containing fat; greasy; oily: fat gravy; fat meat.

4.	profitable, as an office: a fat job on the city commission.

5.	affording good opportunities, esp. for gain: a fat business contract.

6.	wealthy; prosperous; rich: He grew fat on dishonest profits.

7.	big, broad, or extended; thick: a fat sheaf of bills.

8.	plentiful; abundant: a fat supply of food.

9.	plentifully supplied: a fat larder; a fat feast.

10.	dull; stupid: fat clumsiness of manner.

11.	abounding in a particular element: Fat pine is rich in resin.

12.	(of paint) having more oil than pigment. Compare lean2 (def. 6).

13.	(of coal) highly bituminous; rich in volatile hydrocarbons.

14.	Ceramics. long1 (def. 25).

15.	fertile, as land: Everything grows in this fat soil.

–noun

16.

any of several white or yellowish greasy substances, forming the chief part of adipose tissue of animals and also occurring in plants, that when pure are colorless, odorless, and tasteless and are either solid or liquid esters of glycerol with fatty acids; fats are insoluble in water or cold alcohol but soluble in ether, chloroform, or benzene: used in the manufacture of soap, paints, and other protective coatings and in cooking.

17.	animal tissue containing much of this substance; loose flesh; flabbiness: to have rolls of fat around one's waist.

18.	the richest or best part of anything.

19.	obesity; corpulence: In his later years, he inclined to fat.

20.	Slang. especially profitable or advantageous work.

21.	an overabundance or excess; superfluity.

22.	action or lines in a dramatic part that permit an actor to display abilities.

23.	Also, phat. Also called lift. Typesetting. matter that can be composed easily and profitably, esp. from standing type, illustrations, or the like: fat work. Compare lean2 (def. 11).

–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)

24.	to make or become fat.

—Idioms

25.	a fat chance, Slang. a very slight chance; small probability: A fat chance he has of winning the title!

26.	a fat lot, Slang. little or not at all: A fat lot they care about anyone else's troubles!

27.	chew the fat. chew (def. 11).

28.	the fat is in the fire, a. an irrevocable action or chain of events has been started; the die is cast: Now that they have been given an ultimatum, the fat is in the fire. b. the decision, whether good or bad, has been made. c. the crisis is imminent.

29.	the fat of the land, the best or richest of anything obtainable: to live on the fat of the land.

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[Origin: bef. 1000; ME; OE fǣtt, orig. ptp. of fǣtan to cram, load, adorn; c. Goth fétjan to adorn; akin to vat]

—Related forms

fatless, adjective

fatlike, adjective

—Synonyms 1. portly, adipose, pudgy. See stout. 3. unctuous, fatty. 4. lucrative, remunerative. 8. copious. 10. sluggish. 15. rich, fruitful, productive.

—Antonyms 1. thin. 3. lean. 10. clever. 15. sterile, barren.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Copyright © 2004, Columbia University Press.
Licensed from Columbia University Press

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