/ Dictionary / Index B back-patting: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: back-pat•ting Pronunciation: (bak'pat"ing), [key] — n. an act or instance of offering praise or congratulation: The winners indulged in a certain amount of mutual back-patting. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. back-paddle back-pedal Related Content Daily Word Quiz: rustic Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language