flat
flat
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "flat" is /flæt/.
/flæt/
Word Form Variations
Noun: flat (singular), flats (plural)
Adjective: flat (positive), flatter (comparative), flattest (superlative)
Verb: flat (base), flats (third-person singular present), flatting (present participle), flatted (past tense, past participle)
Adverb: flat
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition: A set of rooms, typically on one floor of a larger building, used as a private residence.
Synonyms: apartment, condominium (condo), dwelling, suite
Antonyms: house (in the sense of a detached dwelling)
Definition: A deflated tire, or one that has lost its air pressure.
Synonyms: puncture, blowout, deflated tire
Antonyms: inflated tire, full tire
Definition (Music): A symbol (♭) that indicates a note is to be lowered in pitch by a semitone. Also, a note that is lowered by a semitone.
Synonyms: natural (opposite in function), sharp (opposite in function)
Antonyms: sharp, natural
Adjective
Definition: Having a smooth, level surface, without significant slopes or depressions.
Synonyms: level, even, smooth, plane, horizontal
Antonyms: uneven, bumpy, hilly, sloped, rough, undulating
Definition: Lacking in distinctiveness, flavor, or interest; dull or insipid.
Synonyms: bland, tasteless, insipid, uninspired, monotonous, dull
Antonyms: flavorful, interesting, vibrant, exciting, lively
Definition: Having lost air, a gas, or its usual firmness. (Especially of a tire or a carbonated drink).
Synonyms: deflated, punctured, collapsed, still (of drinks)
Antonyms: inflated, full, fizzy, bubbly
Definition (Music): Lower than the correct or intended pitch.
Synonyms: sharp (opposite in function), off-key, sour
Antonyms: sharp, in tune, on pitch
Verb
Definition: To make something flat or flatter.
Synonyms: flatten, level, press, smooth, compact
Antonyms: raise, inflate, expand, curve
Definition (Music): To play or sing a note or passage at a pitch that is lower than the correct one.
Synonyms: sharpen (opposite in function), go off-key
Antonyms: sharpen, pitch correctly
Adverb
Definition: In a horizontal position; laid out at full length.
Synonyms: horizontally, prostrate, prone, supine
Antonyms: upright, vertically
Definition: Completely; absolutely. (Often used informally to emphasize an extreme degree).
Synonyms: entirely, completely, utterly, absolutely, totally
Antonyms: partially, somewhat, incomplete
Examples of Use
Books:
"His voice was flat, devoid of any emotion, as he recounted the terrible events of that night." (Example sentence, not a direct quote from a specific book)
"The Great Plains stretched out before them, a seemingly endless expanse of flat land under an immense sky." (Example sentence, not a direct quote from a specific book)
"He lived in a small, cramped flat on the third floor, overlooking a busy street." (Example sentence, not a direct quote from a specific book)
Newspapers:
"Property prices for flats in the city center have continued to rise, despite a general slowdown in the housing market." (Headline/Article snippet, The Guardian, a common news topic)
"The investigation hit a flat note when key witnesses failed to appear in court." (The New York Times, hypothetical article summary)
"Drivers are advised to check their tire pressure regularly to avoid a flat on the highway." (Daily Nation, common advice column)
Online Publications:
"Why are some people still paying exorbitant prices for flats in London when they could buy a house in the suburbs?" (Article title on a real estate blog, e.g., Property Wire)
"The new update left many users feeling flat about the changes to the user interface." (Tech review on The Verge, common sentiment)
"Recipe for a perfectly flat omelet: Tips and tricks for culinary success." (Food blog like Serious Eats, common cooking advice)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Television Series (Dialogue): "Look, I'm just telling you, the whole idea fell flat. Nobody bought into it." (Fictional dialogue from a crime drama or comedy)
Film (Description): "The cinematography for the desert scenes was stunning, capturing the desolate beauty of the flat landscape." (Film review on Rotten Tomatoes or IMDb)
Music (Song Lyrics): "My heart feels so flat tonight, like a song with no beat." (Hypothetical song lyric, often used metaphorically for sadness or lack of energy)
Video Game (Gameplay Mechanics/Description): "Beware of the 'Danger Zone' – it's a completely flat area with no cover, making you vulnerable to enemy fire." (In-game tutorial or level description in a first-person shooter)
Podcast (Discussion): "We tried to introduce that segment, but it just went completely flat with the audience. No engagement at all." (Discussion on a podcast about content creation)
General Public Discourse:
"Ugh, I woke up this morning and found I had a flat tire. Now I'm going to be late for work." (Everyday conversation among friends or colleagues)
"I thought the party was a bit flat actually, not much atmosphere." (Casual conversation about an event)
"Can you help me get this picture frame to hang flat against the wall?" (Informal request during household tasks)
"He delivered the news with a completely flat expression, no hint of emotion." (Describing someone's demeanor in a social setting)
10 Famous Quotes Using Flat
"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." (Often attributed to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, though the exact wording varies. This speaks to the "flat" horizon of possibility.)
"The world is flat." (Thomas Friedman, The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century)
"He was a man built to be a bachelor, in that he was flat-chested and without a discernible Adam's apple." (P.G. Wodehouse, Right Ho, Jeeves)
"Life is like a piano. What you get out of it depends on how you play it, and how you choose to make the notes sing or fall flat." (Often attributed to various sources, a common metaphorical saying)
"I believe the world is flat." (Attributed to Flat Earthers, a modern context of the word)
"On a flat surface, a marble will roll. On a rough surface, a marble will bounce." (A simple, illustrative quote often used in physics or design contexts, source generally unknown)
"When a man says, 'I have suffered,' it is his right to be believed. When he says, 'I am happy,' it is his right to be believed. But when he says, 'I am a human being,' and you reply, 'Prove it,' then you are asking him to dance on a flat earth." (A metaphorical quote emphasizing the fundamental right to existence, source difficult to pinpoint)
"The market went flat." (Common phrase in financial news and analysis, e.g., The Wall Street Journal or Bloomberg)
"Our music should lift people up, not leave them feeling flat." (Common sentiment expressed by musicians, source generally attributed to various artists)
"A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, by noon and under the stars." (Similar to the concept of seeing something from different perspectives, rather than a "flat" one. Often attributed to Robertson Davies or other literary figures, exact wording varies.)
Etymology
The word "flat" has a rich history, with its origins tracing back to ancient times and having multiple, interconnected meanings that developed over centuries.
At its very core, the idea behind "flat" comes from a very old root in a language called Proto-Indo-European, which was spoken thousands of years ago. This root was something like *plat-, and it basically meant "to spread" or "to be flat/broad." You can see hints of this in words in other languages, like the Greek word platys, which meant "flat" or "broad," and even the Latin word planus, which also meant "flat" or "level."
When we get to English, "flat" as an adjective (meaning "level, smooth, without curves or bumps") has been around since at least the 13th century. It came into English from the Old Norse word flatr, which carried that same meaning of being flat. So, when people first talked about something being "flat," they meant it was spread out or even on a surface, like "lying prostrate" or "all in one plane."
Later on, the word "flat" also started to be used as a noun. One of the earliest known uses of "flat" as a noun, around the late 12th or 13th century, referred to a "level piece of ground near water" or generally a "flat surface."
Interestingly, the meaning of "flat" as a "story of a house" or a "set of rooms on one floor" (what we in British English call an apartment) came into English much later, around 1801. This particular meaning came from the Scottish word flat, which itself came from the Old English word flett, meaning "a dwelling, hall; floor, or ground." The idea here is that a flat is a single, flat level of a building.
Over time, the word continued to branch out, taking on new meanings based on the core idea of "flatness":
Dull or uninteresting: By the late 16th century, "flat" started meaning "prosaic" or "dull," suggesting something without features or contrast.
Of a drink (without fizz): Around the 17th century, "flat" began to describe drinks that had lost their sparkle or fizziness.
In music (lower pitch): From the late 16th century, "flat" was used in music to mean a note that is lower than the correct or intended pitch. This is thought to be because the "flat" symbol (♭) developed from a modified form of the letter 'b', which was the first note to be regularly "flattened" in musical notation.
Flat tire: This specific phrase only appeared in the early 20th century, around 1908.
So, in essence, "flat" is a very old word that has maintained its core meaning of "level" or "spread out" while cleverly adapting to describe many different things that share this quality, whether it's a physical surface, a taste, a sound, or even a living space.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Flat
Flat out: To do something with maximum effort or speed. (e.g., "She worked flat out to finish the project on time.")
Fall flat: To fail completely; to not have the intended effect. (e.g., "His joke fell flat with the audience.")
Flat broke: Having no money at all. (e.g., "After paying rent, I'm flat broke until payday.")
Flat refusal: A definite and unwavering refusal. (e.g., "She gave him a flat refusal when he asked her to marry him.")
Flat battery: A battery that has no charge left. (e.g., "My phone has a flat battery.")
Flat fee: A fixed charge or payment, not varying with the amount of work or service. (e.g., "The lawyer charged a flat fee for the consultation.")
Flat tire (or a flat): A deflated tire on a vehicle. (e.g., "I got a flat on the way to work.")
Go down flat: To be entirely accepted or believed, often surprisingly so. (e.g., "His wild story went down flat with the gullible crowd.")
Lie flat: To be positioned horizontally and flush with a surface. (e.g., "The map lay flat on the table.")
A flat calm: A state of the sea where there are no waves or wind. (e.g., "After the storm, there was a flat calm across the bay.")
Flat as a pancake: Extremely flat. (e.g., "The land stretched out, flat as a pancake.")
That's flat! (Informal) That's final; no argument. (e.g., "You're going to bed now, and that's flat!")
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of flat from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
