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flat1 definition

flat (flat)

adjective flatter flat′·ter, flattest flat′·test

  1. having a smooth, level surface; having little or no depression or elevation
    1. lying extended at full length
    2. spread out smooth and level
  3. touching at as many points as possible with his back flat against the wall
    1. having little depth or thickness; broad, even, and thin
    2. having a flat heel or no heel flat shoes
  5. designating or having an almost straight or level trajectory or flight
  6. absolute; positive a flat denial
  7. not variable; fixed a flat rate, a flat tax
  9. without much business activity a flat market
  • having little or no sparkle or taste; insipid a flat drink
  • having little or no interest; monotonous; dull
  • not clear or full; blurred a flat sound
  • ☆ emptied of air a flat tire
  • ☆ Informal completely without money; penniless
  • without gloss flat paint
  • Art
    1. lacking relief, depth, or perspective
    2. uniform in tint or shade
  • Gram.
    1. not having the sign to: said of an infinitive: Ex.: go in “make it go”
    2. not having an inflectional ending: said esp. of certain adverbs: Ex.: he drove fast
  • Music
    1. lower in pitch by a half step D-flat (D)
    2. out of tune by being below the true or proper pitch
  • Phonet. designating the vowel a when it represents the sound (a) as in had or hat, articulated with the tongue in a relatively level position
  • Photog. lacking in contrast

    • Etymology: ME < ON flatr, akin to OHG flaz < IE *plāt, plēt-, wide, flat (> Gr platys, broad, OE flet, floor) < base *plā-, broad

    adverb flatter flat′·ter, flattest flat′·test

    1. in a flat manner; flatly (in various senses)
    2. in a prone or supine position
      1. exactly; precisely to run a race in ten seconds flat
      2. bluntly; abruptly she left him flat
    4. ☆ Finance with no interest
    5. Music below the true or proper pitch

    noun

    1. a flat surface or part the flat of the hand, of a sword, etc.
    2. an expanse of level land
    3. a low-lying marsh
    4. a shallow; shoal
    5. any of various flat things; specif.,
      1. a shallow box or container, as for growing seedlings
      2. ☆ flatcar
      3. a piece of theatrical scenery on a flat frame
      4. ☆ a deflated tire
      5. women's flat-heeled shoes or slippers
    6. Football the area flanking either end of the offensive line
    7. Music
      1. a note or tone one half step below another
      2. the sign () indicating such a note

    transitive verb flatted flat′·ted, flatting flat′·ting

    Music to make flat; lower a half step

    intransitive verb

    to sing or play below the true or proper pitch

    Related Forms:

    flat Idioms

    fall flat

    to fail in the desired effect; be completely unsuccessful

    flat out

    Informal
    1. at full speed, with maximum effort, etc.
    2. clear(ly); definite(ly)
    flat2 definition

    flat (flat)

    noun

    Chiefly Brit. an apartment or suite of rooms on one floor of a building

    Etymology: altered < Scot dial. flet (ME & OE flet), a floor (of a dwelling): see flat

    Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
    Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

    Alternate definitions:

    finance flat definition - finance

    idioms flat idiom

    flat Synonyms

    flat

    modif.

    1. Lying in a smooth plane

      level, even, smooth, plane, spread out, extended, stretched out, prostrate, horizontal, low, low-lying, on a level, fallen, flattened, collapsed, deflated, punctured, prone, supine, recumbent, lying down, reclining, two-dimensional, flat as a billiard table*, flat as a pancake*; see also level 2, smooth 1.

      Antonyms rough*, raised*, uneven. *

    2. Lacking savor

      unseasoned, insipid, flavorless; see dull 4, tasteless 1. See syn. study at insipid, level.


    Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
    Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

    flat Usage Examples

    Preposition: as

    • pancake: What he ideally wanted was a 400-acre seaside plain, as flat as a pancake and with a solid rock foundation.

    Adjective modifier

    • self-contained: But first, to help her children she moved into a self-contained flat at the top of the house.

    Modifies a noun

    • roof: Carried out emergency repair on garage flat roof, water dripping over contents inside.

    Used with adjective complement

    • fold: When she needs more room the rear seats split and fold flat.

    Noun used with modifier

    • one-bedroom: The Rent Officers do this for every size of property ( one-bedroom flats, two-bedroom houses and so on ).
    flat usage examples (more)

    The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

    flat quotes

    It often happens that a man of considerable eminence in his own profession, but without the smallest acquaintance with the fundamentals of economics, will make a suggestion which is precisely on a level with the proposition that the locomotive would be much more efficient if itsweight weretakenoffthe driving wheelsso that they could revolve more easily. The editor of an important magazineacceptswithjoy the contributionin whichhedevelopshisideas, and thepublic feebly thinks that there may be something in it, and is confirmed in this view by the fact that professional economists are as disinclined to publisha refutationof it asthe Astronomer Royal is to answer the theorists who declare that the world is flat.

    -Cannan, Edwin

    Very flat, Norfolk.

    -Coward, Sir Noe«  l Peirce

    Sincerity is all that counts is a widespread modern heresy. Think again. Bolsheviks are sincere. Fascists are sincere.Lunaticsaresincere.Peoplewho believethatthe earth is flat are sincere. They can't all be right. Better Sir Martin Mar-All make certain first that you have something to be sincere about, and with.

    -Bradwell

    flat quotes (more)

    Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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    MLA Style

    "flat." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

    • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
    • <www.yourdictionary.com/flat>

    APA Style

    flat. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

    • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/flat

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