Pa"tient (?), a. [F., fr. L.
patiens, -entis, p. pr. of pati to suffer. Cf.
Pathos, Passion.] 1. Having the
quality of enduring; physically able to suffer or bear.
Patient of severest toil and
hardship.
Bp. Fell.
2. Undergoing pains, trails, or the like,
without murmuring or fretfulness; bearing up with equanimity against
trouble; long-suffering.
3. Constant in pursuit or exertion;
persevering; calmly diligent; as, patient endeavor.
Whatever I have done is due to patient
thought.
Sir I. Newton.
4. Expectant with calmness, or without
discontent; not hasty; not overeager; composed.
Not patient to expect the turns of
fate.
Prior.
5. Forbearing; long-suffering.
Be patient toward all men.
1
Thess. v. 14.Pa"tient, n. 1. ONe
who, or that which, is passively affected; a passive
recipient.
Malice is a passion so impetuous and precipitate that
often involves the agent and the patient.
Gov.
of Tongue.
2. A person under medical or surgical
treatment; -- correlative to physician or
nurse.
Like a physician, . . . seeing his patient in a
pestilent fever.
Sir P. Sidney.
In patient, a patient who receives lodging
and food, as treatment, in a hospital or an infirmary. --
Out patient, one who receives advice and
medicine, or treatment, from an infirmary.
Pa"tient, v. t. To compose, to
calm. [Obs.] "Patient yourself, madam." Shak.