Webster's English Dictionary

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patent

Cross references:
  1. evident               
 
1. pa.tent \4-7 are 'pat-*nt, 'pa-t-; 1-3 are 'pat-, Brit 'pat-\ aj [ME, 
   fr. MF, fr. L patent-, patens, fr. prp. of pate-re] or 'pa-t- 1a: open to 
   public inspection - used chiefly in the phrase letters pa tent 1b: 
   conferred or appointed by letters patent  1c: appropriated or protected by 
   letters patent : PATENTED  2: of, relating to, or concerned with the 
   granting of patents esp. for inv entions 3a: marketed as a proprietary 
   commodity {a ~ can opener}  3b: making exclusive or proprietary claims or 
   pretensions  4: OPEN, UNOBSTRUCTED  5: PATULOUS, SPREADING  archaic  6: 
   ACCESSIBLE, EXPOSED  7: OBVIOUS  - pa.tent.ly av
2. pat.ent \'pat-*nt, Brit also 'pa-t-\ n 1: an official document 
   conferring a right or privilege : LETTERS PATE NT 2a: a writing securing to 
   an inventor for a term of years the exclusive rig ht to make, use, or sell 
   his invention 2b: the monopoly or right so granted  2c: a patented 
   invention  3: PRIVILEGE, LICENSE  4: an instrument making a conveyance or 
   grant of public lands; also :: the land so conveyed
3. pat.ent \.pat-*nt-*-'bil-*t-e-, Brit also .pa-t-\ \'pat-*nt-*-b*l, Brit 
   also 'pa-t-\ vt 1: to grant a privilege, right, or license to by patent  2: 
   to obtain or secure by patent; esp : to secure by letters paten t exclusive 
   right to make, use, or sell 3: to obtain or grant a patent right to  - 
   pat.ent.abil.i.ty n