The sound made by a gentle blow.

synonyms: rap, tap.

Dutch: pat

A light touch or stroke.

synonyms: dab, tap.

Roget 276: impulse, impulsion, impetus; momentum; push, pulsion^†, thrust, shove, jog, jolt, brunt, booming, boost [U.S.], throw; explosion etc. (violence) 173; propulsion etc. 284.    percussion, concussion, collision, occursion^†, clash, encounter, cannon, carambole^†, appulse^†, shock, crash, bump; impact; elan; charge etc. (attack) 716; beating etc. (punishment) 972.    blow, dint, stroke, knock, tap, rap, slap, smack, pat, dab; fillip; slam, bang; hit, whack, thwack; cuff etc. 972; squash, dowse, swap, whap^†, punch, thump, pelt, kick, punce^†, calcitration^†; ruade^†; arietation^†; cut, thrust, lunge, yerk^†; carom, carrom^†, clip [Slang], jab, plug [Slang], sidewinder [U.S.], sidewipe^†, sideswipe [U.S.].    hammer, sledge hammer, mall, maul, mallet, flail; ram, rammer^†; battering ram, monkey, pile-driving engine, punch, bat; cant hook; cudgel etc. (weapon) 727; ax etc. (sharp) 253.    [Science of mechanical forces] dynamics; seismometer, accelerometer, earthquake detector.    ... show more

Roget 273: ship, vessel, sail; craft, bottom.    navy, marine, fleet, flotilla; shipping.    man of war etc. (combatant) 726; transport, tender, storeship^†; merchant ship, merchantman; packet, liner; whaler, slaver, collier, coaster, lighter; fishing boat, pilot boat; trawler, hulk; yacht; baggala^†; floating hotel, floating palace; ocean greyhound.    ship, bark, barque, brig, snow, hermaphrodite brig; brigantine, barkantine^†; schooner; topsail schooner, for and aft schooner, three masted schooner; chasse-maree [Fr.]; sloop, cutter, corvette, clipper, foist, yawl, dandy, ketch, smack, lugger, barge, hoy^†, cat, buss; sailer, sailing vessel; windjammer; steamer, steamboat, steamship, liner, ocean liner, cruisp, flap, dab, pat, thump, beat, blow, bang, slam, dash; punch, thwack, whack; hit hard, strike hard; swap, batter, dowse^†, baste; pelt, patter, buffet, belabor; fetch one a blow; poke at, pip, ship of the line; destroyer, cruiser, frigate; landing ship, LST; aircraft carrier, carrier, flattop [Coll.], nuclear powered carrier; submarine, submersible, atomic submarine.    boat, pinnace, launch; life boat, long boat, jolly boat, bum boat, fly boat, cock boat, ferry boat, canal boat; swamp boat, ark, bully, battery, bateau [Can.], broadhorn^†, dory, droger^†, drogher; dugout, durham boat, flatboat, galiot^†; shallop^†, gig, funny, skiff, dingy, scow, cockleshell, wherry, coble^†, punt, cog, kedge, lerret^†; eight oar, four oar, pair oar; randan^†; outrigger; float, raft, pontoon; prame^†; iceboat, ice canoe, ice yacht.    catamaran, hydroplane, hovercraft, coracle, gondola, carvel^†, caravel; felucca, caique^†, canoe, birch bark canoe, dugout canoe; galley, galleyfoist^†; bilander^†, dogger^†, hooker, howker^†; argosy, carack^†; galliass^†, galleon; polacca^†, polacre^†, tartane^†, junk, lorcha^†, praam^†, proa^†, prahu^†, saick^†, sampan, xebec, dhow; dahabeah^†; nuggah^†; kayak, keel boat [U.S.], log canoe, pirogue; quadrireme^†, trireme; stern-wheeler [U.S.]; wanigan^†, wangan [U.S.], wharf boat.    balloon; airship, aeroplane; biplane, monoplane, triplane^†; hydroplane; aerodrome; air balloon, pilot balloon, fire balloon, dirigible, zeppelin; aerostat, Montgolfier; kite, parachute.    jet plane, rocket plane, jet liner, turbojet, prop-jet, propeller plane; corporate plane, corporate jet, private plane, private aviation; airline, common carrier; fighter, bomber, fighter-bomber, escort plane, spy plane; supersonic aircraft, subsonic aircraft.    ... show more

Dutch: mep, pats, pets, tik, tikje
Polish: klepnięcie

Pat or squeeze fondly or playfully, especially under the chin.

synonym: chuck.

Roget 902: caress, fondle, pet, dandle; pat, pat on the head, pat on the cheek; chuck under the chin, smile upon, coax, wheedle, cosset, coddle, cocker, cockle; make of, make much of; cherish, foster, kill with kindness.    clasp, hug, cuddle; fold in one's arms, strain in one's arms; nestle, nuzzle; embrace, kiss, buss, smack, blow a kiss; salute etc. (courtesy) 894; fold to the heart, press to the bosom.    bill and coo, spoon, toy, dally, flirt, coquet; gallivant, galavant; philander; make love; pay one's court to, pay one's addresses to, pay one's attentions to; serenade; court, woo; set one's cap at; be sweet upon, look sweet upon; ogle, cast sheep's eyes upon; faire les yeux doux [Fr.].    fall in love with, win the affections etc. (love) 897; die for.    propose; make an offer, have an offer; pop the question; plight one's troth, plight one's faith.    ... show more

Hit lightly:
— Pat him on the shoulder.

synonym: dab.

Roget 276: give an impetus etc. n.; impel, push; start, give a start to, set going; drive, urge, boom; thrust, prod, foin [Fr.]; cant; elbow, shoulder, jostle, justle^†, hustle, hurtle, shove, jog, jolt, encounter; run against, bump against, butt against; knock one's head against, run one's head against; impinge; boost [U.S.]; bunt, carom, clip y; fan, fan out; jab, plug [Slang].    strike, knock, hit, tap, rap, slap, flap, dab, pat, thump, beat, blow, bang, slam, dash; punch, thwack, whack; hit hard, strike hard; swap, batter, dowse^†, baste; pelt, patter, buffet, belabor; fetch one a blow; poke at, pink, lunge, yerk^†; kick, calcitrate^†; butt, strike at etc. (attack) 716; whip etc. (punish) 972.    come into a collision, enter into collision; collide; sideswipe; foul; fall foul of, run foul of; telescope.    throw etc. (propel) 284.    ... show more

Having only superficial plausibility.

synonyms: glib, slick.

Roget 23: agreeing, suiting etc. v.; in accord, accordant, concordant, consonant, congruous, consentaneous^†, correspondent, congenial; coherent; becoming; harmonious reconcilable, conformable; in accordance with, in harmony with, in keeping with, in unison with, etc. n.; at one with, of one mind, of a piece [Fr.]; consistent, compatible, proportionate; commensurate; on all fours.    apt, apposite, pertinent, pat; to the point, to the purpose; happy, felicitous, germane, ad rem [Lat.], in point, on point, directly on point, bearing upon, applicable, relevant, admissible.    fit adapted, in loco, a propos [Fr.], appropriate, seasonable, sortable, suitable, idoneous^†, deft; meet etc. (expedient) 646.    at home, in one's proper element.    ... show more

Exactly suited to the occasion.

Completely or perfectly.