pattern

Etymology

From earlier patten, paterne, from Middle English patron (“patron; example”), from Old French patron, from Medieval Latin patrōnus (“patron”). Doublet of patron.

noun

1. Model, example.
   1. Something from which a copy is made; a model or outline.
      There is no reason why all colleges and universities should be cut to the same pattern. 18 Jun 1923, ‘President Wilson’, Time
   2. Someone or something seen as an example to be imitated; an exemplar.
      Well! the King of France died pardoning & pitying all those who had tortured his Soul & Body, a great Pattern for us all. 19 March 1793, Hester Piozzi, Thraliana
      The Platonic Socrates was a pattern to subsequent philosophers for many ages. 1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.16
   3. (now rare) A copy.
   4. (now only numismatics) A sample; of coins, an example which was struck but never minted.
   5. A representative example.
   6. (US) The material needed to make a piece of clothing.
   7. (textiles) The paper or cardboard template from which the parts of a garment are traced onto fabric prior to cutting out and assembling.
   8. (metalworking, dated) A full-sized model around which a mould of sand is made, to receive the melted metal. It is usually made of wood and in several parts, so as to be removed from the mould without damage.
      From this point those who became pupils went on to a further series of shops, usually commencing with the pattern shop. […] However, some of us did make quite reasonable patterns and had the satisfaction of seeing castings produced from them but, sad to say, many of these efforts were used as firewood after they had left the shop. 1944 November and December, A Former Pupil, “Some Memories of Crewe Works—II”, in Railway Magazine, page 341
      But instead, the distinctive ironwork and glass platform awnings have been carefully refurbished, while making them compatible with the overhead wiring. Kettering's island Platform 2/3 is especially noteworthy. Although it dates from 1879, when the station was enlarged to four platforms, the same original (1857) patterns for the delicate cast-ironwork seem to have been used - […]. December 14 2022, Robin Leleux, “A royal occasion as heritage projects honoured: Kettering”, in RAIL, number 972, page 56
   9. (computing) A text string containing wildcards, used for matching.
      There were no files matching the pattern *.txt.
   10. (software engineering, in compounds) A design pattern.
2. Coherent or decorative arrangement.
   1. A design, motif or decoration, especially formed from regular repeated elements.
      On my way to work the other day, I stopped at a church in Rome and saw a painting of the Madonna. The subtle pattern of blues and golds in the embroidery of her dress was so amazing that I used it to design a new evening dress for my haute couture. 2003, Valentino, ‘Is there a future in fashion's past?’, Time, 5 Feb 2003
   2. A naturally-occurring or random arrangement of shapes, colours etc. which have a regular or decorative effect.
      He lifted the entire joint or fowl up into the air, speared on a carving fork, and sliced pieces off it so that they fell on the plate below in perfectly organised patterns. 19 Jun 2011, Rachel Cooke, The Observer
   3. The given spread, range etc. of shot fired from a gun.
   4. A particular sequence of events, facts etc. which can be understood, used to predict the future, or seen to have a mathematical, geometric, statistical etc. relationship.
      The three killings pointed to an ugly new shift in the enduring pattern of violence in Northern Ireland: the mostly Protestant Ulster police, or those suspected of affiliation with them, have become more prominent targets for the I.R.A. than the British troops. 6 Oct 1980, ‘Shifting Targets’, Time
      Look again at how the US and its allies behaved then, and the pattern is unmistakable. 14 Aug 2003, Kate Hudson, The Guardian
   5. (linguistics) An intelligible arrangement in a given area of language.
   6. (computing, music) A sequence of notes, percussion etc. in a tracker module, usable once or many times within the song.
      Pattern 10 is open in figure 3.9, showing the 64 notes in the pattern (each pattern in this song has 64 beats). 2008, Karen Collins, Game Sound, page 59
      A MOD file contains a number of short audio samples, and instructions or a “pattern” for how and when those samples are to be played. 2017, Gerard Goggin, Mark McLelland, The Routledge Companion to Global Internet Histories, page 444
   7. (cellular automata) A configuration of cells in a cellular automaton universe.
      For example, at one point it claims that in order to view a pattern capable of reproduction and evolution, one would need a computer with a screen the size of the solar system, and the pattern would be so sparse anyway as to be almost unobservable. 1989-05-06, Alan Hensel, “Looking for Life Newsletter”, in comp.theory.cell-automata (Usenet)
      The state of the pattern after 1.25 * 10^12 generations is here: 2010-03-20, Adam Goucher, “What is CA for?”, in comp.theory.cell-automata (Usenet)
      The isotropy means all patterns behave the same regardless of orientation in space, they can be flipped or rotated without changing their behavior. 2022-02-11, Mateon1, “Game of Life with real 8 neighbors”, in comp.theory.cell-automata (Usenet)
   8. (MLE) Any arrangement or agreement, or way of conducting business.
      I got so much of it, my cousins think I've got a pattern with Celine And that I'm lyin', when I say that I do no get it for free 2023-06-18, “100mph Freestyle x3”, Clavish (lyrics), 2:44

verb

1. To apply a pattern.
2. To make or design (anything) by, from, or after, something that serves as a pattern; to copy; to model; to imitate.
3. To follow an example.
   Under his system, patterned after the French, the army corps became a more mobile, flexible command. 1998, John B. Wilson, The Evolution of Divisions and Separate Brigades
4. To fit into a pattern.
5. (transitive) To serve as an example for.
6. (hunting, transitive) To observe an animal closely over time in order to discern its habitual movements and behaviours.
7. (MLE) To arrange, to organise, to fix.
   MALACHI: Are you two fucking mad? Listen, you need to pattern up, you know? 2022-06-02, Gabrielle Wood, 21:20 from the start, in Teddy Nygh, director, PRU (1), episode 2 (TV), spoken by Malachi (Billy Myagi)

adj

1. Of or in accordance with a usual pattern, or type; model; ideal.
   The parish duty was better attended to, and perhaps domestic duties also. At such period he was a pattern parson and a pattern husband, atoning to his own conscience for past shortcomings by present zeal. 1861, Anthony Trollope, Framley Parsonage