flat1 (flat)

adjective (flatter, flattest)

• 1having a level surface; without raised areas or indentations: he sat down on a flat rock trim the surface of the cake to make it completely flat
• (of land) without hills: thirty-five acres of flat countryside
• (of an expanse of water) calm and without waves.
• not sloping: the flat roof of a garage
• having a broad level surface but little height or depth; shallow: a flat rectangular box a flat cap
• (of shoes) without heels or with very low heels.

• 2lacking emotion; dull and lifeless: ‘I’m sorry,’ he said, in a flat voice
• (of a person) without energy or enthusiasm: his sense of intoxication wore off until he felt flat and weary
• (of trade, prices, etc.) not showing much activity; sluggish: the UK housing market was flat
• (of a colour) uniform: a flat shade of grey
• (of a photograph or negative) lacking contrast.

• 3(of a sparkling drink) having lost its effervescence: she sipped some of the flat champagne
• (of something kept inflated, especially a tyre) having lost some or all of its air, typically because of a puncture.
• British (of a battery) having exhausted its charge.

• 4 [attributive] (of a fee, wage, or price) the same in all cases, not varying with changed conditions or in particular cases: a flat fare of £2.50See also flat rate.
• (of a denial, contradiction, or refusal) completely definite and firm; absolute: the request was met with a flat refusal

• 5(of musical sound) below true or normal pitch.
• [postpositive] (of a key) having a flat or flats in the signature.
• [postpositive] (of a note) a semitone lower than a specified note: E flat

• 6 (Flat) relating to flat racing: the Flat season

adverb

• 1in or to a horizontal position: he was lying flat on his back she had been knocked flat by the blast
• lying in close juxtaposition, especially against another surface: his black curly hair was blown flat across his skull
• so as to become smooth and even: I hammered the metal flat

• 2 informal completely; absolutely: I thought you’d turn me down flat [as submodifier]: Myers was flat broke
• used with an expression of time to emphasize how quickly something can be done or has been done: you can prepare a healthy meal in ten minutes flat

• 3below the true or normal pitch of musical sound: it wasn’t a question of singing flat, but of simply singing the wrong notes

noun

• 1 [in singular] the flat part of something: she placed the flat of her hand over her glass
• (usually flats) an area of low level ground, especially near water: the shingle flats of the lake
• North American a shallow container in which seedlings are grown and sold.
• a shoe with a very low heel or no heel: she wore black leggings, a white strapless dress, and a pair of electric blue flats
• a railway wagon with a flat floor and no sides or roof; a flatcar.

• 2 (often flats) an upright section of stage scenery mounted on a movable frame.

• 3 informal, chiefly North American a flat tyre: I’ve got a flat—there were nails under the wheel

• 4 (the Flat) British flat racing.

• 5a musical note lowered a semitone below natural pitch.
• the sign (♭) indicating a flat.

verb (flats, flatting, flatted)

• 1 (usually as adjective flatted) Music, North American lower (a note) by a semitone: ‘blue’ harmony emphasizing the flatted third and seventh

• 2 archaic make flat; flatten: flat the loaves down