"patent" in the noun sense
1. patent, patent of invention
a document granting an inventor sole rights to an invention
2. patent, letters patent
an official document granting a right or privilege
"patent" in the verb sense
1. patent
obtain a patent for
"Should I patent this invention?"
2. patent
grant rights to grant a patent for
3. patent
make open to sight or notice
"His behavior has patented an embarrassing fact about him"
"patent" in the adjective sense
1. patent
of a bodily tube or passageway) open affording free passage
"patent ductus arteriosus"
2. apparent, evident, manifest, palpable, patent, plain, unmistakable
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
"the effects of the drought are apparent to anyone who sees the parched fields"
"evident hostility"
"manifest disapproval"
"patent advantages"
"made his meaning plain"
"it is plain that he is no reactionary"
"in plain view"
"a palpable lie"
Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)
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