4. (Mus.) To lower the pitch of; to cause to sound less sharp; to let
fall from the pitch.
To flatten a sail (Naut.), to set it more nearly fore-and-aft of the
vessel. -- Flattening oven, in glass making, a heated chamber in which
split glass cylinders are flattened for window glass.
Flat"ten, v. i. To become or grow flat, even, depressed, dull, vapid,
spiritless, or depressed below pitch.
Flat"ter (flt"tr), n. 1. One who, or that which, makes flat or
flattens.
2. (Metal Working) (a) A flat-faced fulling hammer. (b) A drawplate
with a narrow, rectangular orifice, for drawing flat strips, as watch
springs, etc.
Flat"ter (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flattered (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Flattering.] [OE. flateren, cf. OD. flatteren; akin to G. flattern to
flutter, Icel. fla&?;ra to fawn, flatter: cf. F. flatter. Cf. Flitter,
Flutter, Flattery.] 1. To treat with praise or blandishments; to
gratify or attempt to gratify the self-love or vanity of, esp. by
artful and interested commendation or attentions; to blandish; to
cajole; to wheedle.
When I tell him he hates flatterers, He says he does, being then
most flattered.
Shak.
A man that flattereth his neighbor, spreadeth a net for his feet.
Prov. xxix. 5.
Others he flattered by asking their advice.
Prescott.
2. To raise hopes in; to encourage or favorable, but sometimes
unfounded or deceitful, representations.
3. To portray too favorably; to give a too favorable idea of; as, his
portrait flatters him.
Flat"ter, v. i. To use flattery or insincere praise.
If it may stand him more in stead to lie, Say and unsay, feign,
flatter, or adjure.
Milton.
Flat"ter*er (?), n. One who flatters.
The most abject flaterers degenerate into the greatest tyrants.
Addison.
Flat"ter*ing, a. That flatters (in the various senses of the verb); as,
a flattering speech.
Lay not that flattering unction to your soul.
Shak.
A flattering painter, who made it his care, To draw men as they
ought be, not as they are.
Goldsmith.
Flat"ter*ing*ly, adv. With flattery.
Flat"ter*y (?), n.; pl. Flatteries (#). [OE. flaterie, OF. flaterie, F.
flaterie, fr. flater to flatter, F. flatter; of uncertain origin. See
Flatter, v. t.] The act or practice of flattering; the act of pleasing
by artful commendation or compliments; adulation; false, insincere, or
excessive praise.
Just praise is only a debt, but flattery is a present.
Rambler.
Flattery corrupts both the receiver and the giver.
Burke.
Syn. -- Adulation; compliment; obsequiousness. See Adulation.
Flat"ting (?), n. 1. The process or operation of making flat, as a
cylinder of glass by opening it out.
2. A mode of painting,in which the paint, being mixed with turpentine,
leaves the work without gloss. Gwilt.
3. A method of preserving gilding unburnished, by touching with size.
Knolles.
4. The process of forming metal into sheets by passing it between
rolls.
Flatting coat, a coat of paint so put on as to have no gloss. --
Flatting furnace. Same as flattening oven, under Flatten. -- Flatting
mill. (a) A rolling mill producing sheet metal; esp., in mints, the
ribbon from which the planchets are punched. (b) A mill in which grains
of metal are flatted by steel rolls, and reduced to metallic dust, used
for purposes of ornamentation.
Flat"tish (?), a. Somewhat flat. Woodward.
{ Flat"u*lence (?), Flat"u*len*cy (?) }, n. [Cf. F. flatulence.] The
state or quality of being flatulent.
Flat"u*lent (?), a. [L. flatus a blowing, flatus ventris windiness,
flatulence, fr. flare to blow: cf. F. flatulent. See Blow.] 1. Affected
with flatus or gases generated in the alimentary canal; windy.