ˈpeɪtənt n.,
adj., & v. --n. 1 a
government authority to an
individual or
organization conferring a
right or
title,
esp.
the sole right to
make or
use or
sell some invention. 2 a
document granting
this authority. 3 an invention or process protected by
it. --adj. 1
obvious, plain. 2 conferred or protected by patent. 3 a
made and marketed
under a patent;
proprietary. b to
which one has a proprietary
claim. 4
such as might be patented;
ingenious, well-contrived. 5 (of an
opening etc.) allowing
free passage. --v.tr.
obtain a patent
for (an invention). øletters patent an
open document
from a
sovereign or government conferring a patent or
other right. patent
leather leather
with a
glossy varnished
surface. patent
medicine medicine made and marketed under a patent and
available without prescription. patent
office an office from which patents are issued. Patent
Roll (in the UK) a list of patents issued in a
year. øøpatency n. patentable adj. patently adv. (in
sense 1 of adj.). [ME f. OF patent and L patere lie open]
