What is the verb form of fat? Exploring "Fatten" and Its Nuances

When we talk about the word "fat," most of us immediately think of it as an adjective, describing something that is plump, overweight, or containing a high amount of fat. For example, we might say, "That steak looks a little fat," or "The cat is getting a bit fat." However, the English language is full of surprises, and "fat" does indeed have a verb form. That verb form is "fatten."

The verb "fatten" means to make something or someone fat or fatter. It implies a process of adding weight or increasing the amount of fat. This can apply to living beings, food, or even abstract concepts in a figurative sense.

Understanding the Usage of "Fatten"

Let's break down how "fatten" is used in different contexts:

Making Living Beings Gain Weight: This is perhaps the most common usage. We might say farmers fatten their livestock for market, meaning they feed them special diets to increase their weight and fat content.
Example: "The farmer worked hard to fatten the pigs before the county fair."
Making Food Richer or Greasier: In cooking, "fatten" can refer to adding fat to food to make it richer or more palatable. This might involve adding butter, oil, or cream.
Example: "She decided to fatten the sauce with a tablespoon of heavy cream."
Figurative Meanings: While less common, "fatten" can be used figuratively to suggest making something more substantial or profitable, often with a slightly negative connotation of excess.
Example: "The company seemed to be trying to fatten its profits by cutting corners on quality."

"Fatten" vs. "Get Fat"

It's important to distinguish between "fatten" and the phrase "get fat."

"Fatten" is a transitive verb, meaning it requires a direct object. Someone or something fattens something else.
"Get fat" is an intransitive phrase. Someone or something gets fat. It describes the state of becoming fat.

Consider these examples:

Transitive (using "fatten"): "The abundance of food allowed the birds to fatten themselves." (The birds are the object being fattened.)

Intransitive (using "get fat"): "After the holidays, many people realize they have gotten fat." (This describes their own state.)

Synonyms and Related Terms

While "fatten" is the direct verb form, other words and phrases convey similar meanings:

To gain weight
To put on weight
To get plump
To enrich (in cooking)
To grease (in cooking)

In the context of animals, terms like "finish" or "finish feeding" are sometimes used by farmers to describe the final stage of feeding animals to achieve optimal weight for slaughter.

The Opposite of "Fatten"

The opposite of "fatten" is often expressed as "to slim," "to reduce," "to trim," or "to make lean." These verbs describe the process of losing weight or reducing fat content.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do you use "fatten" in a sentence?

You use "fatten" by identifying what is being made to gain weight or fat. For instance, "The goal of the feeding program was to fatten the cattle quickly."

Why is "fatten" the verb form of "fat"?

Like many adjectives in English that describe a quality, they can often be turned into verbs by adding suffixes like "-en" to indicate the process of becoming that quality. Think of "broad" becoming "broaden" or "short" becoming "shorten." "Fat" follows this pattern.

Can "fatten" be used for humans?

While it's not typically used in polite conversation about people, in a medical or scientific context, or in informal, sometimes insensitive remarks, "fatten" can be used to describe humans gaining weight. For example, "The inactivity began to fatten him up."

Are there any other verb forms related to "fat"?

The primary verb form is "fatten." While you might hear phrases like "to fat-check" in certain niche contexts (e.g., the automotive industry referring to a specific type of lubrication), "fatten" is the standard and most widely recognized verb form of "fat."