{ } n. Contention; strife; scolding; specif., a kind of metrical contest between two persons, popular in Scotland in the 16th century. [ Obs. or Scot. ]

These “flytings” consisted of alternate torrents of sheer Billingsgate poured upon each other by the combatants. Saintsbury. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. i. To become or grow flat, even, depressed, dull, vapid, spiritless, or depressed below pitch. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Flattened p. pr. & vb. n. Flattening. ] [ From Flat, a. ] 1. To reduce to an even surface or one approaching evenness; to make flat; to level; to make plane. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To throw down; to bring to the ground; to prostrate; hence, to depress; to deject; to dispirit. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To make vapid or insipid; to render stale. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Mus.) To lower the pitch of; to cause to sound less sharp; to let fall from the pitch. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. shaped like a thin sheet.
Syn. -- planate. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

2. (Biol) flattened laterally along the whole length e.g. certain leafstalks or flatfishes.
Syn. -- compressed, flat. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

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 ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Flattered p. pr. & vb. n. Flattering. ] [ OE. flateren, cf. OD. flatteren; akin to G. flattern to flutter, Icel. flaðra 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

When I tell him he hates flatterers,
He says he does, being then most flattered. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

A man that flattereth his neighbor, spreadeth a net for his feet. Prov. xxix. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

Others he flattered by asking their advice. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To raise hopes in; to encourage or favorable, but sometimes unfounded or deceitful, representations. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To portray too favorably; to give a too favorable idea of; as, his portrait flatters him. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who flatters. [ 1913 Webster ]

The most abject flaterers degenerate into the greatest tyrants. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. That flatters (in the various senses of the verb); as, a flattering speech. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lay not that flattering unction to your soul. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

A flattering painter, who made it his care,
To draw men as they ought be, not as they are. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With flattery. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Just praise is only a debt, but flattery is a present. Rambler. [ 1913 Webster ]

Flattery corrupts both the receiver and the giver. Burke.

Syn. -- Adulation; compliment; obsequiousness. See Adulation. [ 1913 Webster ]