Abarim Publications' online Biblical Hebrew Dictionary
פתת
The verb פתת (patat) means to break up or crumble. It occurs in Leviticus 2:6 only but from it come:
- The feminine noun פת (pat), meaning fragment. This word is most often used to describe a morsel of bread (Genesis 18:5, Judges 19:5, 1 Samuel 2:36).
- The masculine plural noun פתות (patot), meaning fragments or a fragmented substance (Ezekiel 13:19 only).
תף
The noun תף (top) describes a drum or tambourine (Genesis 31:27, Exodus 15:20, 1 Samuel 10:5). It's not clear where this word comes from, but here at Abarim Publications we surmise that drums were used to imitate the sound of things breaking (see פתת, patat, above). It may not be obvious to the modern reader why the sound of things breaking might have been attractive to the ancient Israelites, but our word "science" closely relates to the similar Greek verb σχιζω (schizo), to break, split or divide. Ergo: the sound of things breaking is the sound of scientific investigation.
- The verb תפף (tapap) means to beat a drum or tambourine (or one's chest). It's a denominative verb, derived from the noun above, and is used only in Psalm 68:25 and Nahum 2:7.