pet
[noun]
Synonyms:
- favourite, darling, idol, jewel, treasure
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- favourite, cherished, dearest, dear to one's heart
[verb]
Synonyms:
- pamper, baby, coddle, cosset, mollycoddle, spoil
- fondle, caress, pat, stroke
- cuddle, canoodle (slang), kiss, neck (informal), smooch (informal), snog (Brit. slang)

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Related Words: embrace, hug

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English Thesaurus: touch, feel, handle, finger, rub, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. pet¹ /pet/ noun
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Perhaps from petty 'small']

1. [countable] an animal such as a cat or a dog which you keep and care for at home:
They have two pets - a cat and a dog.
We weren't allowed to keep pets at school.
Rabbits make good pets.
pet rabbit/bird etc
He got bitten by his pet rabbit.
pet food
a pet shop

2. British English spoken used when speaking to someone you like or love:
Don’t cry, pet.
⇒ TEACHER’S PET

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. pet² verb (past tense and past participle petted, present participle petting) [transitive]
to touch and move your hand gently over someone, especially an animal or a child ⇒ stroke:
Our cat loves being petted.
⇒ petting

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

III. pet³ adjective

1. pet project/theory/subject a plan, idea, or subject that you particularly like or are interested in

2. pet hate British English, pet peeve American English something that you strongly dislike because it always annoys you:
TV game shows are one of my pet hates.
⇒ pet name

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

pet
noun
ADJ. domestic, family, household
VERB + PET have, keep
PET + NOUN shop | cat, dog, rabbit, etc. | owner | food

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

pet

have a pet
Do you have any pets?
keep a pet (=have one in your home)
Tenants aren’t allowed to keep pets.
Many species of parrot can be kept as pets.
make good/ideal etc pets (=be good/very good as pets)
Do rabbits make good pets?
a family pet
These dogs make an ideal family pet.
a domestic/household pet
Cats and other domestic pets give their owners a lot of pleasure.
an exotic pet (=from a foreign country and not seen or found very often)
Often the owners do not know how to care for these exotic pets.
a pet dog/cat/rabbit etc
I used to have a pet rabbit when I was young.
pet food
cans of pet food
a pet shop
Your local pet shop will have a variety of different collars.
a pet owner
During hot summer days, pet owners should keep their pet indoors.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

touch to put your fingers or hand onto someone or something for a very short time:
Don’t touch the iron – it’s hot!
feel to touch something with your fingers in order to find out about it:
Feel how soft this material is.
I felt his forehead. It was cold.
handle to touch something and pick it up and hold it in your hands:
Children should always wash their hands before handling food.
The glass was very fragile, and she handled it with great care.
Please do not handle the merchandise.
finger to touch or handle something with your fingers, especially while you are thinking of other things:
She fingered the heavy necklace around her neck.
rub to move your hand over a surface while pressing it:
Bob rubbed his eyes and yawned.
scratch to rub part of your body with your nails, often because it ITCHES:
The dog kept scratching its ear.
Bob scratched his head thoughtfully.
tickle to move your fingers lightly over someone’s body in order to make them laugh:
The baby giggled as I tickled him.
grope to touch someone’s body in a sexual way when they do not want to be touched:
The officer was accused of groping several women in his platoon.
stroke to move your hand gently over something, especially in a loving way:
She stroked the child’s hair.
Our cat won’t let people stroke him.
pat to touch an animal or child lightly several times, with your hand flat:
He knelt down to pat the dog.
She patted the little boy’s head.
pet to touch and move your hand gently over someone, especially an animal or child:
The goats, pigs, sheep, and cows here allow you to pet them.
caress /kəˈres/ to gently touch a part of someone’s body in a loving way:
a mother caressing her child
She caressed his cheek.
fondle to touch a part of someone’s body in a loving or sexual way – use this especially about touching someone in a sexual way that is not wanted:
He tried to fondle her and she immediately pulled away from him.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

PET
Parent Effectiveness Training 
Personal Electronic Transactor (early Commodore PC) 
Positron Emission Tomography

[TahlilGaran] Acronyms and Abbreviations Dictionary ▲