flatter

flat·ter ¹

 (flăt′ər)

v. flat·tered, flat·ter·ing, flat·ters

v.tr.

1. To compliment excessively and often insincerely, especially in order to win favor.

2. To please or gratify the vanity of: "What really flatters a man is that you think him worth flattering" (George Bernard Shaw).

3.

a. To portray favorably: a photograph that flatters its subject.

b. To show off becomingly or advantageously.

v.intr.

To practice flattery.

---

[Middle English flateren, from Old French flater, of Germanic origin; see plat- in Indo-European roots.]

---

flat′ter·er n.

flat′ter·ing·ly adv.

---

flat·ter ²

 (flăt′ər)

n.

1. A flat-faced swage or hammer used by blacksmiths.

2. A die plate for flattening metal into strips, as in the manufacture of watch springs.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

flatter

(ˈflætə)

vb

1. to praise insincerely, esp in order to win favour or reward

2. to show to advantage: that dress flatters her.

3. (tr) to make to appear more attractive, etc, than in reality

4. to play upon or gratify the vanity of (a person): it flatters her to be remembered.

5. (tr) to beguile with hope; encourage, esp falsely: this success flattered him into believing himself a champion.

6. (tr) to congratulate or deceive (oneself): I flatter myself that I am the best.

[C13: probably from Old French flater to lick, fawn upon, of Frankish origin]

ˈflatterable adj

ˈflatterer n

ˈflatteringly adv

---

flatter

(ˈflætə)

n

1. (Tools) a blacksmith's tool, resembling a flat-faced hammer, that is placed on forged work and struck to smooth the surface of the forging

2. (Tools) a die with a narrow rectangular orifice for drawing flat sections

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

flat•ter¹

(ˈflæt ər)

v.t.

1. to try to please by complimentary remarks or attention.

2. to praise or compliment insincerely, effusively, or excessively.

3. to represent favorably, esp. too favorably: The portrait flatters her.

4. to show to advantage: a hairstyle that flatters the face.

5. to please or gratify by compliments or attentions: I was flattered by the invitation.

6. to feel satisfaction with (oneself), sometimes mistakenly.

7. to beguile with hope; encourage prematurely, falsely, etc.

v.i.

8. to use flattery.

[1175–1225; Middle English: to float, flutter, fawn upon, Old English floterian to float, flutter]

flat′ter•a•ble, adj.

flat′ter•er, n.

flat′ter•ing•ly, adv.

flat•ter²

(ˈflæt ər)

n.

a flat-faced blacksmith's tool used to smooth the surface of the forging.

[1705–15]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

flatter

Past participle: flattered
Gerund: flattering

Imperative

flatter

flatter

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

flatter - praise somewhat dishonestly     blandish soft-soap - use flattering talk on somebody praise - express approval of; "The parents praised their children for their academic performance" adulate - flatter in an obsequious manner stroke - treat gingerly or carefully; "You have to stroke the boss" bootlick, kotow, toady, truckle, kowtow, fawn, suck up - try to gain favor by cringing or flattering; "He is always kowtowing to his boss" brown-nose, butter up - flatter with the intention of getting something disparage, belittle, pick at - express a negative opinion of; "She disparaged her student's efforts"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

flatter

verb

1. praise, compliment, pander to, sweet-talk (informal), court, humour, puff, flannel (Brit. informal), fawn, cajole, lay it on (thick) (slang), wheedle, inveigle, soft-soap (informal), butter up, blandish I knew he was just flattering me.

2. suit, become, enhance, set off, embellish, do something for, show to advantage Orange flatters those with golden skin tones.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

flatter

verb

1. To compliment excessively and ingratiatingly:

adulate, blandish, butter up, honey, slaver.

Informal: soft-soap, sweet-talk.

2. To look good on or with:

become, enhance, suit.

Idiom: put in the best light.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

يَتَباهى، يَتَبَجَّحيَتَمَلَّقيَتَمَلَّقُيُطْري لِ

lichotitlichotit sipochlebovat

smigrebilde sig indforskønne

schmeichelnsich einbildenanbiederneinschmeicheln

κολακεύω

adularhalagarretocar

imarrella

flatteraduleramadouerembellir

laskati

fegraòykjast getaskjalla, lofa um of

adularelusingareschiacciareappiattireilludersi

おだてる

아첨하다

gražintigyrimasjausti pasitenkinimąmeilikautimeilikautojas

būt apmierinātam ar seviglaimotizskaistināt

vleien

smigre

pochlebić

bajularlisonjear

льстить

lichotiť

laskatilaskati siprilizovati se

smickra

ยกยอ

pohpohlamakyağ çekmekkıvanç duymakolduğundan iyi göstermek

nịnh nọt

奉承胜过自以为

flatter

[ˈflætəʳ] VT

1. (= praise, compliment)

1.1. (sincerely) → halagar
you flatter me! → ¡me halagas!
to say that she is tactless is to flatter her (iro) → decir que no tiene tacto es como echarle un piropo

1.2. (insincerely) → adular, lisonjear
he only said it to flatter you → te lo dijo sólo para adularte

2. (= gratify) → halagar
I was very flattered to be asked → me halagó que me lo pidieran
to feel flattered → sentirse halagado

3. (= show to advantage) → favorecer
that colour flatters you → ese color te favorece
it's a dress that will flatter any figure → es un vestido que favorece a cualquiera

4. to flatter o.s

4.1. (= pride o.s.) to flatter o.s. on sth/that → enorgullecerse de algo/de que

4.2. (= deceive o.s.) don't flatter yourself, I didn't come all this way just to see you → no te hagas ilusiones, no he venido hasta aquí sólo para verte a ti
you flatter yourself! what makes you think he fancies you? → ¡no seas engreída! ¿qué te hace pensar que le gustas?

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

flatter

[ˈflætə^r] vt

[person] → flatter
to flatter o.s. (that) ...
I flatter myself I've done it all rather well → J'aime à penser que j'ai tout plutôt bien réussi.

(= look good on) → flatter
see also flattered

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

flatter

vt → schmeicheln (+dat); it flatters your figure → das ist sehr vorteilhaft; I was very flattered by his remark → ich fühlte mich von seiner Bemerkung sehr geschmeichelt; you can flatter yourself on being … → Sie können sich (dat) → etwas darauf einbilden, dass Sie …; he flatters himself he’s a good musician → er bildet sich (dat) → ein, ein guter Musiker zu sein; don’t flatter yourself! → bilde dir ja nichts ein!

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

flatter

[ˈflætəʳ] vt (praise) → adulare, lusingare; (show to advantage) → donare a
this photo flatters you → in questa foto sei venuto molto bene
to flatter o.s. that one is ... → illudersi di essere...

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

flatter

(ˈflӕtə) verb

1. to praise too much or insincerely. Flatter him by complimenting him on his singing. vlei يَتَمَلَّق правя комплимент adular lichotit schmeicheln smigre κολακεύωhalagar, adular (kellegi) eneseuhkust kõditama چاپلوسی کردن imarrella flatter לְהַחנִיף चापलूसी करना laskati hízeleg (vkinek) menyanjung skjalla, lofa um of adulare, lusingare おべっかを使う 아첨하다 saldliežuvauti, meilikauti glaimot menyanjung vleiensmigre, smiskeschlebiać چا پلوسى كول،. adular a flata, a măguli льстить lichotiť laskati laskati smickra ยกยอ pohpohlamak, yağ çekmek 奉承 лестити بے جا تعریف کرنا tâng bốc nịnh hót 奉承

2. to show, describe etc someone or something as being better than someone etc really is. The photograph flatters him. vlei يُطْري لِ превъзнасям favorecer lichotit schmeicheln forskønne κολακεύωfavorecer tegelikust ilusamana näitama بهتر نشان دادن korostaa parhaita puolia flatter לְהַחמִיא खुश होना ugadati taštini, laskati hízeleg (vmi vkinek) membuat senang fegra abbellire 実物以上に見せる (실물 이상으로) 아름답게 보이게 하다 (pa)gražinti Fotogrāfijā viņš izskatās skaistāks nekā dzīvē. membuat seseorang kelihatan lebih flatterenforskjønneschlebiać غوړه مالى كول favorecer a avantaja приукрашивать lichotiť laskati ulepšavati vara smickrande för ทำให้ดูสวยหรือดีขึ้นกว่าที่เป็นจริง olduğundan iyi göstermek 勝過(真人/實物)的描述 прикрашати بے جا کسی چیز کو بہتر ظاہر کرنا tôn lên 胜过

3. to be pleased to say about (oneself) (that one can do something). I flatter myself that I can speak French perfectly. vlei يَتَباهى، يَتَبَجَّح лаская (се) gabar-se lichotit si sich einbilden bilde sig ind υπερηφανεύομαι preciarse de uhkusega nentima خرسند شدن mairitella se flatter לְהַשלוֹת אֶת עַצמוֹ रशन होना umišljati, uobražavati sebi büszke vmire bangga þykjast geta vantarsi, compiacersi うぬぼれる …이라고 우쭐대다 džiaugtis, jausti pasitenkinimą būt apmierinātam ar sevi bangga zich vleien innbille seg at pochlebiać sobie, z dumą stwierdzać خوشآلیدل ter peneiras de a (se) felicita (pentru) тешить себя lichotiť si laskati si laskati sebi våga påstå att man är (kan) ... ภูมิใจ kıvanç duymak 自以為 тішитися; насмілюватися думати, що خوش فہمی میں مبتلا ہونا یا کرنا làm cho ai hãnh diện 自以为

ˈflatterer noun

vleier مُتَمَلِّق، مُتَزَلِّف ласкател adulador lichotník der/die Schmeichler(in) smigrer κόλακαςadulador meelitaja چاپلوس imartelija flatteur/-euse חנפן चापलूस laskavac hízelgő penyanjung skjallari, smjaðrari adulatore, adulatrice へつらう人 아첨꾼 saldliežuvis, meilikautojas glaimotājs; lišķis penyanjung vleiersmigrer pochlebca چا پلوس adulador linguşitor льстец lichotník, -čka laskač laskavac smickrare คนช่างประจบสอพลอ dalkavuk, yağcı, pohpohçu 拍馬屁的人，奉承者 підлесник, лестун خوشامد خورہ người nịnh bợ 拍马屁的人，奉承者

ˈflattery noun

insincere praise. vleiery تَمَلُّق، تَزَلُّف ласкателство adulação lichotka die Schmeichelei smiger κολακείαadulación meelitus چاپلوسی imartelu flatterieחנופה चापलूसी laskanje, ulagivanje hízelgés sanjungan smjaður adulazione, lusinga お世辞 아첨, 아부 gyrimas, meilikavimas glaimi sanjungan vleierij smiger, smiskingpochlebstwo چا پلوسى adulação linguşire лесть lichôtka prilizovanje laskanje smicker การประจบสอพลอ dalkavukluk, yağcılık, pohpoh 阿諛之辭，場面話 лестощі; підлесливість خوشامد sự tâng bốc, nịnh hót 恭维话，捧场话

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

flatter

→ يَتَمَلَّقُ lichotit smigre schmeicheln κολακεύω adular, halagar imarrella flatter laskati adulare おだてる 아첨하다 vleien smigre pochlebić bajular, lisonjear льстить smickra ยกยอ pohpohlamak nịnh nọt 奉承

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009