flatten
- flatten
- [[t]flæ̱t(ə)n[/t]]
flattens, flattening, flattened
1) V-ERG If you flatten something or if it flattens, it becomes flat or flatter.
[V n] He carefully flattened the wrappers and put them between the leaves of his book...
The dog's ears flattened slightly as Cook spoke his name.
[V-ed] ...the pitiful shacks built of cardboard boxes, corrugated iron sheets and flattened oil drums.
PHR-V-ERG
Flatten out means the same as flatten.
V P
The hills flattened out just south of the mountain... V P We now think prices will flatten out towards the end of this year... Also V P n (not pron) V n P Peel off the blackened skin, flatten the pepper out and trim it into edible pieces.
2) VERB To flatten something such as a building, town, or plant means to destroy it by knocking it down or crushing it.
[V n] ...explosives capable of flattening a five-storey building.
[V n] ...bombing raids flattened much of the area.
[V-ed] ...areas of flattened corn.
3) VERB If you flatten yourself against something, you press yourself flat against it, for example to avoid getting in the way or being seen.
[V pron-refl against/on n] He flattened himself against a brick wall as I passed. [Also V pron-refl]
4) VERB If you flatten someone, you make them fall over by hitting them violently.
[V n] `I've never seen a woman flatten someone like that,' said a crew member. `She knocked him out cold.'
5) VERB If you flatten someone in a fight, contest, or argument, you defeat them completely.
[V n] In the squash court his chief aim is to flatten me...
[V n] A large percentage of these forces had been flattened by the assault.
Syn:
English dictionary.
2008.
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Look at other dictionaries:
Flatten — Flat ten (fl[a^]t t n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Flattened}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Flattening}.] [From {Flat}, a.] 1. To reduce to an even surface or one approaching evenness; to make flat; to level; to make plane. [1913 Webster] 2. To throw down; to… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
flatten — UK US /ˈflætən/ verb [I or T] ► to stop increasing or stop something from increasing: »to flatten prices/profits »The economy hit a peak about a year ago and now it s flattening. ► HR to reduce the number of different levels of managers and other … Financial and business terms
flatten — [flat′ n] vt. 1. to make flat or flatter 2. Informal to knock down; make prostrate 3. to level to the ground vi. 1. to become flat or flatter 2. to become prostrate flatten out 1 … English World dictionary
Flatten — Flat ten, v. i. To become or grow flat, even, depressed, dull, vapid, spiritless, or depressed below pitch. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
flatten — index depress Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
flatten — late 14c., to prostrate oneself, also to fall flat, from FLAT (Cf. flat) + EN (Cf. en) (1). Meaning to make flat is 1620s. Related: Flattened; flattening … Etymology dictionary
flatten — [v] level out abrade, beat down, compress, crush, debase, deflate, depress, even out, fell, floor, flush, grade, ground, iron out, knock down, lay, lay low, mow down, plane, plaster*, prostrate, raze, roll, smash, smooth, spread out, squash,… … New thesaurus
flatten — ► VERB 1) make or become flat or flatter. 2) informal knock down. DERIVATIVES flattener noun … English terms dictionary
flatten — flat|ten [ flætn ] verb 1. ) flatten or flatten out intransitive or transitive if something flattens or you flatten it, it becomes flat or flatter: This exercise helps to flatten a flabby stomach. A longer pile carpet will flatten over time. 2. ) … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
flatten — UK [ˈflæt(ə)n] / US verb Word forms flatten : present tense I/you/we/they flatten he/she/it flattens present participle flattening past tense flattened past participle flattened 1) flatten or flatten out [intransitive/transitive] if something… … English dictionary
