flatter

Multiple Entries:
  flatter    flat  

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
flatter/ˈflatə(r)/

▶verb

• 1 lavish compliments on, especially in order to further one's own interests.

  ■ (flatter oneself) believe something favourable about oneself, typically without foundation.

• 2 cause to feel honoured and pleased.

• 3 (of clothing or a colour) enhance the appearance of.

  ■ give an unrealistically favourable impression of.

• 4 archaic please (the ear or eye).

– phrases
flatter to deceive appear promising but ultimately disappoint.

– derivatives
flatterer noun,
flattering adjective,
flatteringly adverb.

– origin ME (as flattery): from OFr. flaterie, from flater ‘stroke, flatter’, prob. of Gmc origin and rel. to flat1.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
flat1

▶adjective (flatter, flattest)

• 1 having a level surface; without raised areas or indentations.

  ■ not sloping.

  ■ having a broad level surface but little height or depth: a flat box.

  ■ (of shoes) without high heels.

• 2 dull; lifeless: a flat voice.

  ■ showing little or no activity: sales were flat.

  ■ (of a photograph) lacking contrast.

• 3 (of a sparkling drink) having lost its effervescence.

• 4 Brit. (of a battery) having exhausted its charge.

• 5 (of something kept inflated) having lost some or all of its air.

• 6 (of a fee, charge, or price) unvarying; fixed: a flat rate of £250.

• 7 (of a negative statement) definite and firm: a flat denial.

• 8 (of musical sound) below true or normal pitch.

  ■ [postpos.] (of a key) having a flat or flats in the signature.

  ■ [postpos.] (of a note) a semitone lower than a specified note.

▶adverb

• 1 in or to a horizontal position.

  ■ lying in close juxtaposition to a surface.

  ■ so as to become level and even.

• 2 informal completely; absolutely: I'm turning you down flat.

• 3 emphasizing the speed of an action or task: prepare a meal in ten minutes flat.

• 4 below the true or normal pitch of musical sound.

▶noun

• 1 the flat part of something.

  ■ (flats) shoes with a very low heel or no heel.

• 2 (flats) an area of low level ground, especially near water.

• 3 informal a flat tyre.

• 4 an upright section of stage scenery.

• 5 (the Flat) Brit. flat racing.

• 6 a musical note lowered a semitone below natural pitch.

  ■ the sign (♭) indicating this.

• 7 N. Amer. a shallow container in which seedlings are grown.

▶verb (flats, flatting, flatted)

• 1 (usu. as adj. flatted) N. Amer. Music lower (a note) by a semitone.

• 2 archaic flatten.

– phrases
fall flat fail to produce the intended effect.
flat out

• 1 as fast or as hard as possible.

• 2 informal, chiefly N. Amer. unequivocally.

• 3 lying down in a state of exhaustion.

– derivatives
flatly adverb,
flatness noun,
flattish adjective.

– origin ME: from ON flatr.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
flat2

▶noun chiefly Brit. a set of rooms comprising an individual place of residence within a larger building. ▶verb (flats, flatting, flatted) Austral./NZ live in or share a flat.

– phrases
go flatting Austral./NZ leave one's family home to live in a flat.

– derivatives
flatlet noun.

– origin C19: alt. of obs. flet ‘floor, dwelling’, of Gmc origin and rel. to flat1.