"pats" in the noun sense
1. pat, rap, tap
the sound made by a gentle blow
2. tap, pat, dab
a light touch or stroke
"pats" in the verb sense
1. chuck, pat
pat or squeeze fondly or playfully, especially under the chin
2. dab, pat
hit lightly
"pat him on the shoulder"
Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)
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