flat
/flæt/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Lying horizontally; level; without slope or tilt: Describing a surface that is even and smooth, with no part higher or lower than another.
- Lacking air or effervescence; stale: Describing a drink, especially a carbonated one, that has lost its bubbles and become tasteless.
- Unchanging in tone, pitch, or level: Describing a sound, voice, or situation that is monotonous, lacks variation, or shows no activity or growth.
- Absolute; unqualified; without reservation: Used to emphasize that something is complete and direct.
- Lowered in pitch by a semitone: In music, describing a note that is one half step lower than the natural note.
Noun:
- A set of rooms for living in, typically on one floor of a building: A self-contained housing unit that is part of a larger building.
- A level area of land; a plain: A tract of land that is smooth and even.
- A deflated pneumatic tire: A tire that has lost its air pressure.
- A musical symbol (♭) indicating a note is to be lowered by a semitone: The sign used in musical notation.
Adverb:
- Completely; absolutely; in a direct manner: Used to emphasize that an action is total or a statement is frank.
- Below the correct musical pitch: Singing or playing a note at a lower pitch than intended.
Usage and Examples
Adjective:
- The land here is very flat and suitable for farming. (Describing level terrain)
- This soda is flat; it has no fizz left. (Describing a drink without bubbles)
- She spoke in a flat, emotionless voice. (Describing a monotonous tone)
- He gave a flat refusal to their proposal. (Describing an absolute denial)
- The note B flat is common in this key. (Describing a lowered musical note)
Noun:
- They rented a small flat in the city center. (Referring to an apartment)
- The car had a flat on the highway, so we had to stop. (Referring to a deflated tire)
- The composer used an E flat in the melody. (Referring to the musical symbol or note)
Adverb:
- She told him flat that she was not interested. (Meaning directly or absolutely)
- The singer went flat on the high note. (Meaning below the correct pitch)
Advanced Usage
"to fall flat": To fail completely to achieve the intended effect, especially to be unsuccessful in amusing people.
- His attempt at humor fell flat with the serious audience.
"flat out":
- At top speed or with maximum effort: She was working flat out to finish the project.
- Directly and emphatically: He told me flat out that he was leaving.
"flat broke": Having no money at all.
- After paying all the bills, I was flat broke.
Variants and Related Words
Flatten (verb): To make or become flat.
- He used a hammer to flatten the piece of metal.
Flatly (adverb): In an unemotional, definite, or firm manner.
- She flatly denied all the accusations.
Flatmate (noun, British English): A person with whom one shares a flat/apartment.
- My flatmate and I split the rent.
Synonyms
- Adjective: Level, even, smooth, stale, monotonous, absolute, lowered (musical).
- Noun: Apartment, suite, plain, deflation (of a tire).
- Adverb: Absolutely, directly, completely.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Flat out: As described in 'Advanced Usage'.
- Level off/out: To become flat or steady after rising or falling.
- The road levels out after this steep hill.
Related Idioms
"That's flat!": Used to emphasize that a decision or statement is final and will not change.
- I'm not going, and that's flat!
"In a flat spin": In a state of panic or confusion.
- The bad news sent the whole office into a flat spin.
Adjective
- commercially inactive
- flat sales for the month
- prices remained flat
- a flat market
- not reflecting light; not glossy
- flat wall paint
- a photograph with a matte finish
- lacking the expected range or depth; not designed to give an illusion or depth
- a film with two-dimensional characters
- a flat two-dimensional painting
- horizontally level
- a flat roof
- sounded or spoken in a tone unvarying in pitch
- the owl's faint monotonous hooting
- having lost effervescence
- flat beer
- a flat cola
- lacking stimulating characteristics; uninteresting
- a bland little drama
- a flat joke
- lacking taste or flavor or tang
- a bland diet
- insipid hospital food
- flavorless supermarket tomatoes
- vapid beer
- vapid tea
- flattened laterally along the whole length (e.g., certain leafstalks or flatfishes)
- (of a musical note) lowered in pitch by one chromatic semitone
- B flat
- lacking contrast or shading between tones
- stretched out and lying at full length along the ground
- found himself lying flat on the floor
- not modified or restricted by reservations
- a categorical denial
- a flat refusal
- having a relatively broad surface in relation to depth or thickness
- flat computer monitors
- having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
- a flat desk
- acres of level farmland
- a plane surface
- skirts sewn with fine flat seams
Noun
- a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house
- scenery consisting of a wooden frame covered with painted canvas; part of a stage setting
- a deflated pneumatic tire
- freight car without permanent sides or roof
- a musical notation indicating one half step lower than the note named
- a shallow box in which seedlings are started
- a level tract of land
- the salt flats of Utah
Adverb
- in a forthright manner; candidly or frankly
- he didn't answer directly
- told me straight out
- came out flat for less work and more pay
- with flat sails
- sail flat against the wind