flatflat1 /flæt/ ●●● S2 W2 adjective (comparative flatter, superlative flattest) 1
SURFACE smooth and level, without raised or hollow areas, and not sloping or curving: Stack the crepes on a flat plate. You need to work on a clean flat surface. That part of the state is as flat as a pancake (=very flat).THESAURUSlevel – flat and having no part higher than any other part: Make sure the shelves are level.smooth – having a surface without any holes or raised areas. Used to talk about how something feels when you touch it: Sand the wood until it is smooth.even – level and smooth: The floor should be even before laying tiles.horizontal – straight, flat, and not sloping: The horizontal layers of rock were each a slightly different color.2TIRE/BALL a tire or ball that is flat has no air or not enough air inside it: Can you change a flat tire?3NOT DEEP not very deep, thick, or high, especially in comparison to its width or length: They bought a flat screen TV. The cake came out of the oven flat, not fluffy.4DRINK a drink that is flat does not taste fresh because it has no more bubbles of gas in it: This soda is completely flat.5MUSICAL SOUND eng. lang. arts a musical note that is flat is played or sung slightly lower than it should be: The horn was a little flat.6E flat/B flat/A flat etc. eng. lang. arts a musical note that is one half step lower than the note E, B, A, etc.7a flat rate/price/fee etc. a flat rate, price, amount of money, etc. that you pay that does not change or have anything added to it: We charge a flat fee of $2 a day for each DVD.8BUSINESS/TRADE social studies, economics if prices, economic conditions, trade, etc. are flat, they have not increased or gotten better over a period of time: Home prices have stayed flat for the past year.9NOT INTERESTING [not before noun] a performance, book, etc. that is flat seems fairly boring: The first episode of the show was flat and boring.10VOICE not showing much emotion, or not changing much in sound as you speak: “He’s dead,” she said in a flat voice.11a flat refusal/denial etc. something you say that is definite and that you will definitely not change: Our requests were met with a flat refusal.12be flat on your back a)to be lying down so that all of your back is touching the floor or the ground: Arthur was flat on his back under the car. b)to be very sick so that you have to stay in bed for a period of time: I’ve been flat on my back with the flu all week.13SHOES flat shoes have very low heels14LIGHT eng. lang. arts having little variety of light and dark: Flat lighting is typical of Avedon’s portraits.[Origin: 1200–1300 Old Norse flatr]—flatness noun [uncountable]
SURFACE smooth and level, without raised or hollow areas, and not sloping or curving: Stack the crepes on a flat plate. You need to work on a clean flat surface. That part of the state is as flat as a pancake (=very flat).THESAURUSlevel – flat and having no part higher than any other part: Make sure the shelves are level.smooth – having a surface without any holes or raised areas. Used to talk about how something feels when you touch it: Sand the wood until it is smooth.even – level and smooth: The floor should be even before laying tiles.horizontal – straight, flat, and not sloping: The horizontal layers of rock were each a slightly different color.2TIRE/BALL a tire or ball that is flat has no air or not enough air inside it: Can you change a flat tire?3NOT DEEP not very deep, thick, or high, especially in comparison to its width or length: They bought a flat screen TV. The cake came out of the oven flat, not fluffy.4DRINK a drink that is flat does not taste fresh because it has no more bubbles of gas in it: This soda is completely flat.5MUSICAL SOUND eng. lang. arts a musical note that is flat is played or sung slightly lower than it should be: The horn was a little flat.6E flat/B flat/A flat etc. eng. lang. arts a musical note that is one half step lower than the note E, B, A, etc.7a flat rate/price/fee etc. a flat rate, price, amount of money, etc. that you pay that does not change or have anything added to it: We charge a flat fee of $2 a day for each DVD.8BUSINESS/TRADE social studies, economics if prices, economic conditions, trade, etc. are flat, they have not increased or gotten better over a period of time: Home prices have stayed flat for the past year.9NOT INTERESTING [not before noun] a performance, book, etc. that is flat seems fairly boring: The first episode of the show was flat and boring.10VOICE not showing much emotion, or not changing much in sound as you speak: “He’s dead,” she said in a flat voice.11a flat refusal/denial etc. something you say that is definite and that you will definitely not change: Our requests were met with a flat refusal.12be flat on your back a)to be lying down so that all of your back is touching the floor or the ground: Arthur was flat on his back under the car. b)to be very sick so that you have to stay in bed for a period of time: I’ve been flat on my back with the flu all week.13SHOES flat shoes have very low heels14LIGHT eng. lang. arts having little variety of light and dark: Flat lighting is typical of Avedon’s portraits.[Origin: 1200–1300 Old Norse flatr]—flatness noun [uncountable]