flatter

flatter
flatter1
—flatterable, adj. —flatterer, n. —flatteringly, adv.
/flat"euhr/, v.t.
1. to try to please by complimentary remarks or attention.
2. to praise or compliment insincerely, effusively, or excessively: She flatters him by constantly praising his books.
3. to represent favorably; gratify by falsification: The portrait flatters her.
4. to show to advantage: a hairstyle that flatters the face.
5. to play upon the vanity or susceptibilities of; cajole, wheedle, or beguile: They flattered him into contributing heavily to the foundation.
6. to please or gratify by compliments or attentions: I was flattered by their invitation.
7. to feel satisfaction with (oneself), esp. with reference to an accomplishment, act, or occasion: He flattered himself that the dinner had gone well.
8. to beguile with hope; encourage prematurely, falsely, etc.
v.i.
9. to use flattery.
[1175-1225; ME flat(t)eren to float, flutter, fawn upon, OE floterian to float, flutter; for sense development, cf. FLICKER1, ON flathra; reinforced by OF flatter to flatter, lit., to stroke, caress (prob. < Frankish *flat- FLAT1)]
flatter2
/flat"euhr/, n.
1. a person or thing that makes something flat.
2. a flat-faced blacksmith's tool, laid on a forging and struck with a hammer to smooth the surface of the forging.
3. a drawplate with a flat orifice for drawing flat metal strips, as for watch springs.
[1705-15; FLAT1 + -ER1]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • flatter — [ flate ] v. tr. <conjug. : 1> • XIIe; aussi flater, flatir « jeter à plat »; du frq. °flat « plat » I ♦ A ♦ (Sujet personne; compl. être animé) 1 ♦ Louer excessivement ou faussement (qqn), pour plaire, séduire. ⇒ aduler, encenser,… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Flatter — Flat ter (fl[a^]t t[ e]r), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Flattered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Flattering}.] [OE. flateren, cf. OD. flatteren; akin to G. flattern to flutter, Icel. fla[eth]ra to fawn, flatter: cf. F. flatter. Cf. {Flitter}, {Flutter}, {Flattery}.] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Flatter — Flat ter, v. i. To use flattery or insincere praise. [1913 Webster] If it may stand him more in stead to lie, Say and unsay, feign, flatter, or adjure. Milton. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • flatter — (v.) early 13c., from O.Fr. flater to flatter (13c.), originally stroke with the hand, caress, from Frankish *flat palm, flat of the hand (see FLAT (Cf. flat) (adj.)). [O]ne of many onomatopoeic verbs beginning with fl and denoting unsteady or… …   Etymology dictionary

  • flatter — [v1] compliment excessively adulate, beslaver, blandish, bootlick*, brownnose*, build up*, butter up*, cajole, cater to, charm, con, court, fawn*, get next to*, glorify, grovel, humor, inveigle, jolly, lay it on thick*, massage, oil*, overpraise …   New thesaurus

  • flatter — ► VERB 1) praise or compliment insincerely, especially to further one s own interests. 2) (usu. be flattered) cause to feel honoured and pleased. 3) (flatter oneself) believe something favourable about oneself, especially something unfounded. 4)… …   English terms dictionary

  • flatter — flatter1 [flat′ər] vt. [ME flateren < OFr flater, to smooth, caress with flat hand < Frank * flat, akin to OHG flaz, FLAT1] 1. to praise too much, untruly, or insincerely, as in order to win favor 2. to try to please, or ingratiate oneself… …   English World dictionary

  • Flatter — Flat ter (fl[a^]t t[ e]r), n. 1. One who, or that which, makes flat or flattens. [1913 Webster] 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 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • flatter — index overestimate Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • Flatter — Flatter,die:dieF.machen:⇨wegschleichen(I) …   Das Wörterbuch der Synonyme

  • flatter — (fla té) v. a. 1°   Caresser par quelque attouchement (sens étymologique et primitif). Flatter un enfant. Flatter un cheval avec la main. Le chien flatte avec la queue. •   Puis, me flattant l épaule, il me fit librement L honneur que d approuver …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

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