Adjacent Words

Pet definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PET, n. [This word may be contracted from petulant, or belong to the root of that word. Peevish, which is evidently a contracted word, may be from the same root.]
A slight fit of peevishness or fretful discontent.
Life given for noble purposes must not be thrown away in a pet, nor whined away in love.
PET, n. [formerly peat. L. peto.]
1. A cade lamb; a lamb brought up by hand.
2. A fondling; any little animal fondled and indulged.
PET, v.t. To treat as a pet; to fondle; to indulge.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: preferred above all others and treated with partiality; "the favored child" [syn: favored, favorite, favourite, best-loved, pet, preferred, preferent] n
1: a domesticated animal kept for companionship or amusement
2: a special loved one [syn: darling, favorite, favourite, pet, dearie, deary, ducky]
3: a fit of petulance or sulkiness (especially at what is felt to be a slight)
4: using a computerized radiographic technique to examine the metabolic activity in various tissues (especially in the brain) [syn: positron emission tomography, PET] v
1: stroke or caress gently; "pet the lamb"
2: stroke or caress in an erotic manner, as during lovemaking

Merriam Webster's

abbreviation Peter

Merriam Webster's

abbreviation positron-emission tomography

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: perhaps back-formation from Middle English pety small — more at petty Date: 1508 1. a. a pampered and usually spoiled child b. a person who is treated with unusual kindness or consideration ; darling 2. a domesticated animal kept for pleasure rather than utility II. adjective Date: 1584 1. kept or treated as a pet 2. expressing fondness or endearment <a pet name> 3. favorite <a pet project> III. verb (petted; petting) Date: 1629 transitive verb 1. a. to treat as a pet b. to stroke in a gentle or loving manner 2. to treat with unusual kindness and consideration ; pamper intransitive verb to engage in amorous embracing, caressing, and kissing ; neck • petter noun IV. noun Etymology: origin unknown Date: 1581 a fit of peevishness, sulkiness, or anger <resigned in a pet> V. intransitive verb (petted; petting) Date: 1629 to take offense ; sulk VI. abbreviation petroleum

Britannica Concise

Any animal kept by humans for companionship or pleasure rather than for utility. The main distinction between pets and domesticated livestock is the degree of contact between owner and animal. Another distinction is the owner's affection for the animal, which is often returned. Dogs are known to have been kept as pets since prehistoric times; cats, since the 16th cent. BC; and horses, since at least 2000 BC. Other common pets include birds, rabbits, rodents, raccoons, reptiles, amphibians, and even insects. The trend toward making pets of exotic animals (e.g., monkeys and ocelots) is worrisome because owners can rarely provide for their needs, and the animals' already precarious populations are further depleted when members are sold for pets.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n., adj., & v. --n. 1 a domestic or tamed animal kept for pleasure or companionship. 2 a darling, a favourite (often as a term of endearment). --attrib.adj. 1 kept as a pet (pet lamb). 2 of or for pet animals (pet food). 3 often joc. favourite or particular (pet aversion). 4 expressing fondness or familiarity (pet name). --v.tr. (petted, petting) 1 treat as a pet. 2 (also absol.) fondle, esp. erotically. Derivatives: petter n. Etymology: 16th-c. Sc. & N.Engl. dial.: orig. unkn. 2. n. a feeling of petty resentment or ill-humour (esp. be in a pet). Etymology: 16th c.: orig. unkn.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pet Pet, n. [Formerly peat, perhaps from Ir. peat, akin to Gael. peata.] 1. A cade lamb; a lamb brought up by hand. 2. Any person or animal especially cherished and indulged; a fondling; a darling; often, a favorite child. The love of cronies, pets, and favorites. --Tatler. 3. [Prob. fr. Pet a fondling, hence, the behavior or humor of a spoiled child.] A slight fit of peevishness or fretfulness. ``In a pet she started up.'' --Tennyson.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pet Pet, a. Petted; indulged; admired; cherished; as, a pet child; a pet lamb; a pet theory. Some young lady's pet curate. --F. Harrison. Pet cock. [Perh. for petty cock.] (Mach.) A little faucet in a water pipe or pump, to let air out, or at the end of a steam cylinder, to drain it.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pet Pet, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Petted; p. pr. & vb. n. Petting.] To treat as a pet; to fondle; to indulge; as, she was petted and spoiled.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pet Pet, v. i. To be a pet. --Feltham.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(pets, petting, petted) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. A pet is an animal that you keep in your home to give you company and pleasure. It is plainly cruel to keep turtles as pets. ...a bachelor living alone in a flat with his pet dog... N-COUNT 2. Someone's pet theory, project, or subject is one that they particularly support or like. He would not stand by and let his pet project be killed off... ADJ 3. If you pet a person or animal, you touch them in an affectionate way. The policeman reached down and petted the wolfhound... VERB: V n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Fondling, darling, favorite. 2. Angry mood, fit of peevishness, miff (colloq.). II. a. Favorite, especially liked, petted. III. v. a. Fondle, indulge, caress, make much of.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

In a pet; in a passion or miff.

Moby Thesaurus

admired, adored, angel, babe, baby, baby-doll, beloved, bill and coo, buttercup, caress, cherished, cherub, chick, chickabiddy, cocker, coddle, copulate, cosset, cuddle, dally, dandle, darling, dear, dearly beloved, deary, doll, duck, duckling, dudgeon, embrace, esteemed, favorite, feel up, ferment, fondle, fondling, fret, frictionize, fume, grump, held dear, high dudgeon, hon, honey, honey bunch, honey child, huff, hug, idol, jewel, knead, lamb, lambkin, lollygag, love, loved, lover, make love, make out, massage, matinee idol, miff, minion, neck, nose, nuzzle, pat, petkins, pique, popular, pout, precious, precious heart, preference, prized, revered, rub, rub against, rub down, rub noses, smooch, snookums, spoiled child, spoon, stew, stroke, sugar, sweet, sweet-talk, sweetheart, sweetie, sweetkins, sweets, tiff, toy, treasured, trifle, wanton, well-beloved, well-liked, whisper sweet nothings, white-haired