- flat
- I UK [flæt] / US
noun
Word forms "flat":
singular flat plural flats
***
1) [countable] British a set of rooms for living in, usually on one floor of a large building. The usual American word is apartmentThey bought a flat in Chelsea.
The family live in a fourth-floor flat.
Let's meet at my flat.
a block of flats (= a building with a lot of flats in it)
2)a) [countable] music a musical note that is one semitone lower than a particular noteb) music a written symbol ♭ for showing that you must play or sing a note a semitone lower3) flats[plural] a low flat area of land, usually wet land near a large area of water4) [countable] mainly American informal a puncture I, 1)5) flats[plural] mainly American shoes without heels or with very low heels•
II UK [flæt] / US adjective
Word forms "flat":
adjective flat comparative flatter superlative flattest
***
1) level and parallel to the groundThe building has a flat roof.
You need a flat surface to work on.
a) smooth on the surface, with no lumps or slopesThe farmland is very flat.
a firm flat stomach
b) thin and wide and not curving inwards or outwardsa monitor with a flat screen
She put the fruit on a large flat plate.
2) stretched out or lying on a surfaceflat on your back:Stand with your feet flat on the floor.
She was flat on her back asleep.
3) a flat rate or amount is the same in all situations, so that you do not pay more or lessThe bank charges a flat fee of £5 for money transfers.
4) lacking emotion, interest, or excitementBen's voice was curiously flat when he told us the news.
The victory celebrations seemed rather flat.
5) said directly and definitelya flat refusal
It was a flat statement of fact, with no apology.
6) a flat tyre does not have enough air in it7) a flat battery does not have enough power left in it8) a flat drink has lost its bubbles of gas, so that it does not taste good9) flat shoes have very low heels or no heels10) spoken in a voice that does not go up and down. This word is often used for describing the speech of people from a particular region.11) appearing as a line on a graph that does not go up or down, showing no activity or variety12) used for describing an organization or system in which there are not many different levels of statusMany companies are adopting a flatter management structure.
13)a) music a B flat, E flat etc is a musical note that is one semitone lower than B, E etcb) music slightly lower than the musical note that should be played or sung14) with very little business or activity happeningAugust was a flat month.
•
III UK [flæt] / US adverb
Word forms "flat":
comparative flatter superlative flattest
*
1) stretched out or lying on a surfaceCarole says she's not comfortable lying flat.
We heard a bang and threw ourselves flat on the ground.
He laid the map out flat on the table.
2) music singing or playing musical notes that are slightly lower than they should beBrenda has always sung terribly flat.
3) informal exactly: used for emphasizing how quickly something is doneI fell asleep in five seconds flat!
4) informal completelyflat broke (= having no money at all):They turned me down flat.
go flat against something (= completely ignore someone's authority):We were flat broke at the time.
I warned you not to do it but you went flat against my advice.
•- flat out
English dictionary. 2014.
