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| Date: | 1100-1200 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | flater 'to move the tongue against, flatter' |
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flat‧ter
[transitive]
[transitive]1 to praise someone in order to please them or get something from them, even though you do not mean it : Perry would always flatter Mrs. Mitchell by praising her cooking.
Perry would always flatter Mrs. Mitchell by praising her cooking.2 to make someone look as attractive as they can [= suit]: That dress really flatters your figure.
That dress really flatters your figure.3 to make something look or seem more important or better than it is : Lewis's novel doesn't flatter Midwestern attitudes and morals.
Lewis's novel doesn't flatter Midwestern attitudes and morals.4 if you flatter yourself that something is true about your abilities or achievements, you make yourself believe it is true, although it is not
flatter yourself
—flatterer noun [countable]
WORD FOCUS: praise WORD FOCUS: praise similar words: compliment v, n, say good things about
to praise someone a lot: rave about, gush, sing somebody's praises
to praise someone in an insincere way: flatter, butter up
➔ See also praise
