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flat
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_definition-->
Main Entry:
1
flat
Pronunciation:
\
ˈ
flat\
Function:
adjective
Inflected Form(s):
flat·ter
;
flat·test
Etymology:
Middle English, from Old Norse
flatr;
akin to Old High German
flaz
flat, and probably to Greek
platys
broad — more at
place
Date:
14th century
1 a
:
lying at full length or spread out upon the ground
:
prostrate
b
:
utterly ruined or destroyed
c
:
resting with a surface against something
2 a
:
having a continuous horizontal surface
b
:
being or characterized by a horizontal line or tracing without peaks or depressions
<a
flat
EEG>
3
:
having a relatively smooth or even surface
4
:
arranged or laid out so as to be level or even
5 a
:
having the major surfaces essentially parallel and distinctly greater than the minor surfaces
<a
flat
piece of wood>
b
of a shoe heel
:
very low and broad
6 a
:
clearly unmistakable
:
downright
<a
flat
denial>
b
(1)
:
not varying
:
fixed
<a
flat
rate>
(2)
:
having no fraction either lacking or in excess
:
exact
<in a
flat
10 seconds>
(3)
of a frequency response
:
not varying significantly throughout its range
7 a
:
lacking in animation, zest, or vigor
:
dull
<life seemed
flat
without her>
b
:
lacking flavor
:
tasteless
c
:
lacking effervescence or sparkle
<
flat
ginger ale>
d
:
commercially inactive
;
also
:
characterized by no significant rise or decline from one period to another
<sales were
flat
>
e
of a tire
:
lacking air
:
deflated
f
chiefly British
of a battery
:
dead
3c ,
discharged
8 a
(1)
of a tone
:
lowered a half step in pitch
(2)
:
lower than the proper pitch
b
of the vowel a
:
pronounced as in
bad
or
bat
9 a
:
having a low trajectory
b
of a tennis stroke
:
made so as to give little or no spin to the ball
10
of a sail
:
taut
11 a
:
uniform in hue or shade
b
:
having little or no illusion of depth
c
of a photograph or negative
:
lacking contrast
d
of lighting conditions
:
lacking shadows or contours
e
:
free from gloss
<a
flat
paint>
f
:
two-dimensional
3
<
flat
characters>
12
:
of, relating to, or used in competition on the flat
<a
flat
horse>
13
of a universe
:
having a mass such that expansion halts only after infinite time and collapse never occurs
synonyms
see
level
,
insipid
—
flat·ly
adverb
—
flat·ness
noun
—
flat·tish
\
ˈ
fla-tish\
adjective
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