Word: pad Part of Speech: noun Etymology: 1554, "bundle of straw to lie on". Unknown, and unclear all senses have common etymology. For sense "ends of a digit", cf. Low German or West Flemish pad (“sole of the foot”), perhaps ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pent- (“to pass”), which would make it related to both path and find. Pronunciation: /pæd/, /pad/, /pɛd/ 1. A flattened mass of anything soft, to sit or lie on. 2. A cushion used as a saddle without a tree or frame. 3. A soft, or small, cushion. 4. A soft area on the ends of a digit: 5. A soft area on the ends of a digit: 6. A soft area on the ends of a digit: Example: Collie ignored him. Reached the finger further. Closer. And closer yet, until — […] Collie yanked his hand back and peered at it like a kid with an interesting new scrape. Then he turned to Steve and held it out. A bead of blood, small and dark and perfect, was forming on the pad of his index finger. 7. A stuffed guard or protection, especially one worn on the legs of horses to prevent bruising. 8. A soft bag or cushion to relieve pressure, support a part, etc. 9. A menstrual pad; a mass of absorbent material used to absorb menstrual flow. Example: In this study, when the views of the mothers on the tiring/straining situations during their daughters’ adolescence are examined, it is determined that the mothers mostly have difficulties in using the pads of their daughters, cleaning the hairs in the armpit and genital area, and bathing their daughters. 10. A floating leaf of a water lily or similar plant. Labels: US 11. A soft cover for a batsman's leg that protects the player from damage when hit by the ball. 12. A kind of cushion for writing upon, or for blotting, especially one formed of many flat sheets of writing paper; now especially such a block of paper sheets as used to write on. 13. A panel or strip of material designed to be sensitive to pressure or touch. 14. Ellipsis of keypad. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis 15. Ellipsis of mouse pad. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis 16. A flat surface or area from which a helicopter or other aircraft may land or be launched. 17. An electrical extension cord with a multi-port socket on one end; a "trip cord". 18. The effect produced by sustained lower reed notes in a musical piece, most common in blues music. 19. A synthesizer instrument sound used for sustained background sounds. 20. A bed. Labels: US, slang 21. A small house, apartment, or mobile home occupied by a single person; such as a bachelor, playboy, etc. Labels: colloquial 22. A prison cell. Labels: UK, slang 23. A random key (originally written on a disposable pad) of the same length as the plaintext. 24. The amount by which a signal has been reduced. Example: It is a general practice to pad down a condenser mike with as much as a 20-30 dB pad. 25. A piece of timber fixed on a beam to fit the curve of the deck. Example: let us at least trust that the hair-pins will do their duty, and maintain the respectability of passion by holding the pads and puffs and frizettes in their proper places. 26. An exposed area of copper on a printed circuit board meant for connecting wires or electronic components. 27. a tablet PC Labels: slang