mat

[ mat ]

/ mæt /

noun

a piece of fabric made of plaited or woven rushes, straw, hemp, or similar fiber, or of some other pliant material, as rubber, used as a protective covering on a floor or other surface, to wipe the shoes on, etc.

a smaller piece of material, often ornamental, set under a dish of food, a lamp, vase, etc.

Sports.

the padded canvas covering the entire floor of a wrestling ring, for protecting the contestants from injury when thrown.
a thick pad placed on the floor for the protection of tumblers and others engaged in gymnastic sports.

a thickly growing or thick and tangled mass, as of hair or weeds.

a sack made of matting, as for coffee or sugar.

a slablike footing of concrete, especially one for an entire building.

a heavy mesh reinforcement for a concrete slab.

verb (used with object), mat·ted, mat·ting.

to cover with or as if with mats or matting.

to form into a mat, as by interweaving.

verb (used without object), mat·ted, mat·ting.

to become entangled; form tangled masses.

Idioms for mat

go to the mat, to contend or struggle in a determined or unyielding way: The president is going to the mat with Congress over the proposed budget cuts.

Origin of mat

before 900; Middle English, Old English matte < Late Latin matta mat of rushes < Semitic; compare Hebrew mittāh bed

OTHER WORDS FROM mat

mat·less, adjective

Words nearby mat

masur, masuria, masurian, masurium, masvingo, mat, mat grass, mat., mat.e., mata hari, mata-mata

British Dictionary definitions for go to the mat (1 of 3)

mat ¹

/ (mæt) /

noun

a thick flat piece of fabric used as a floor covering, a place to wipe one's shoes, etc

a smaller pad of material used to protect a surface from the heat, scratches, etc, of an object placed upon it

a large piece of thick padded material put on the floor as a surface for wrestling, judo, or gymnastic sports

NZ a Māori cloak

go back to the mat NZ to abandon urban civilization

any surface or mass that is densely interwoven or tangled a mat of grass and weeds

the solid part of a lace design

a heavy net of cable or rope laid over a blasting site to prevent the scatter of debris
a heavy mesh of reinforcement in a concrete slab
(esp US) a steel or concrete raft serving as a footing to support a post

civil engineering short for mattress (def. 3)

verb mats, matting or matted

to tangle or weave or become tangled or woven into a dense mass

(tr) to cover with a mat or mats

Derived forms of mat

matless, adjective

Word Origin for mat

Old English matte; related to Old High German matta

British Dictionary definitions for go to the mat (2 of 3)

mat ²

/ (mæt) /

noun

a border of cardboard, cloth, etc, placed around a picture to act as a frame or as a contrast between picture and frame

a surface, as on metal or paint

adjective

having a dull, lustreless, or roughened surface

verb mats, matting or matted (tr)

to furnish (a picture) with a mat

to give (a surface) a mat finish

Also (for senses 2, 4): matt

Word Origin for mat

C17: from French, literally: dead; see checkmate

British Dictionary definitions for go to the mat (3 of 3)

mat ³

/ (mæt) /

noun

printing informal short for matrix (def. 5)

Idioms and Phrases with go to the mat (1 of 2)

go to the mat

Fight until one side or another is victorious, as in The governor said he'd go to the mat for this bill. This term comes from wrestling and evokes the holding of an opponent when both contestants are down on the mat, the padded floor-covering used in matches. It has been used figuratively since about 1900.

Idioms and Phrases with go to the mat (2 of 2)

mat

see go to the mat; welcome mat.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

mat

noun

verb (used with object), mat·ted, mat·ting.

verb (used without object), mat·ted, mat·ting.

Idioms for mat

Origin of mat

OTHER WORDS FROM mat

Words nearby mat

British Dictionary definitions for go to the mat (1 of 3)

noun

verb mats, matting or matted

Derived forms of mat

Word Origin for mat

British Dictionary definitions for go to the mat (2 of 3)

noun

adjective

verb mats, matting or matted (tr)

Word Origin for mat

British Dictionary definitions for go to the mat (3 of 3)

noun

Idioms and Phrases with go to the mat (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with go to the mat (2 of 2)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

mat

noun

verb (used with object), mat·ted, mat·ting.

verb (used without object), mat·ted, mat·ting.

Idioms for mat

Origin of mat

OTHER WORDS FROM mat

Words nearby mat

Words related to go to the mat

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for go to the mat (1 of 3)

noun

verb mats, matting or matted

Derived forms of mat

Word Origin for mat

British Dictionary definitions for go to the mat (2 of 3)

noun

adjective

verb mats, matting or matted (tr)

Word Origin for mat

British Dictionary definitions for go to the mat (3 of 3)

noun

Idioms and Phrases with go to the mat (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with go to the mat (2 of 2)

British Dictionary definitions for go to the mat (1 of 3)