Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To flutter; float.
  • noun One who or that which flattens or makes flat.
  • noun Specifically A hammer with a broad face, used by smiths in working flat faces.
  • noun In wire-drawing, a draw-plate with a flat orifice for drawing flat strips, as for watch-springs, skirt-wire, etc.
  • noun Also flattener.
  • To please or gratify, or seek to please or gratify, by praise, especially undue praise, or by obsequious attentions, submission, imitation, etc.; play upon the vanity or self-love of (a person) with a view to gain some advantage.
  • To produce self-complacency or a feeling of personal gratification in; please; charm: as, to feel flattered by approval.
  • To persuade of something which gives pleasure or satisfaction; give encouragement to; especially, to give pleasing but false impressions or encouragement to.
  • To make appear better than the reality warrants: as, the portrait flatters its subject.
  • To use language intended to gratify the vanity or self-love of a person; use undue praise.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb To use flattery or insincere praise.
  • noun One who, or that which, makes flat or flattens.
  • noun A flat-faced fulling hammer.
  • noun A drawplate with a narrow, rectangular orifice, for drawing flat strips, as watch springs, etc.
  • transitive verb To treat with praise or blandishments; to gratify or attempt to gratify the self-love or vanity of, esp. by artful and interested commendation or attentions; to blandish; to cajole; to wheedle.
  • transitive verb To raise hopes in; to encourage or favorable, but sometimes unfounded or deceitful, representations.
  • transitive verb To portray too favorably; to give a too favorable idea of.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective comparative form of flat: more flat
  • noun A type of set tool used by blacksmiths.
  • noun Someone who flattens, purposely or accidently. Also flattener.
  • verb To compliment someone, often insincerely and sometimes to win favour
  • verb To enhance someone's vanity by praising them
  • verb To portray something to advantage.
  • verb To convey notions of the facts that are believed to be favorable to the hearer without certainty of the truthfulness of the notions conveyed.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb praise somewhat dishonestly

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English flatteren, flateren ("to flutter, float, fawn over"), probably a conflation of Old English floterian ("to flutter, float, be disquieted"), from Proto-Germanic *flutrōnan (“to be floating”), from Proto-Indo-European *plewd-, *plew- (“to flow, swim”); and Old Norse flaðra ("to fawn on someone, flatter"), from Proto-Germanic *flaþrōnan (“to fawn over, flutter”), from Proto-Indo-European *peled- (“moisture, wetness”), *pel- (“to gush, pour out, fill, flow, swim, fly”). Cognate with Middle Dutch flatteren ("to embellish, flatter, caress"), German flattern ("to flutter"). The Middle English word may have been reinforced in meaning by unrelated Old French flatter ("to stroke, caress, flatter"), from Frankish *flat ("palm, flat of the hand"). More at flat.

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Examples

  • V. ii.823 (467,8) [To flatter up these powers of mine with rest] Dr. Warburton would read _fetter_, but _flatter_ or _sooth_ is, in my opinion, more apposite to the king's purpose than _fetter_.

    Notes to Shakespeare — Volume 01: Comedies Samuel Johnson 1746

  • Perhaps I again flatter myself, but I think I've contributed as much to the development and celebration of real American culture as Racistsentative Russell Pearce.

    SeeLight: 2008

  • Perhaps I again flatter myself, but I think I've contributed as much to the development and celebration of real American culture as Racistsentative Russell Pearce.

    Big News: Arizonans Still Xenophobic Racists 2008

  • The whole area is quite a bit lower than the survey indicates, and it's much "flatter" - the hills aren't as high, and the low spots aren't as low relative to the surrounding terrain.

    All Discussion Groups: Message List - root 2010

  • The more violent an act the flatter should be the presentation.

    CIDER SUNRISE • by Oonah V Joslin 2010

  • To be sedulous in promoting another’s good, also to flatter is to honour, as a sign we seek his protection or aid.

    Chapter X. Of Power, Worth, Dignity, Honour, and Worthiness 1909

  • Birk's street-front shop is piled high with all that's left over when most of us have been sold on the idea of flatter screens and a more well rounded sound and convenience beyond our dreams.

    Toronto Sun 2009

  • The new, " flatter " structure would give Mr. Burke — who is slated to be NBC Universal ' s chief executive — more direct oversight of the company ' s biggest assets: cable and broadcast television networks.

    Comcast to Reorganize, Streamline Executive Suite at NBC Universal Sam Schechner 2010

  • I really like the witch postcard - the only reason the house looks like it has legs is because of the angle you've set them at - if you'd arranged them 'flatter' ie more horizontal it would work - I think the concept is terrific!

    Wicked Witch katelnorth 2007

  • The planet isn't just getting smaller and "flatter," it's also becoming smarter.

    Let's Spend on Broadband and the Power Grid Samuel J. Palmisano 2009

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