"Down Pat" Idiom Meaning, Origin & History | Superduper English Idioms
Channel: Superduper English Idioms
Date: 10/03/2021

0:00 - How to Say, “Down pat.”
0:19 - Examples of “Down pat.”
1:06 - Meaning of “Down pat.”
1:27 - Origin of “Down pat.”
3:07 - More Examples of “Down pat.”
3:54 - Conclusion

“Down pat.”

When someone says that they have something “down pat”, it means that they have learned, understood completely or mastered the thing in question.

“After a weekend of reviewing my chemistry books, I think I have all the formulae down pat!” your classmate might tell you on Monday morning.

Maybe your mom walks in on you removing your freshly baked bread from the oven, “You really have that recipe down pat, it smells delicious!”

“After a few more lessons, you’ll have all the basic asanas down pat,” your yoga teacher might be telling the class.

As you can tell, if you’ve got something “down pat”, it means that you have enough practice or experience with it that you are now very good, got the hang of, picked up, acquired the skill.

There are many theories online regarding the origin of the idiom, “down pat” - the most popular being that it originated with poker…

… but, it seems most likely that “down pat” originates in the late 1500s; “pat”, as in a light tap, was often used in the sense of hitting the mark.

The connotation with this idiom is that you can’t get something down pat until you’ve put in many hours, days, years of practice.

Indeed, if you are attempting something new, know that “sucking at something is the first step to becoming sorta good at something.”

Thus, when you are trying out something new, don’t be discouraged if it’s not going well at first!

Even if you’re a natural and feel like you’ve mastered a new skill pretty quickly, you’ll find that with more practice, you’ll see and understand details that a beginner couldn’t possibly grasp.

“You might feel a little discouraged, but don’t give up and you’ll soon have it down pat,” your dad might be giving you advice about learning a new language.

Perhaps your friend asks if you need help with your garden, “No worries, I think I’ve got this gardening thing down pat.”

“I’ve decided to invest $1 million into your startup, you really have this technology down pat,” an angel investor might announce after your presentation.

So, the next time you want to say that someone is skilled, experienced, proficient, adept, expert at something, don’t forget that they have it “down pat”.

#superduperenglishidioms #englishidioms #idioms #proverbs

References: https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/down-to-a-t-down-pat.73971/