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flat
flat1 / flat/ • adj. (flat·ter , flat·test ) 1. smooth and even; without marked lumps or indentations: a flat wall trim the surface of the cake to make it completely flat. ∎ (of land) without hills: thirty-five acres of flat countryside. ∎ (of an expanse of water) calm and without waves. ∎ not sloping: the flat roof of a garage. ∎ having a broad level surface but little height or depth; shallow: a flat rectangular box a flat cap. ∎ (of shoes) without heels or with very low heels. ∎ (of a woman) having small breasts. 2. lacking interest or emotion; dull and lifeless: “I'm sorry,” he said, in a flat voice her drawings were flat and unimaginative. ∎ (of a person) without energy; dispirited: his sense of intoxication wore off until he felt flat and weary. ∎ (of a market, prices, etc.) showing little activity; sluggish: cash flow was flat at $214 million flat sales in the drinks industry. ∎ (of a sparkling drink) having lost its effervescence: flat champagne. ∎ (of something kept inflated, esp. a tire) having lost some or all of its air, typically because of a puncture: you've got a flat tire. ∎ (of a color) uniform: the dress was a deadly, flat shade of gray. ∎ (of a photographic print or negative) lacking contrast. 3. (of a fee, wage, or price) the same in all cases, not varying with changed conditions or in particular cases: a $30 flat fare. See also flat rate. ∎ (of a denial, contradiction, or refusal) completely definite and firm; absolute: his statement was a flat denial that he had misbehaved. 4. (of musical sound) below true or normal pitch. ∎ [in comb.] (of a note) a semitone lower than a specified note: the double basses' opening low E-flat you never have to change key from B-flat major. ∎ (of a key) having a flat or flats in the signature. 5. (Flat) of or relating to flat racing: the Flat season. • adv. 1. in or to a horizontal position: he was lying flat on his back she had been knocked flat by the blast. ∎ lying in close juxtaposition, esp. against another surface: his black curly hair was blown flat across his skull. ∎ so as to become smooth and even: I hammered the metal flat. 2. inf. completely; absolutely: I'm turning you down flat | she was going to be flat broke in a couple of days. ∎ after a phrase expressing a period of time to emphasize how quickly something can be done or has been done: you can prepare a healthy meal in ten minutes flat. 3. below the true or normal pitch of musical sound: it wasn't a question of singing flat, but of simply singing the wrong notes. • n. 1. [in sing.] the flat part of something: she placed the flat of her hand over her glass. 2. a flat object, in particular: ∎ (often flats) an upright section of painted stage scenery mounted on a frame. ∎ inf. a flat tire. ∎ a shallow container in which seedlings are grown and sold. ∎ (often flats) a shoe with a very low heel or no heel. ∎ a railroad car with a flat floor and no sides or roof; a flatcar. 3. (usu. flats) an area of low level ground, esp. near water: the Utah salt flats. See also mudflat. 4. a musical note lowered a semitone below natural pitch. ∎ the sign (♭) indicating this. • v. (flat·ted, flat·ting) [tr.] 1. [usu. as adj.] (flatted) Mus. lower (a note) by a semitone: “blue” harmony emphasizing the flatted third and seventh. 2. archaic make flat; flatten: flat the loaves down. PHRASES: fall flat fail completely to produce the intended or expected effect: his jokes fell flat. fall flat on one's face fall over forward. ∎ fig. fail in an embarrassingly obvious way: the president could fall flat on his face if the economy doesn't start improving soon. (as) flat as a pancakesee pancake. flat out 1. as fast or as hard as possible: the whole team is working flat out to satisfy demand | [as adj.] (flat-out) the album lacks the flat-out urgency of its predecessor. 2. inf. without hesitation or reservation; unequivocally: in those early days I'd just flat out vote against foreign aid | [as adj.] (flat-out) flat-out perjury. 3. lying completely stretched out, esp. asleep or exhausted: she was lying flat out on her pink bath towel. that's flat inf. used to indicate that one has reached a decision and will not be persuaded to change one's mind: he won't go into a home and that's flat.DERIVATIVES: flat·ness n. flat·tish / ˈflatish/ adj. flat2 • n. British term for apartment. DERIVATIVES: flat·let / -lət/ n. |
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Cite this article
"flat." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "flat." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-flat.html "flat." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-flat.html |
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Flat
Flat, timber frame generally covered with canvas, though modern stage designers use a variety of surfaces. The standard full-sized flat is 18 ft. high; in small theatres it may be less and in large ones may reach 24 ft. Its width may vary from 1 ft. to 6 ft., exceptionally to 8 ft. For widths above this two or more flats are hinged together, known as book (or booked) flats (in America two- or three-folds). Flats may be plain or contain openings; they may be straight-edged or bear profiling boards, fixed to the side and sawn to the required shape. They may be used as wings, and then carry on their on-stage edge an extension of profiling known as a flipper. This is hinged so that it faces the audience even if the flat is set at an angle, and can be folded flat for packing. Flats are used to form the three walls of a box-set. When those at the back are battened together so that the whole wall can be flown it is called a French flat. Variants of the flat are the groundrow, the set piece, and the backing flat, set outside a door or other opening to block the view beyond. A free-standing flat is supported by a stage brace—a wooden rod hooked to the back of the flat and screwed into the floor, or held down by a weight made to fit over the foot of the brace. Sometimes the flat is supported by a French brace (brace jack in America), a right-angled triangle framework of wood hinged to the back of the piece and opened out and weighted as needed. (See also FALLING FLAPS and SCENERY.)
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Cite this article
PHYLLIS HARTNOLL and PETER FOUND. "Flat." The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. PHYLLIS HARTNOLL and PETER FOUND. "Flat." The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O79-Flat.html PHYLLIS HARTNOLL and PETER FOUND. "Flat." The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre. 1996. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O79-Flat.html |
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flat
flat
♭. (♭). The sign which, placed before a note, lowers its pitch by a semitone. In Britain, the verb ‘to flatten’ (past participle ‘flattened’) is in use; in USA, ‘to flat’ (‘flatted’). 2. ‘Flat’ singing or playing is that which departs from correct intonation on the downward side. |
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MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "flat." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "flat." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-flat.html MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "flat." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-flat.html |
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flat
flat That part of a staircase thrust plane trajectory which has a horizontal or subhorizontal orientation. Flats represent areas of décollement (see DÉCOLLEMENT PLANE) along weak, layer- or bedding-parallel planes. Although initially horizontal, flats may steepen during later compression.See RAMP; and THRUST.
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Cite this article
AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "flat." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "flat." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-flat.html AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "flat." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-flat.html |
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flat
flat1 level, prostrate XIV; not curved or undulating XV; unqualified, plain, dull, below true pitch XVI; of drink XVII; in many sb. uses from XIV. — ON. flatr = OHG. flaz :- Gmc. *flataz, of uncert. orig.
Hence flatten vb. XVII; see -EN5. |
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "flat." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "flat." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-flat.html T. F. HOAD. "flat." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-flat.html |
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flat
flat (symbol b) In musical notation, an accidental sign placed before a note or immediately after the clef to indicate that the note it refers to should be sounded a semitone lower.
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Cite this article
"flat." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "flat." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-flat.html "flat." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-flat.html |
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flat
flat2 storey of a house; suite of rooms on one floor. XIX. alt. by assoc. with prec. of Sc. flet inner part of a house (OE. flet floor, dwelling :- Gmc. *flatjam, f. *flataz FLAT1).
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "flat." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "flat." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-flat1.html T. F. HOAD. "flat." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-flat1.html |
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flat
flat A mirror with a plane surface, such as the secondary mirror of a Newtonian reflector.
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"flat." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "flat." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O80-flat.html "flat." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O80-flat.html |
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flat
flat. See apartment.
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JAMES STEVENS CURL. "flat." A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JAMES STEVENS CURL. "flat." A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O1-flat.html JAMES STEVENS CURL. "flat." A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. 2000. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O1-flat.html |
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flat
flat
•at, bat, brat, cat, chat, cravat, drat, expat, fat, flat, frat, gat, gnat, hat, hereat, high-hat, howzat, lat, mat, matt, matte, Montserrat, Nat, outsat, pat, pit-a-pat, plait, plat, prat, Rabat, rat, rat-tat, Sadat, sat, scat, Sebat, shabbat, shat, skat, slat, spat, splat, sprat, stat, Surat, tat, that, thereat, tit-for-tat, vat, whereat
•fiat • floreat • exeat • caveat
•Croat, Serbo-Croat
•Nanga Parbat • brickbat • dingbat
•combat, wombat
•fruitbat • numbat • acrobat • backchat
•whinchat • chitchat • samizdat
•concordat • Arafat • Jehoshaphat
•butterfat • Kattegat • hard hat
•sun hat • fat cat • hellcat • requiescat
•scaredy-cat • Magnificat • copycat
•pussycat • wildcat • bobcat • tomcat
•Sno-Cat • polecat • muscat • meerkat
•mudflat • cervelat
•doormat, format
•diplomat • laundromat • Zermatt
•Donat • cowpat
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Cite this article
"flat." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "flat." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-flat.html "flat." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-flat.html |
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