26984 words

flat

44 definitions • 58 examples
1
level and smooth, with no curved, high, or hollow parts:

Examples:

An ice rink needs to be completely flat.
Roll out the pastry on a flat surface.
Much of the countryside in that region is very flat.
2
level but having little or no height:

Examples:

flat shoes (= ones without a raised heel)
3
Flat bread is made without yeast, and therefore does not rise:

Examples:

Pitta and nan are two types of flat bread.
4
a hat that is not rounded on top and has little height:

Examples:

He was wearing a flat cap and a black jacket.
5
not interesting, or without emotion or excitement:

Examples:

After the excitement of the party, life seems somewhat flat now.
I thought her performance a little flat.
I think the colours in this painting are kind of flat (= not varied or bright).
6
with no electrical power left in it:

Examples:

I left my car lights on and now the battery is flat.
7
If a drink is flat, it has stopped being fizzy (= with bubbles):

Examples:

go flat If you don't put the top back on that bottle of beer, it will go flat.
8
complete or certain, and not likely to change:

Examples:

flat refusal His request for time off work was met with a flat refusal.
flat denial The official has issued a flat denial of the accusations against her.
9
If something such as a tyre or ball is flat, it does not contain enough air:

Examples:

flat tyre I got a flat tyre (= the air went out of it) after driving over a nail.
10
(especially of an amount of money) fixed and not likely to change:

Examples:

flat fee We charge a flat fee of $25 per hour.
flat rate Some plans charge flat rates no matter when you call.
11
If profits, sales, etc. are flat, they are not growing or increasing:

Examples:

Demand for our machinery abroad is increasing, while growth is flat at home.
12
a set of rooms for living in that are part of a larger building and are usually all on one floor:

Examples:

a furnished/unfurnished flat
block of flats She lives on the top floor of a block of flats.
They have a house in the country and a flat in Manchester.
13
an area of low, level ground, often near water:

Examples:

salt flat The salt flats are used for motor racing.
14
the palm and fingers when they are held straight and level:

Examples:

He hit me with the flat of his hand.
15
to be on a level surface, not on a slope or hill:

Examples:

Most of the path is on the flat.
16
a tyre that does not have any or enough air in it :

Examples:

We were late because we had to stop and fix a flat.
17
women's shoes without high heels:

Examples:

I feel more comfortable in flats.
18
(a symbol for) a note that is a semitone lower than a stated note
19
(in music) lower than a particular note or the correct note:

Examples:

The top string on your violin is flat.
She sang flat throughout the song (= all the notes she sang were too low).
20
in a level position, often against another surface:

Examples:

Lay the cloth flat across the table.
21
into a flat shape without height:

Examples:

These patio chairs will fold flat for storage.
22

Examples:

She told him flat that she would not go to the show.
flat broke Could you lend me some money, I'm flat broke (= I have no money).
23
exactly three minutes, half an hour, etc.:

Examples:

We managed to get to the station in five minutes flat.
24
as fast or as hard as possible:

Examples:

My car only does about 60 mph, even when it's going flat out.
25
level and smooth; having little or no height and not raised or round:

Examples:

A desk provides a flat surface to work on.
Campers look for flat ground to put up their tents.
26
A drink that is flat has stopped bubbling:

Examples:

If you don’t put the top back on the soda bottle, it will go flat.
27
If a tire is flat, the air has gone out of it so that it does not give the support it should:

Examples:

One of my tires is flat and I’ll have to change it.
28

Examples:

His request for time off from work was met with a flat refusal.
29
(esp. of an amount of money) not changing or varying:

Examples:

We charge a flat rate of $25 per hour.
Sales are flat (= low and not changing) during this time of year.
30
lower in pitch than a particular or the correct note
31
an apartment:

Examples:

They have a house in the country and a flat in London.
32
something flat, esp. a tire that has lost its air, so that it does not give the support that it should:

Examples:

We pulled off to the side of the road to change a flat.
33
The flat of the hand is the inside, level part of the hand with the fingers straight:

Examples:

He swatted the table with the flat of his hand.
34
a mark in written music showing that a note should be played a half step lower
35
in a level position, often against another surface:

Examples:

He hurt his back and could only sleep lying flat on his back.
36

Examples:

When he asked for a raise, the boss turned him down flat.
I’m flat broke (= I have no money).
37
exactly:

Examples:

We managed to get to the station in five minutes flat.
38
if profits, sales, etc. are flat, they are not growing or increasing:

Examples:

Demand for our machinery abroad is increasing, while growth is flat at home.
39
if the stock market is flat, the prices of shares are not rising or falling:

Examples:

The market remained at 9,000 points after a flat day of trading yesterday.
40
fixed and without any additional costs:

Examples:

He submitted a flat price for completing the work, including all labour and materials.
41
used to describe the structure of an organization in which there are not many different levels of employees between the top and the bottom:

Examples:

Companies with a flat organizational structure can usually make decisions more quickly.
42
a set of rooms for living in which are part of a larger building and which are usually all on one floor:

Examples:

a furnished/unfurnished flat
a block of flats
43
to be unsuccessful:

Examples:

The deal fell flat when the two sides could not agree on the terms of the contract.
44
as hard or as fast as possible:

Examples:

Towards the end of the project the whole department was working flat out to meet the deadlines.

Navigation