Word forms: comparative fatter, superlative fattest, plural fats
1. adjective
If you say that a person or animal is fat, you mean that they have a lot of flesh on their body and that they weigh too much. You usually use the word fat when you think that this is a bad thing.
[disapproval]
I could eat what I liked without getting fat.
After five minutes, the fat woman in the seat in front of me was asleep.
Synonyms: overweight, large, heavy, plump More Synonyms of fat
fatnessuncountable noun
No one knows whether a tendency towards fatness is inherited.
Synonyms: obesity, corpulence, podginess, flab More Synonyms of fat
2. uncountable noun
Fat is the extra flesh that animals and humans have under their skin, which is used to store energy and to help keep them warm.
Because you're not burning calories, everything you eat turns to fat.
3. variable noun
Fat is a solid or liquid substance obtained from animals or vegetables, which is usedin cooking.
When you use oil or fat for cooking, use as little as possible.
...vegetable fats, such as coconut oil and palm oil.
Synonyms: oil, cream, cheese, butter More Synonyms of fat
4. variable noun
Fat is a substance contained in foods such as meat, cheese, and butter which forms an energy store in your body.
An easy way to cut the amount of fat in your diet is to avoid eating red meats.
Most low-fat yogurts are about 40 calories per 100g.
5. adjective
A fat object, especially a book, is very thick or wide.
...'Europe in Figures', a fat book published on September 22nd.
He took out his fat wallet and peeled off some notes.
6. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
A fat profit or fee is a large one.
[informal]
They are set to make a big fat profit.
Synonyms: large, rich, substantial, thriving More Synonyms of fat
7.
See fat chance
8.
See grow fat
9.
See a fat lot of good/use/help
More Synonyms of fat
fat in British English
(fæt)
noun
1.
any of a class of naturally occurring soft greasy solids that are esters of glycerol and certain fatty acids. They are present in some plants and in the adipose tissue of animals, forming a reserve energy source, and are used in making soap and paint and in the food industry
See also oil (sense 1)
2.
vegetable or animal tissue containing fat
▶ Related adjectives: adipose, lipoid, stearic
3.
corpulence, obesity, or plumpness
4.
the best or richest part of something
5.
a part in a play that gives an actor a good opportunity to show his or her talents
6. chew the fat
7. the fat is in the fire
8. the fat of the land
adjectiveWord forms: fatter or fattest
9.
having much or too much flesh or fat
10.
consisting of or containing fat; greasy
fat pork
11.
profitable; lucrative
a fat year
12.
affording great opportunities
a fat part in the play
13.
fertile or productive
a fat land
14.
thick, broad, or extended
a fat log of wood
15.
having a high content of a particular material or ingredient, such as resin in wood or oil in paint
16.
plentifully supplied
a fat larder
17. slang
empty; stupid
get this into your fat head
18. slang
very little or none; minimal (in phrases such as a fat chance, a fat lot of good, etc)
verbWord forms: fats, fatting or fatted
19.
to make or become fat; fatten
Derived forms
fatless (ˈfatless)
adjective
fatlike (ˈfatˌlike)
adjective
fatly (ˈfatly)
adverb
fatness (ˈfatness)
noun
fattish (ˈfattish)
adjective
Word origin
Old English fǣtt, past participle of fǣtan to cram; related to Old Norse feita, Old High German feizen to fatten; compare Gothic fētjan to adorn
fat in American English
(fæt)
adjectiveWord forms: ˈfatter or ˈfattest
1.
a.
containing or full of fat; oily; greasy
b.
having much fat in relation to lean
said of meat
c.
containing volatile oil
fat coal
d.
containing much resin
fat wood
2.
a.
fleshy; plump
b.
too plump; corpulent; obese
3.
thick; broad
the fat part of the bat
4.
containing something valuable in great quantity; fertile; productive
fat land
5.
profitable; lucrative
a fat job
6.
prosperous
7.
supplied plentifully; ample
8.
stupid; dull
9. Slang
desirable because large or important
a fat role for an actor
noun
10.
any of various mixtures of solid or semisolid triglycerides found in adipose animal tissue or in the seeds of plants: they are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents
11.
any such substance used in cooking
12.
fleshiness; plumpness; corpulence
13.
the richest or finest part of anything
14.
anything unnecessary or superfluous that can be trimmed away
15. Chemistry
a class of neutral lipids consisting of the various triglycerides: they are called oils if in the liquid state
verb transitive, verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈfatted or ˈfatting
16.
to make or become fat
see also fatten
Idioms:
a fat chance
a fat lot
chew the fat
live off (or on) the fat of the land
the fat is in the fire
Derived forms
fatly (ˈfatly)
adverb
fatness (ˈfatness)
noun
Word origin
ME < OE fætt, pp. of fætan, to fatten, akin to Ger feist, plump < OHG feizzen, to make fat < IE *poid- < base *pi-, to be fat, distended > Gr pimelē, lard, Sans pīná-, fat
More idioms containing
fat
someone is living off the fat of the land
the fat is in the fire
chew the fat
it isn't over until the fat lady sings
a fat cat
Examples of 'fat' in a sentence
fat
Or you can consume foods that will help you burn fat and exercise.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Could this be due to the animal fat which is one of its chemical constituents?
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Why on earth should we have to line the pockets of the fat cats?
The Sun (2016)
To be absolutely free from animal fat vegans must use only freshly minted coins.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Hot houses make you fat and unhealthy.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Drink it regularly and the improved muscle cell regeneration will help the body to process fats and calories more effectively.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Cheese is high in fat, so go steady on it anyway.
The Sun (2016)
Fat tissue biopsies were done.
The Sun (2017)
If you don't eat enough, your body has no energy to burn fat.
The Sun (2017)
We also need some fat to help absorb the fat soluble vitamins.
Holford, Patrick The Family Nutrition Workbook (1988)
Alcohol puts the brakes on fat burning.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
They can lead to people becoming fatter and sadder.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
WE'VE seen the splendour in which the energy fat cats live.
The Sun (2014)
Use low to medium fat cheese instead of full fat ones.
Chaitow, Leon The Beat Fatigue Workbook - how to identify the causes (1988)
Whole milk is the main ingredient which is high in fat.
The Sun (2014)
It takes more calories to maintain muscle tissue than fat tissue.
Colette Harris, With Theresa Cheung PCOS DIET BOOK: How you can use the nutritional approach to deal with polycysticovary syndrome (2002)
Trim the chicken fat and skin at the edges.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The cream in this curry dramatically bumps up the calories and fat content.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Who can disagree that the whole compensation culture for fat cats is horribly unfair?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It blocks the action of an enzyme used to digest fat.
The Sun (2011)
Was it the obsessive pursuit of profits to pay fat dividends to shareholders?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The solution makes the fat easier to remove and reduces the likelihood of bleeding.
The Sun (2007)
Think about how to be fat in a good way.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Twenty one of the products in the survey had a lower fat content than declared.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Fat lot of good it did them.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The only fats in vegetables are those that you add.
Mervyn, Leonard Preventing Heart Disease (1987)
That is because men store fat around their bellies rather than around their hips like women.
The Sun (2012)
Their body fat dropped and muscle strength improved.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Anyone who has left a roast out knows that animal fats quickly form into a sticky solid.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Why do we have so much fat in our foods today?
Christianity Today (2000)
The answer was a big fat no.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
fat
British English: fat /fæt/ ADJECTIVE
A fat person has a lot of flesh on their body and weighs too much.
I can eat what I like without getting fat.
American English: fat
Arabic: سَمِيـن
Brazilian Portuguese: gordo
Chinese: 肥的
Croatian: debeo
Czech: tlustý
Danish: fed
Dutch: dik
European Spanish: gordo
Finnish: lihava
French: gros
German: dick
Greek: χοντρός
Italian: grasso
Japanese: 太った
Korean: 살찐
Norwegian: tykk
Polish: gruby
European Portuguese: gordo
Romanian: gras
Russian: толстый
Latin American Spanish: gordo
Swedish: tjock
Thai: อ้วน
Turkish: şişman
Ukrainian: огрядний
Vietnamese: béo
British English: fat /fæt/ NOUN
Fat is a substance in many foods which your body uses to produce energy.
...low-fat yogurts.
American English: fat
Arabic: دَسَم
Brazilian Portuguese: gordura
Chinese: 脂肪
Croatian: masnoća
Czech: tuk
Danish: fedt
Dutch: vet
European Spanish: grasa alimento
Finnish: rasva
French: graisse
German: Fett
Greek: λίπος
Italian: grasso
Japanese: 脂肪
Korean: 지방 기름
Norwegian: fett
Polish: sadło
European Portuguese: gordura
Romanian: grăsime
Russian: жир
Latin American Spanish: grasa
Swedish: fett
Thai: ไขมัน
Turkish: yağ
Ukrainian: жир
Vietnamese: mỡ
All related terms of 'fat'
fat-ass
a fat person
fat cat
If you refer to a businessman or politician as a fat cat , you are indicating that you disapprove of the way they use their wealth and power.
fat hen
a common plant, Chenopodium album , with small green flowers and whitish scales on the stem and leaves: family Chenopodiaceae ( chenopods )
fat lip
a swollen mouth or lip , as from a blow
fat tax
a tax levied in the form of higher duties or VAT on foods with a high fat content
low-fat
containing relatively less fat than comparable foods, diets , etc
non-fat
Non-fat foods have very low amounts of fat in them.
bacon fat
fat made by rendering bacon
body fat
the amount of fat on a person's body
brown fat
tissue composed of a type of fat cell that dissipates as heat most of the energy released when food is oxidized ; brown adipose tissue. It is present in hibernating animals and human babies and is thought to be important in adult weight control
deep fat
cooking oil or fat that is deep enough in the pan to cover food that is to be deep-fried
fat body
a mass of fatty tissue in insects , used as an energy source during hibernation and metamorphosis
fat bonus
A bonus is an extra amount of money that is added to someone's pay, usually because they have worked very hard.
fat camp
a residential camp at which children undergo a programme of exercise , diet change, etc, intended to help them lose weight
fat cell
a cell in connective tissue specialized for the synthesis of glucose , fatty acids, etc. and storage of the derived globules of fat
fat city
a place or condition of prosperity , comfort , success , etc.
fat farm
a health farm or similar establishment to which people go to lose weight
fat-free
containing no fat or very little fat
fat lamb
a lamb bred for its tender meat , esp for export trade
fat mouse
any nocturnal African mouse of the genus Steatomys , of dry regions: eaten as a delicacy by Africans because of their high fat content : family Muridae
fat tail
a tail on a probability distribution that indicates a high level of risk
grow fat
If you say that a person or organization has grown fat on something, you mean that they have become very rich as a result of it.
leaf fat
the dense fat that accumulates in layers around the kidneys of certain animals, esp pigs
puppy fat
Puppy fat is fat that some children have on their bodies when they are young but that disappears when they grow older and taller .
trans fat
an unsaturated fatty acid which has been partially hydrogenated , used in foods to increase shelf life and maintain flavor
wool fat
the natural grease found in sheep's wool , yielding lanolin
a fat cat
a person who uses their great wealth and power in a way that seems unfair
a fat lot
very little or nothing
animal fat
any fat obtained from animals
fat chance
If you say that there is fat chance of something happening , you mean that you do not believe that it will happen .
fat-finger
to make a mistake by pressing the wrong key on a keyboard or number pad
fat salary
A salary is the money that someone is paid each month by their employer , especially when they are in a profession such as teaching , law, or medicine.
fat-soluble
soluble in nonpolar substances, such as ether , chloroform , and oils. Fat-soluble compounds are often insoluble in water
fat-witted
thick-headed; dull ; stupid
marrow fat
any of several varieties of pea plant that have large seeds
saturated fat
a fat , esp an animal fat, containing a high proportion of fatty acids having single bonds
vegetable fat
fat obtained or produced from vegetables
a fat chance
very little or no chance
chew the fat
If people chew the fat , they talk in a relaxed , informal way.
in fat city
very rich
deep-fat fryer
a device for cooking food by submerging it in hot fat
the fat of the land
the best that is obtainable
the fat is in the fire
said to mean that someone has said or done something which is going to upset other people and cause a lot of trouble
deep fryer
a device for cooking food by submerging it in hot fat
a fat lot of good/use/help
If you say that something is a fat lot of good or a fat lot of help , you are saying rudely that it is no good or no help at all.
it isn't over until the fat lady sings
said to encourage someone not to give up hope because nothing is certain and there is still time for the situation to change
live off (or on) the fat of the land
to have, use, or enjoy the finest things, in abundance ; live in luxury
someone is living off the fat of the land
said to mean that someone has a rich and comfortable lifestyle without having to work hard for it
Chinese translation of 'fat'
fat
(fæt)
adj
[person]肥胖的 (féipàng de)
[animal]肥的 (féi de)
[book]厚的 (hòu de)
[wallet]装(裝)得满(滿)满(滿)的 (zhuāng de mǎnmǎn de)
(inf)[profit, fee]大量的 (dàliàng de)
n
(u) (on person, animal, meat) 脂肪 (zhīfáng)
(c/u) (for cooking) 食用油 (shíyòngyóu) (桶, tǒng)
(Chem) 脂肪 (zhīfáng)
to live off the fat of the land锦(錦)衣玉食 (jǐn yī yù shí)
that's a fat lot of good or help (inf) 这(這)有什么(麼)屁用 (zhè yǒu shénme pìyòng)