1. (a.) Obvious; evident; apparent; unconcealed; as to work with patent efficiency.

2. (a.) Open to public perusal; -- said of a document conferring some right or privilege; as, letters patent. See Letter.

3. (a.) Appropriated or protected by letters patent; secured by official authority to the exclusive possession, control, and disposal of some person or party; patented; as, a patent right; patent medicines.

4. (a.) Spreading; forming a nearly right angle with the steam or branch; as, a patent leaf.

5. (n.) A letter patent, or letters patent; an official document, issued by a sovereign power, conferring a right or privilege on some person or party.

6. (n.) A writing securing to an invention.

7. (n.) A document making a grant and conveyance of public lands.

8. (n.) The right or privilege conferred by such a document; hence, figuratively, a right, privilege, or license of the nature of a patent.

9. (v. t.) To grant by patent; to make the subject of a patent; to secure or protect by patent; as, to patent an invention; to patent public lands.

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