Mat

mat¹

a. a heavy net of cable or rope laid over a blasting site to prevent the scatter of debris

b. a heavy mesh of reinforcement in a concrete slab

c. (esp US) a steel or concrete raft serving as a footing to support a post

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mat²

Art a border of cardboard, cloth, etc., placed around a picture to act as a frame or as a contrast between picture and frame

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mat [mat]

(civil engineering)

A steel or concrete footing under a post.

Mesh reinforcement in a concrete slab.

A heavy steel-mesh blanket used to suppress rock fragments during blasting.

(materials)

Randomly distributed felt or glass fibers used in reinforced-plastics lay-up molding.

(mining engineering)

An accumulation of broken mine timbers, rock, earth, and other debris coincident with the caving system of mining.

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mat

1. See matte.

2. See mattress.

3. A very heavy, flexible blanket of steel mesh, woven wire rope, or chain; used to confine fragments of rock during blasting.

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matte, mat, matt

A surface finish which is dull, with little or no gloss or sheen, and with low light reflectivity.

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Mat 

a quaking bog, a growth of vegetation floating on the surface of a body of water. It is formed primarily of mosses or other swamp plants (for example, sedges and buckbean). As the thickness of the mat increases (up to 1 to 2 m), its lower layers decay and fall to the bottom, forming peat.

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Mat 

in sports, a soft padding that protects athletes against injuries when they fall from equipment or execute jumps.