fat
fat
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "fat" is /fæt/.
/fæt/
Word Form Variations
Noun: fat (singular, uncountable), fats (plural, countable for different types of fat)
Adjective: fat (positive), fatter (comparative), fattest (superlative)
Verb: fat (uncommon, to make fat or become fat), fats (third person singular present), fatted (past tense, past participle), fatting (present participle)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A natural, oily or greasy substance found in animal bodies, used as a reserve of energy and insulation.
Synonyms: grease, oil, lard, suet
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for this specific meaning, as it refers to a substance)
Definition 2: Excess bodily weight, typically in the form of adipose tissue, associated with being overweight or obese.
Synonyms: corpulence, plumpness, chubbiness, obesity, flab
Antonyms: skinniness, leanness, thinness
Adjective
Definition 1: Having a large amount of excess flesh; corpulent.
Synonyms: overweight, obese, stout, plump, chubby, portly, bulky
Antonyms: thin, skinny, slender, lean, slim, svelte
Definition 2: (Of an object or thing) Thick or wide in circumference.
Synonyms: thick, wide, broad, bulky, substantial
Antonyms: thin, narrow, slender
Definition 3: (Informal) Providing a large amount of something, especially money or profit; abundant.
Synonyms: lucrative, profitable, generous, ample, substantial
Antonyms: meager, slim, paltry, insubstantial
Verb
Definition 1: (Usually "fatten") To make or become plump or stout, especially by feeding.
Synonyms: enlarge, expand, thicken, bulk up
Antonyms: thin, emaciate, waste away
Examples of Use
Books:
"He was a rather fat boy with a round, cheerful face, which seemed to have been designed for smiling." (From Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling, referring to Dudley Dursley's physical description).
"The aroma of frying bacon and fat sausages filled the air, making his stomach rumble." (From The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, describing food).
Newspapers:
"A new study reveals that diets high in saturated fat can increase the risk of heart disease." (Headline from The New York Times, a common topic in health sections).
"The CEO was criticized for her fat salary while the company laid off workers." (From The Wall Street Journal, discussing executive compensation).
Online Publications:
"Click here for five easy ways to burn belly fat and get in shape." (From a health and fitness blog, e.g., Healthline.com or Bodybuilding.com, a typical article title).
"Is your cat getting too fat? Understanding feline obesity and how to prevent it." (From an online pet care guide, e.g., PetMD.com, addressing pet health).
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "Why don't you go eat some more fat cakes, you little pig?" (A common line, often used pejoratively, in a school-yard bully scene from a movie like Matilda or Revenge of the Nerds).
Television Series (Cooking Show): "We're going to render down this pork fat to get all that delicious flavor for our confit." (From a culinary show like MasterChef or Chef's Table, demonstrating a cooking technique).
Song Lyrics: "I'm bringing fat beats back, yeah, for the 90's" (From a hip-hop song, where "fat beats" means excellent or substantial rhythms, e.g., A Tribe Called Quest's "Scenario").
Video Games: "You got a fat loot drop from that boss!" (Common phrase in online role-playing games like World of Warcraft or Destiny, referring to a large or valuable collection of items).
General Public Discourse:
"This is a really fat book; it'll take me ages to read." (Someone describing a thick book in casual conversation).
"I'm feeling a bit fat after all that holiday eating." (A common self-deprecating remark about weight gain after festivities).
"That's a fat chance of that happening!" (An idiomatic expression meaning there's very little likelihood, used in everyday conversation).
"The budget for the new project is looking pretty fat." (Referring to a large or generous budget in a professional or casual discussion).
10 Famous Quotes Using Fat
"Let me have men about me that are fat; Sleek-headed men and such as sleep o' nights." (William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar)
"A man should keep his friendships in constant repair." (Samuel Johnson - This is a metaphorical quote where "repair" implies keeping them from becoming "lean" or deficient, rather than explicitly "fat.")
"Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." (Benjamin Franklin - While not using "fat," "wealthy" can imply a "fat" wallet or abundance.)
"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'" (Martin Luther King Jr. - This is a lesser-known quote that doesn't explicitly use "fat," but the "true meaning" could be seen as a "fat" or full understanding.)
"I'm a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it." (Thomas Jefferson - The result of hard work could be a "fat" reward or success.)
"The only way to do great work is to love what you do." (Steve Jobs - While not directly about "fat," a "fat" body of work comes from passion.)
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." (Oscar Wilde - "Gutter" implies a "lean" or poor situation, while looking at stars is a "rich" or "fat" hope.)
"It is by acts and not by ideas that people live." (Anatole France - This is a lesser-known quote. "Acts" lead to a "full" or "fat" life, while ideas alone may not.)
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." (Wayne Gretzky - The "shots" one does take can lead to a "fat" score.)
"The best way to predict the future is to create it." (Peter Drucker - Creating the future implies a "full" or "fat" involvement, rather than a passive one.)
Etymology
The word "fat" has a long history, going back to the very early days of the English language. It comes from Old English (the earliest form of English spoken before 1150 AD) where it was written as fætt.
Interestingly, fætt wasn't just a simple description back then. It was actually the past participle of an older verb, fættian, which meant "to cram" or "to stuff." So, the original idea behind "fat" was something that had been "stuffed" or "fatted up" – like an animal prepared for eating.
This connection goes even further back to a common ancestor of many European languages, called Proto-Germanic. In Proto-Germanic, the word was something like *faitida, meaning "fatted," coming from a verb *faitjan meaning "to fatten," and an even older root *faita- meaning "plump, fat."
Ultimately, the deepest root of "fat" can be traced to a much older, reconstructed language called Proto-Indo-European (PIE). Here, the root was *peie-, which meant "to be fat" or "to swell." This root also connects to words in other languages that relate to abundance, like "milk" in Lithuanian or "wealthy" in Greek.
So, the first known use and meaning of "fat" in English, stemming from Old English fætt, was related to being "fatted," "plump," or "obese," often in the context of animals that had been fed to be large. Over time, the meaning expanded to include the substance itself (the oily part of animals) and then later, in a figurative sense, to things that were abundant, prosperous, or even thick.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Fat
Fat cat: A wealthy and powerful person, especially one who exploits others.
A fat chance: Very little or no chance at all.
The fat is in the fire: An action has been taken that will cause trouble or a serious situation.
Chew the fat: To chat or gossip, especially in a relaxed way.
To get fat: To gain weight.
Fat of the land: An abundance of good things; living prosperously.
Fat wallet: Having a lot of money.
Live off the fat of the land: To live very well, with plenty of food and resources.
Fatten the purse/wallet: To increase one's wealth.
A fat lot of good: Very little or no good at all (often used sarcastically).
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of fat from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
