mat: Meaning and Definition of

mat

Pronunciation: (mat), [key]
— n., v., mat•ted, mat•ting.
—n.
  1. 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.
  2. a smaller piece of material, often ornamental, set under a dish of food, a lamp, vase, etc.
    1. the padded canvas covering the entire floor of a wrestling ring, for protecting the contestants from injury when thrown.
    2. a thick pad placed on the floor for the protection of tumblers and others engaged in gymnastic sports.
  3. a thickly growing or thick and tangled mass, as of hair or weeds.
  4. a sack made of matting, as for coffee or sugar.
  5. a slablike footing of concrete, esp. one for an entire building.
  6. a heavy mesh reinforcement for a concrete slab.
  7. to contend or struggle in a determined or unyielding way: The President is going to the mat with Congress over the proposed budget cuts.
—v.t.
  1. to cover with or as if with mats or matting.
  2. to form into a mat, as by interweaving.
—v.i.
  1. to become entangled; form tangled masses.

mat

Pronunciation: (mat), [key]
— n., v., mat•ted, mat•ting.
—n.
  1. a piece of cardboard or other material placed over or under a drawing, painting, photograph, etc., to serve as a frame or provide a border between the picture and the frame.
—v.t.
  1. to provide (a picture) with a mat.

mat

Pronunciation: (mat), [key]
— mat•ted, mat•ting.
  1. matte.

mat

Pronunciation: (mat), [key]
— n. Print.
  1. the intaglio, usually of papiermâché, impressed from type or a cut, from which a stereotype plate is cast.
  2. matrix (def. 8).

mat.

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. matins.
  2. maturity.

M.A.T.

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. Master of Arts in Teaching.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
See also:
  • mat (Thesaurus)