have something down pat
idiom

- having a skill or technique perfected; totally learned and mastered; completely memorised

- to know something so well that you can say or do it without having to try or think

- knowing something so well that it becomes second nature

Cambridge Dictionary / Oxford Languages

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PHRASE ORIGIN

The expression “down pat” derives from an old meaning of the noun “pat”, dating to around 1400 and referring to something like a strike with a hand weapon.

100 years later the word “down” was added, and the meaning altered to having completed or performed something perfectly.

“Down pat” is almost always used in a positive sense.

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DOWN-IDIOMS

- down to the wire = auf den letzten Drücker (We had to work late to get the project done down to the wire.)

- wind down = zur Ruhe kommen (She likes to wind down with a cup of tea after a long day at work.)

- down the line = zukünftig, später (We can discuss the details down the line after finalising the contract.)

- double-down = nochmal drauflegen (After losing the first round, they decided to double-down.)

- dress down = jemanden zurechtweisen (The manager dressed him down for his poor performance.)

- dumb down = vereinfachen (They dumbed down the instructions so everyone could follow them.)

- go down in history = in die Geschichte eingehen (This moment will go down in history.)

- down pat = aus dem Effeff, perfekt beherrschen (She had the recipe down pat after practicing it for years.)

- down under = Australien (He moved down under to start a new life.)

- Down the hatch! = Runter damit! hinunterschlucken (He said "Down the hatch" before drinking his fifth shot of whiskey.)

- get down to brass tacks = zur Sache kommen (Let's get down to brass tacks and discuss the contract details.) 

- down to a fine art = zur Perfektion bringen (She has the process of making coffee down to a fine art.)

- down by law = Gesetzlich festgelegt (That procedure is down by law and must be followed.)

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SELECTED SYNONYMS

aced, all sewn up, at one's fingertips, committed to memory, down solid, down to a T (to a fine art, to a science), etched on the mind, familiar as an old friend, got it licked, learned by heart (by rote), in one's bones, in the bag, inked in, inscribed in memory, letter perfect, on the nail, mastered, memorised, nailed, DOWN PAT, off pat, on point, right on, rolls off the tongue, stamped on the brain, well-rehearsed, without hesitation

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“I was able to make a favourable impression by learning my speech DOWN PAT.”

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