When he started his own business, he 'patterned himself after' [='modeled himself after'] his father. [=he tried to do the things that his father would do]
The company has put production in a 'holding pattern' [=has temporarily stopped production] while better testing methods are developed.
a 'dress pattern' [=a large piece of paper that is used as a guide for cutting the cloth to make a dress]
(..) Come on, Mulder. .... .... .... .... You see a pattern emerging here, Scully? I'll get you outta there! I need this building evacuated in ten minutes! Have the fire department block off a one-mile radius around the building! - Ten minutes? (..)1998 The X Files
(..) They have that covered. purpose of it is to allow us to find the bomb. The rational object of terrorism is to promote terror. There's a model behavioral pattern for every case where a threat has turned up a bomb. And if we ignore that data, as we have done... ...the chances are great that, (..)1998 The X Files