pet

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)

CIDE DICTIONARY

pet, n. [Formerly peat, perhaps from Ir. peat, akin to Gael. peata.].

•  A cade lamb; a lamb brought up by hand.  [1913 Webster]
•  Any person especially cherished and indulged; a fondling; a darling; often, a favorite child.  [1913 Webster]

  "The love of cronies, pets, and favorites."  [1913 Webster]
•  A slight fit of peevishness or fretfulness.  Tennyson.  [1913 Webster]
•  Any animal kept as a companion, usually in or around one's home, typically domesticated and cared for attentively and often affectionately. Distinguished from animals raised for food or to perform useful tasks, as a draft animal.  [PJC]

pet, a. 

 Petted; indulged; admired; cherished; as, a pet child; a pet lamb; a pet theory; a pet animal.  [1913 Webster]
"Some young lady's pet curate."  [1913 Webster]

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.

pet, v. t. 

 To treat as a pet; to fondle; to indulge; as, she was petted and spoiled.  [1913 Webster]

pet, v. i. 

 To be a pet.  Feltham.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

pet, n., adj., & v.
--n.
1 a domestic or tamed animal kept for pleasure or companionship.
2 a darling, a favourite (often as a term of endearment).
--attrib.adj.
1 kept as a pet (pet lamb).
2 of or for pet animals (pet food).
3 often joc. favourite or particular (pet aversion).
4 expressing fondness or familiarity (pet name).
--v.tr. (petted, petting)
1 treat as a pet.
2 (also absol.) fondle, esp. erotically.

Derivative

petter n.

pet, n. a feeling of petty resentment or ill-humour (esp. be in a pet).

Etymology

16th c.: orig. unkn.

THESAURUS

pet

admired, adored, angel, babe, baby, baby-doll, beloved, bill and coo, buttercup, caress, cherished, cherub, chick, chickabiddy, cocker, coddle, copulate, cosset, cuddle, dally, dandle, darling, dear, dearly beloved, deary, doll, duck, duckling, dudgeon, embrace, esteemed, favorite, feel up, ferment, fondle, fondling, fret, frictionize, fume, grump, held dear, high dudgeon, hon, honey, honey bunch, honey child, huff, hug, idol, jewel, knead, lamb, lambkin, lollygag, love, loved, lover, make love, make out, massage, matinee idol, miff, minion, neck, nose, nuzzle, pat, petkins, pique, popular, pout, precious, precious heart, preference, prized, revered, rub, rub against, rub down, rub noses, smooch, snookums, spoiled child, spoon, stew, stroke, sugar, sweet, sweet-talk, sweetheart, sweetie, sweetkins, sweets, tiff, toy, treasured, trifle, wanton, well-beloved, well-liked, whisper sweet nothings, white-haired

ROGET THESAURUS

pet

Love

VB love, like, affect, fancy, care for, take an interest in, be partial to, sympathize with, affection, be in love with, have a love, for, entertain a love, for, harbor cherish a love, for, regard, revere, take to, bear love to, be wedded to, set one's affections on, make much of, feast one's eyes on, hold dear, prize, hug, cling to, cherish, pet, burn, adore, idolize, love to distraction, aimer eperdument, dote on, dote upon, take a fancy to, look sweet upon, become enamored, fall in love with, lose one's heart, desire, excite love, win the heart, gain the heart, win the affections, gain the affections, secure the love, engage the affections, take the fancy of have a place in the heart, wind round the heart, attract, attach, endear, charm, fascinate, captivate, bewitch, seduce, enamor, enrapture, turn the head, get into favor, ingratiate oneself, insinuate oneself, worm oneself, propitiate, curry favor with, pay one's court to, faire l'aimable, set one's cap at, flirt.

N love, fondness, liking, inclination, regard, dilection, admiration, fancy, affection, sympathy, fellow-feeling, tenderness, heart, brotherly love, benevolence, attachment, yearning, eros, tender passion, amour, gyneolatry, gallantry, passion, flame, devotion, fervor, enthusiasm, transport of love, rapture, enchantment, infatuation, adoration, idolatry, Cupid, Venus, myrtle, true lover's knot, love token, love suit, love affair, love tale, love story, the, old story, plighted love, courtship, amourette, free love, maternal love, storge, parental love, young love, puppy love, attractiveness, popularity, favorite, lover, suitor, follower, admirer, adorer, wooer, amoret, beau, sweetheart, inamorato, swain, young man, flame, love, truelove, leman, Lothario, gallant, paramour, amoroso, cavaliere servente, captive, cicisbeo, caro sposo, inamorata, ladylove, idol, darling, duck, Dulcinea, angel, goddess, cara sposa, betrothed, affianced, fiancee, flirt, coquette, amorette, pair of turtledoves, abode of love, agapemone, loving, fond of, taken with, struck with, smitten, bitten, attached to, wedded to, enamored, charmed, in love, love-sick, over head and ears in love, head over heels in love, affectionate, tender, sweet upon, sympathetic, loving, amorous, amatory, fond, erotic, uxorious, ardent, passionate, rapturous, devoted, motherly, loved, beloved well beloved, dearly beloved, dear, precious, darling, pet, little, favorite, popular, congenial, after one's mind, after one's taste, after one's fancy, after one's own heart, to one's mind, to one's taste, to one's fancy, to one's own heart, in one's good graces, dear as the apple of one's eye, nearest to one's heart, lovable, adorable, lovely, sweet, attractive, seductive, winning, charming, engaging, interesting, enchanting, captivating, fascinating, bewitching, amiable, like an angel, amantes amentes, credula res amor est, militat omnis amasius, love conquers all, omnia vincit amor, si vis amari ama, the sweetest joy, the wildest woe.

Favorite

N favorite, pet, cosset, minion, idol, jewel, spoiled child, enfant gat_e, led captain, crony, fondling, apple of one's eye, man after one's own heart, persona grata, love dear, darling, duck, duckey, honey, sugar, jewel, mopsey, moppet, princess, sweetheart, sweetie, teacher's pet, general favorite, universal favorite, idol of the people.

Resentment

N resentment, displeasure, animosity, anger, wrath, indignation, exasperation, bitter resentment, wrathful indignation, pique, umbrage, huff, miff, soreness, dudgeon, acerbity, virulence, bitterness, acrimony, asperity, spleen, gall, heart-burning, heart-swelling, rankling, ill humor, bad humor, ill temper, bad temper, irascibility, ill blood, revenge, excitement, irritation, warmth, bile, choler, ire, fume, pucker, dander, ferment, ebullition, towering passion, acharnement, angry mood, taking, pet, tiff, passion, fit, tantrums, burst, explosion, paroxysm, storm, rage, fury, desperation, violence, fire and fury, vials of wrath, gnashing of teeth, hot blood, high words, scowl, sulks, affront, provocation, offense, indignity, grudge, crow to pluck, bone to pick, sore subject, casus belli, ill turn, outrage, Furies, Eumenides, buffet, slap in the face, box on the ear, rap on the knuckles, angry, wrath, irate, ireful, wrathful, cross, Achillean, sulky, bitter, virulent, acrimonious &c (discourteous), violent, warm, burning, boiling, boiling over, fuming, raging, foaming, foaming at the mouth, convulsed with rage, offended, waxy, acharne, wrought, worked up, indignant, hurt, sore, set against, fierce, wild, rageful, furious, mad with rage, fiery, infuriate, rabid, savage, relentless, flushed with anger, flushed with rage, in a huff, in a stew, in a fume, in a pucker, in a passion, in a rage, in a fury, in a taking, in a way, on one's high ropes, up in arms, in high dudgeon, angrily, in the height of passion, in the heat of passion, in the heat of the moment, Int, tantaene animis coelestibus irae!, marry come up!, zounds!, 'sdeath!, one's blood being up, one's back being up, one's monkey being up, fervens difficili bile jecur, the gorge rising, eyes flashing fire, the blood rising, the blood boiling, haeret lateri lethalis arundo, beware the fury of a patient man, furor arma ministrat, ira furor brevis est, quem Jupiter vult perdere dementat prius, What, drunk with choler?.

Endearment

VB caress, fondle, pet, dandle, pat, pat on the head, pat on the cheek, chuck under the chin, smile upon, coax, wheedle, cosset, coddle, cocker, cockle, make of, make much of, cherish, foster, kill with kindness, clasp, hug, cuddle, fold in one's arms, strain in one's arms, nestle, nuzzle, embrace, kiss, buss, smack, blow a kiss, salute, fold to the heart, press to the bosom, bill and coo, spoon, toy, dally, flirt, coquet, gallivant, galavant, philander, make love, pay one's court to, pay one's addresses to, pay one's attentions to, serenade, court, woo, set one's cap at, be sweet upon, look sweet upon, ogle, cast sheep's eyes upon, faire les yeux doux, fall in love with, win the affections, die for, propose, make an offer, have an offer, pop the question, plight one's troth, plight one's faith.

Flattery

VB flatter, praise to the skies, puff, wheedle, cajole, glaver, coax, fawn upon, faun upon, humor, gloze, soothe, pet, coquet, slaver, butter, jolly, bespatter, beslubber, beplaster, beslaver, lay it on thick, overpraise, earwig, cog, collogue, truckle to, pander to, pandar to, suck up to, kiss the ass of, pay court to, court, creep into the good graces of, curry favor with, hang on the sleeve of, fool to the top of one's bent, lick the dust, lay the flattering unction to one's soul, gild the pill, make things pleasant, overestimate, exaggerate.