Hypertext Webster Gateway: "pet"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Pet \Pet\, n. [Formerly peat, perhaps from Ir. peat, akin to
Gael. peata.]
1. A cade lamb; a lamb brought up by hand.
2. Any person or animal especially cherished and indulged; a
fondling; a darling; often, a favorite child.
The love of cronies, pets, and favorites. --Tatler.
3. [Prob. fr. {Pet} a fondling, hence, the behavior or humor
of a spoiled child.] A slight fit of peevishness or
fretfulness. ``In a pet she started up.'' --Tennyson.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Pet \Pet\, a.
Petted; indulged; admired; cherished; as, a pet child; a pet
lamb; a pet theory.
Some young lady's pet curate. --F. Harrison.
{Pet cock}. [Perh. for petty cock.] (Mach.) A little faucet
in a water pipe or pump, to let air out, or at the end of
a steam cylinder, to drain it.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Pet \Pet\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Petted}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Petting}.]
To treat as a pet; to fondle; to indulge; as, she was petted
and spoiled.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Pet \Pet\, v. i.
To be a pet. --Feltham.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
pet
adj : preferred above all others and treated with partiality; "the
favored child" [syn: {favored}, {favorite(a)}, {favourite(a)},
{preferred}]
n 1: a domesticated animal kept for companionship or amusement
2: a special loved one [syn: {darling}, {favorite}, {favourite},
{dearie}, {deary}, {ducky}]
3: a fit of petulance or sulkiness (especially at what is felt
to be a slight)
4: using a computerized radiographic technique to examine the
metabolic activity in various tissues (especially in the
brain) [syn: {positron emission tomography}, {PET}]
v 1: stroke or caress gently; "pet the lamb"
2: stroke or caress in an erotic manner, as during lovemaking
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