pad¹ / pad/ • n. 1. a thick piece of soft material used to reduce friction or jarring, enlarge or change the shape of something, or hold or absorb liquid: sterile gauze pads. ∎ short for ink pad. ∎  the fleshy underpart of an animal's foot or of a human finger. ∎  a protective guard worn by a sports player to protect a part of the body from blows.2. a number of sheets of blank paper fastened together at one edge, used for writing or drawing on.3. a flat-topped structure or area used for helicopter takeoff and landing or for rocket launching. ∎  Electr. a flat area on a track of a printed circuit or on the edge of an integrated circuit to which wires or component leads can be attached to make an electrical connection.4. inf. a person's home: the police raided my pad.5. short for lily pad.• v. (pad·ded, pad·ding) [tr.] [often as adj.] (padded) fill or cover (something) with a soft material in order to give it a particular shape, protect it or its contents, or make it more comfortable: a padded envelope. ∎  add false items to (an expense report or bill) in order to receive unjustified payment: faked repairs and padded expenses for government work reaped billions of dollars for the Mafia.pad² • v. (pad·ded, pad·ding) [intr.] walk with steady steps making a soft dull sound: she padded along the corridor. ∎  [tr.] travel along (a road or route) on foot: he was padding the streets.• n. [in sing.] the soft dull sound of steady steps: he heard the pad of feet.