Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense pads, present participle padding, past tense, past participle padded
1. countable noun
A pad is a fairly thick, flat piece of a material such as cloth or rubber. Pads are used, for example,to clean things, to protect things, or to change their shape.
He withdrew the needle and placed a pad of cotton-wool over the spot. [+ of]
...a scouring pad.
...a flowered dress with shoulder pads.
Synonyms: wad, dressing, pack, padding More Synonyms of pad
2. countable noun
A padof paper is a number of pieces of paper which are fixed together along the top or theside, so that each piece can be torn off when it has been used.
She wrote on a pad of paper. [+ of]
Have a pad and pencil ready and jot down some of your thoughts.
'Here's your ticket,' he said, and he tore it off the pad.
Synonyms: notepad, block, tablet, notebook More Synonyms of pad
3. verb
When someone pads somewhere, they walk there with steps that are fairly quick, light, and quiet.
Freddy speaks very quietly and pads around in soft velvet slippers. [VERB preposition/adverb]
...a dog padding through the streets. [VERB preposition/adverb]
I often bumped into him as he padded the corridors. [VERB noun]
4. countable noun
A pad is a platform or an area of flat, hard ground where helicopters take off and land or rockets are launched.
...a little round helicopter pad.
...a landing pad on the back of the ship.
Journalists report seeing a fire on the pad after the launch.
5. See also launch pad
6. countable noun [usually singular, usually poss NOUN]
People can refer to the place where they live as their pad, especially if it is a flat.
[informal, old-fashioned]
I moved on round the big house to reach my pad.
It wouldn't have occurred to me to get myself a bachelor pad.
7. countable noun [usually plural]
The padsof a person's fingers and toes or of an animal's feet are the soft, fleshy parts of them.
Tap your cheeks all over with the pads of your fingers. [+ of]
8. verb
If you pad something, you put something soft in it or over it in order to make it less hard,to protect it, or to give it a different shape.
Pad the back of a car seat with a pillow. [VERB noun + with]
I can tell you I always padded my bras. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: pack, line, fill, protect More Synonyms of pad
paddedadjective
...a padded jacket.
...back-rests padded with camel's wool. [+ with]
9. See also padding
Phrasal verbs:
See pad out
More Synonyms of pad
pad in British English1
(pæd)
noun
1.
a thick piece of soft material used to make something comfortable, give it shape, or protect it
2.
a guard made of flexible resilient material worn in various sports to protect parts of the body
3. Also called: stamp pad, ink pad
a block of firm absorbent material soaked with ink for transferring to a rubber stamp
4. Also called: notepad, writing pad
a number of sheets of paper fastened together along one edge
5.
a flat piece of stiff material used to back a piece of blotting paper
6.
a.
the fleshy cushion-like underpart of the foot of a cat, dog, etc
b.
any of the parts constituting such a structure
7.
any of various level surfaces or flat-topped structures, such as a launch pad
8. entomology a nontechnical name for pulvillus
9.
the large flat floating leaf of the water lily
10. electronics
a resistive attenuator network inserted in the path of a signal to reduce amplitude or to match one circuit to another
11. slang
a person's residence
12. slang
a bed or bedroom
verbWord forms: pads, padding or padded(transitive)
13.
to line, stuff, or fill out with soft material, esp in order to protect or give shape to
14. (often foll by out)
to inflate with irrelevant or false information
to pad out a story
Word origin
C16: origin uncertain; compare Low German pad sole of the foot
pad in British English2
(pæd)
verbWord forms: pads, padding or padded
1. (intr; often foll by along, up, etc)
to walk with a soft or muffled tread
2. (whenintr, often foll by around)
to travel (a route) on foot, esp at a slow pace; tramp
to pad around the country
noun
3.
a dull soft sound, esp of footsteps
4. archaic short for footpad
5. archaic or dialect
a slow-paced horse; nag
6. Australian
a path or track
a cattle pad
Word origin
C16: perhaps from Middle Dutch paden, from padpath
pad in American English1
(pæd)
noun
1.
a soft, stuffed saddle
2.
anything made of or stuffed with soft material to fill out a shape, protect againstfriction, pressure, jarring, or blows, etc.; cushion
a shoulder pad, seat pad
3.
a piece of folded gauze, compressed cotton, etc. used as a dressing or protection on a wound, etc.
4.
a.
the foot of certain animals, as the wolf or fox
b.
any of the cushionlike parts on the underside of the foot of some animals
5. US
the floating leaf of a water plant, as the waterlily
6.
a number of sheets of paper for writing or drawing, glued together along one edge; tablet
7.
an absorbent cushion soaked with ink for inking a rubber stamp
: in full stamp pad or ink pad
8.
launch pad
9. Slang
a.
a pallet or bed
b.
the room, apartment, etc. where one lives
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈpadded or ˈpadding
10.
to stuff, cover, or line with a pad or padding
11.
to lengthen (a speech or piece of writing) with unnecessary or irrelevant material
12. US
to fill (an expense account, bill, etc.) with invented or inflated entries
Idioms:
on the pad
Word origin
? var. of pod1
pad in American English2
(pæd)
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈpadded or ˈpadding
1.
to travel on foot; walk; tramp
2.
to walk or run with a soft, almost soundless, step
Word origin
< pad4, akin to LowG padden
pad in American English3
(pæd)
noun
the dull sound made by a footstep or staff on the ground
Word origin
echoic, but infl. by pad2
pad in American English4
(pæd)
noun
1. British
a path
2.
a horse with an easy pace
3. Rare
a footpad
Word origin
Du pad, path2
Examples of 'pad' in a sentence
pad
When padding around the house or doing her laundry she often wore ankle weights to tone her legs.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
And no wonder - his once notorious bachelor pad is now apparently rather grotty.
The Sun (2017)
Police could find no evidence of anyone else being in the 28-year-old's bachelor pad.
The Sun (2016)
The ears are protected with heavy padding which is secured by bandages wrapped around the head.
Sedgbeer, Sandra The A-Z of Beauty Treatment (1994)
We always use yellow pads around here.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
They are wearing big padded coats between takes.
The Sun (2013)
There are ones with gel pads to give support where you need it most.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
You could also upgrade your pads to ones designed to produce less dust.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Clothes are left on red carpeted stairs in the hallway of the bachelor pad.
The Sun (2013)
Then press with a clean pad for a few minutes to stop any bleeding.
The Sun (2009)
Putting a soft heel pad into shoe and doing stretching exercises are a good idea too.
The Sun (2007)
But do it with a padded brush to protect your hair.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Moving the pad around the room to scan crime scenes feels more awkward than cool.
The Sun (2012)
It was about big money and big shoulder pads.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Flies were crawling in one pad when it was removed.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The correct treatment is simply to apply localised pressure via a clean pad.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The pictures show four surfers furiously padding their boards back to the beach as a large shark closely trailed them.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
She pads back to her room.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
THERE are certain things that no halfway respectable bachelor pad should be missing.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
I pad across the bedroom, open my shutters and step out on to the balcony.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
She was white, middle-aged and wearing a floral dress with shoulder pads.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
With volumes rolling away from the body, padded parka dresses and fabric cut like sections of a football, there was a sportswear feel to the collection.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
In other languages
pad
British English: pad /pæd/ NOUN
foam, cloth A pad is a thick flat piece of a material such as cloth or foam rubber.
...a pad of cotton-wool.
American English: pad
Arabic: وِسَادَةٌ رَقِيقَةٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: coxim
Chinese: 垫
Croatian: jastučić
Czech: podložka
Danish: pude
Dutch: kussen stootkussentje
European Spanish: almohadilla
Finnish: pehmuste
French: tampon
German: Polster
Greek: προστατευτικό μαξιλαράκι
Italian: cuscinetto
Japanese: パッド
Korean: 패드
Norwegian: polstring
Polish: podkładka
European Portuguese: coxim
Romanian: cârpă
Russian: прокладка
Latin American Spanish: almohadilla
Swedish: dyna
Thai: เบาะรอง
Turkish: ped
Ukrainian: подушечка
Vietnamese: miếng đệm lót
British English: pad VERB
When someone pads somewhere, they walk there with steps that are fairly quick, light, and quiet.
He speaks very quietly and pads around in soft velvet slippers.
American English: pad
Brazilian Portuguese: andar com passos sorrateiros
Chinese: 轻步快走
European Spanish: caminar sin hacer ruido
French: aller à pas feutrés
German: trotten
Italian: camminare con passo felpato
Japanese: そっと歩く
Korean: 조용히 걷다
European Portuguese: andar com passos sorrateiros
Latin American Spanish: caminar sin hacer ruido
British English: pad NOUN
paper A pad of paper is a number of pieces of paper attached together along the top or the side, so that each piece can be torn off when it has been used.
She wrote on a pad of paper.
American English: pad
Brazilian Portuguese: bloco
Chinese: 便笺簿
European Spanish: bloc
French: bloc
German: Block
Italian: blocco
Japanese: 一式
Korean: 묶음
European Portuguese: bloco
Latin American Spanish: bloc
Chinese translation of 'pad'
pad
(pæd)
n(c)
[of paper]便笺(牋)簿 (biànjiānbù) (个(個), gè)
(to prevent friction, damage) 垫(墊) (diàn)
(for cleaning) 抹布 (mābù)
(inf, = home) 住所 (zhùsuǒ)
vt
[cushion, shoulders, upholstery]填塞 (tiánsè)
vi
to pad about/out etc踱来(來)踱去/踱出等 (duólái duóqù/duóchū děng)
elbow/knee pad护(護)肘/护(護)膝 (hùzhǒu/hùxī)
1 (noun)
Definition
a thick piece of soft material used for comfort, shape, protection, or absorption
He placed a pad of cotton wool over the cut.
Synonyms
wad
dressing
She'll put a dressing on your thumb.
pack
padding
the chair's foam rubber padding
compress
wadding
a sleeping bag lined with wadding
2 (noun)
Definition
a thick piece of soft material used for comfort, shape, protection, or absorption
seat-pad covers which tie to the backs of your chairs
Synonyms
cushion
Her leg was propped up on two cushions.
filling
Make the filling from down or feathers.
stuffing
She made a wig from pillow stuffing.
pillow
I sleep with his photograph under my pillow.
bolster
Make a bolster to fit across the width of a bed.
upholstery
3 (noun)
Definition
a number of sheets of paper fastened together along one edge
Have a pad and pencil ready.
Synonyms
notepad
block
tablet
notebook
He brought out a notebook and pen from his pocket.
jotter
writing pad
4 (noun)
Definition
a person's residence
(slang, old-fashioned)
She wants to buy a pad near Sydney's Bondi Beach.
Synonyms
home
the allocation of land for new homes
flat
We used to live together in a flat.
apartment mainly US)
She has her own apartment and her own car.
place
Let's all go back to my place!
room
He excused himself and left the room.
quarters
hang-out (informal)
bachelor apartment (Canadian)
5 (noun)
Definition
the fleshy cushioned underpart of an animal's paw
My cat has an infection in the pad of its foot.
Synonyms
paw
foot
It could trap and hurt an animal's foot.
sole
(verb)
Definition
to fill (something) out with soft material for comfort, shape, or protection
Pad the seat with a pillow.
Synonyms
pack
All her possessions were packed into the back of her car.
Thousands of people packed into the arena.
line
They line their dens with leaves or grass.
fill
Thousands of people filled the streets.
protect
shape
stuff
wallets stuffed with dollars
cushion
The suspension is designed to cushion passengers from the effects of riding over rough roads.
phrasal verb
See pad something out
1 (verb)
Definition
to walk with a soft or muffled step
He padded around in his slippers.
Synonyms
sneak
Don't sneak away and hide.
creep
I went back to the hotel and crept up to my room.
prowl
The stray dogs of the city prowl in packs in search of food.
steal
They can steal away at night and join us.
ghost
tiptoe
slink
He couldn't just slink away.
pussyfoot (informal)
Must you pussyfoot about the place?
tread warily
go barefoot
walk quietly
2 (verb)
Definition
to travel (a route) on foot
Synonyms
walk
They walked in silence for a while.
march
A Scottish battalion was marching down the street.
trek
trekking through the jungles
hike
You could hike through the Fish River Canyon.
tramp
He spent a month tramping in the hills around Balmoral.
trudge
We had to trudge up the track back to the station.
plod
He plodded slowly up the hill.
traipse (informal)
I traipsed from one doctor to another.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of apartment
Definition
a set of rooms forming a home within a building usually incorporating other similar homes
She has her own apartment and her own car.
Synonyms
flat,
room,
suite,
compartment,
penthouse,
duplex (US, Canadian),
crib,
bachelor apartment (Canadian)
in the sense of block
Synonyms
notepad,
journal,
diary,
record book,
Filofax,
notepad,
exercise book,
jotter,
memorandum book
in the sense of bolster
Definition
any pad or support
Make a bolster to fit across the width of a bed.
Synonyms
pillow,
support,
pad,
cushion
Synonyms of 'pad'
pad
Explore 'pad' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of creep
Definition
to move quietly and cautiously
I went back to the hotel and crept up to my room.
Synonyms
sneak,
steal,
tiptoe,
slink,
skulk,
approach unnoticed
in the sense of dressing
Definition
a covering for a wound
She'll put a dressing on your thumb.
Synonyms
bandage,
plaster,
gauze,
Band-Aid,
lint,
Elastoplast,
ligature,
compress
in the sense of fill
Definition
to occupy the whole of
Thousands of people filled the streets.
Synonyms
pack,
crowd,
squeeze,
cram,
throng
in the sense of filling
Definition
a substance or thing used to fill something
Make the filling from down or feathers.
Synonyms
stuffing,
padding,
filler,
wadding,
inside,
insides,
contents,
innards (informal)
in the sense of flat
Definition
a set of rooms forming a home entirely on one floor of a building
We used to live together in a flat.
Synonyms
apartment (US),
rooms,
quarters,
digs,
suite,
penthouse,
living quarters,
duplex (US, Canadian),
bachelor apartment (Canadian)
in the sense of foot
Definition
the part of the leg below the ankle joint that is in contact with the ground during standing and walking
It could trap and hurt an animal's foot.
Synonyms
paw,
pad,
trotter,
hoof,
f%t
in the sense of hike
Definition
to walk a long way in the country, usually for pleasure
You could hike through the Fish River Canyon.
Synonyms
walk,
march,
trek,
ramble,
tramp,
leg it (informal),
back-pack,
hoof it (slang)
in the sense of line
Definition
to cover the inside of
They line their dens with leaves or grass.
Synonyms
fill,
face,
cover,
reinforce,
encase,
inlay,
interline,
ceil
in the sense of march
Definition
(of an army, procession, etc.) to walk as an organized group
A Scottish battalion was marching down the street.
Synonyms
parade,
walk,
file,
pace,
stride,
tread,
tramp,
swagger,
footslog
in the sense of notebook
Definition
a book for writing in
He brought out a notebook and pen from his pocket.
Synonyms
notepad,
record book,
exercise book,
jotter,
journal,
diary,
Filofax,
commonplace book,
memorandum book
Additional synonyms
in the sense of padding
Definition
any soft material used to pad something
the chair's foam rubber padding
Synonyms
filling,
stuffing,
packing,
wadding
in the sense of pillow
Definition
a cloth bag stuffed with feathers, polyester fibre, or pieces of foam rubber used to support the head in bed
I sleep with his photograph under my pillow.
Synonyms
cushion,
bolster,
headrest
in the sense of place
Let's all go back to my place!
Synonyms
home,
house,
room,
property,
seat,
flat,
apartment (US),
accommodation,
pad (slang, old-fashioned),
residence,
mansion,
dwelling (formal, literary),
manor,
abode,
domicile,
bachelor apartment (Canadian)
in the sense of plod
Definition
to walk with heavy slow steps
He plodded slowly up the hill.
Synonyms
trudge,
drag,
tread,
clump,
lumber,
tramp,
stomp (informal),
slog
in the sense of prowl
Definition
to move stealthily around (a place) as if in search of prey or plunder
The stray dogs of the city prowl in packs in search of food.
Synonyms
move stealthily,
hunt,
patrol,
range,
steal,
cruise,
ghost,
stalk,
sneak,
lurk,
roam,
rove,
scavenge,
slink,
skulk,
nose around
in the sense of pussyfoot
Definition
to move about stealthily
Must you pussyfoot about the place?
Synonyms
creep,
steal,
ghost,
prowl,
tiptoe,
slink,
tread warily
in the sense of room
Definition
an area within a building enclosed by a floor, a ceiling, and walls
He excused himself and left the room.
Synonyms
chamber,
office,
r%m
in the sense of slink
Definition
to move or act in a quiet and secretive way from fear or guilt
He couldn't just slink away.
Synonyms
creep,
steal,
sneak,
slip,
ghost,
prowl,
skulk,
pussyfoot (informal)
in the sense of steal
Definition
to move quietly and carefully, not wanting to be noticed
They can steal away at night and join us.
Synonyms
sneak,
slip,
creep,
flit,
tiptoe,
slink,
insinuate yourself
in the sense of stuff
Definition
to pack or fill (something) completely
wallets stuffed with dollars
Synonyms
cram,
fill,
pack,
load,
crowd
Additional synonyms
in the sense of stuffing
Definition
the material used to fill and give shape to soft toys, pillows, furniture, etc.
She made a wig from pillow stuffing.
Synonyms
wadding,
filling,
packing,
quilting,
kapok
in the sense of traipse
Definition
to walk heavily or tiredly
I traipsed from one doctor to another.
Synonyms
trudge,
trail,
tramp,
slouch,
drag yourself,
footslog
in the sense of tramp
Definition
to walk long and far
He spent a month tramping in the hills around Balmoral.
Synonyms
hike,
walk,
trek,
roam,
march,
range,
ramble,
slog,
rove,
go walkabout (Australian),
yomp,
footslog
in the sense of trek
Definition
to make a trek
trekking through the jungles
Synonyms
journey,
march,
range,
hike,
roam,
tramp,
rove,
go walkabout (Australian)
in the sense of trudge
Definition
to walk or plod heavily or wearily
We had to trudge up the track back to the station.