flat

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Contents

English [edit]

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Pronunciation [edit]

Etymology 1 [edit]

From Old Norse[1] flatr (Norwegian and Swedish flat, Danish flad), from Proto-Germanic *flataz, from Proto-Indo-European *plat- (“flat”); akin to German Flöz (“a geological layer”), Ancient Greek πλατύς, Latvian plats, Sanskrit प्रत्हस् (“extension”)[2].

Adjective [edit]

flat (comparative flatter, superlative flattest)

  1. Having no variations in altitude.
    The land around here is flat.
  2. (of a tire or other inflated object) Deflated, especially because of a puncture.
  3. (music, note) Lowered by one semitone.
  4. (music) Of a note or voice, lower in pitch than it should be.
  5. (music, voice) Without variations in pitch.
  6. Of a carbonated drink, with all or most of its carbon dioxide having come out of solution so that the drink no longer fizzes or contains any bubbles.
  7. Uninteresting.
    The party was a bit flat.
  8. (wine) Lacking acidity without being sweet.
  9. Absolute.
    His claim was in flat contradiction to experimental results.
    I'm not going to the party and that's flat.
  10. (slang) Describing certain features, usually the breasts or buttocks, that are extremely small or not visible at all.
    That girl is completely flat on both sides.
  11. (of a battery) Unable to generate power; dead.
  12. (juggling, of a throw) Without spin; spinless.
Synonyms [edit]
Antonyms [edit]
  • (having no variations in altitude): bumpy, cratered, hilly (of terrain), rough (of a surface), wrinkled (of a surface)
  • (music: lowered by one semitone): sharp
  • (music: lower in pitch than it should be): sharp
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
having no variations in altitude
of a tire: deflated
without variations in pitch
lowered by one semitone
lower in pitch than it should be
with its carbon dioxide having come out of solution
uninteresting
unable to generate power
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked

Adverb [edit]

flat (comparative more flat, superlative most flat)

  1. So as to be flat.
    Spread the tablecloth flat over the table.
  2. Bluntly.
    I asked him if he wanted to marry me and he turned me down flat.
  3. (with units of time, distance, etc) Not exceeding.
    He can run a mile in four minutes flat.
  4. Completely.
    I am flat broke this month.
Synonyms [edit]
Translations [edit]
so as to be flat
bluntly
with units of time, distance, etc: not exceeding
completely

Noun [edit]

A flat tire

flat (plural flats)

  1. An area of level ground.
  2. (music) A note played a semitone lower than a natural, denoted by the symbol ♭ sign placed after the letter representing the note (e.g., B♭) or in front of the note symbol (e.g. ♭♪).
  3. (informal, automotive) A flat tyre/tire.
  4. (in the plural) A type of ladies' shoes with very low heels.
    She liked to walk in her flats more than in her high heels.
  5. (painting) A thin, broad brush used in oil and watercolor/watercolour painting.
  6. The flat part of something:
    1. (swordfighting) The flat side of a blade, as opposed to the sharp edge.
    2. The palm of the hand, with the adjacent part of the fingers.
  7. A wide, shallow container.
    a flat of strawberries
  8. (geometry) A subset of n-dimensional space that is congruent to a Euclidean space of lower dimension.
Antonyms [edit]
Translations [edit]
area of level ground
music: note played a semitone lower than a natural
flat tyre/tire
plural: ladies' shoes
thin, broad brush
flat part of something
swordfighting: flat side of a blade
palm of the hand — see palm
wide, shallow container
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked

Verb [edit]

flat (third-person singular simple present flats, present participle flatting, simple past and past participle flatted)

  1. (poker slang) To make a flat call; to call without raising.
  2. (intransitive) To become flat or flattened; to sink or fall to an even surface.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Sir W. Temple to this entry?)
  3. (intransitive, music, colloquial) To fall from the pitch.
  4. (transitive, music) To depress in tone, as a musical note; especially, to lower in pitch by half a tone.
  5. (transitive, dated) To make flat; to flatten; to level.
  6. (transitive, dated) To render dull, insipid, or spiritless; to depress.
    • Barrow
      Passions are allayed, appetites are flatted.

Etymology 2 [edit]

From 1795, alteration of Scots flet (“inner part of a house”), from Middle English flet (“dwelling”), from Old English flet, flett (“ground floor, dwelling”), from Proto-Germanic *flatją (“floor”), from Proto-Germanic *flataz (“flat”), from Proto-Indo-European *plat- (“flat”). Akin to Old Frisian flet, flette (“dwelling, house”). More at flat1.

Noun [edit]

A block of flats (apartments) in Wrocław

flat (plural flats)

  1. (chiefly UK) An apartment.
Synonyms [edit]
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
apartment — see apartment

References [edit]

  1. ^ Flat in Online Etymology Dictionary
  2. ^ Sanskrit, OHG and Greek cognates named

Anagrams [edit]

Dutch [edit]

Pronunciation [edit]

  • IPA: /ˈflɛt/

Noun [edit]

flat m (plural flats, diminutive flatje)

  1. flat, apartment

Latin [edit]

Verb [edit]

flat

  1. third-person singular present active indicative of flō

Old English [edit]

Pronunciation [edit]

  • IPA: /flɑːt/

Verb [edit]

flāt

  1. first-person singular preterite form of flītan
  2. third-person singular preterite form of flītan

Scottish Gaelic [edit]

Noun [edit]

flat m (genitive flat, plural flataichean)

  1. saucer
  2. flat, apartment

Synonyms [edit]

Swedish [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Old Norse flatr, from Proto-Germanic *flataz, from Proto-Indo-European *plat- (“flat”).

Adjective [edit]

flat

  1. flat (having no variations in altitude)
    Solen reflekterades i spegelns flata yta.
    The sun was reflected in the flat surface of the mirror.
  2. spineless, being a doormat, abstaining from defending one's convictions
    Han var alldeles för flat mot chefen, och fick inte heller någon löneökning.
    He let the manager walk all over him and did not get a raise.

Declension [edit]

Declension of flat
Inflections of
flat		 Absolute Comparative Superlative
Attributive Predicative
Indefinite
singular		 Common flat flatare flatast
Neuter flatt
Definite
singular		 Masc. flate flataste
All flata flataste
Plural flata flataste

Synonyms [edit]

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