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stand pat

To play one's hand without drawing any more cards.

Etymology:

  • Probably originally a poker phrase, with "pat" equaling "optimal", meaning that drawing more cards is unnecessary. Later the phrase came to be employed in other spheres. "Stand pat" was actively used in U.S. political campaigns of the 1900s, quickly gaining a sense of "being reactionary, resistant to dramatic changes in policy". Moreover, a noun "standpatter\stand-patter" was coined to denote such politicians.
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Submitted on July 07, 2010

Additional definitions for 'stand pat':

stand patTo resist changes.
stand patTo stop hitting.
See them all »

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    "stand pat." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/stand-pat_15078>.

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