flat meaning and definition

FLAT noun

Definition of flat (noun)

1. a level tract of land
   • "the salt flats of Utah"
2. a shallow box in which seedlings are started
3. a musical notation indicating one half step lower than the note named
4. freight car without permanent sides or roof
   • synonyms: flatbed, flatcar
5. a deflated pneumatic tire
   • synonyms: flat tire
6. scenery consisting of a wooden frame covered with painted canvas; part of a stage setting
7. a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house
   • synonyms: apartment

FLAT adjective

Definition of flat (adjective)

1. 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"
   • synonyms: level, plane
2. having a relatively broad surface in relation to depth or thickness
   • "flat computer monitors"
3. not modified or restricted by reservations
   • "a categorical denial"; "a flat refusal"
   • synonyms: categoric, categorical, unconditional
4. stretched out and lying at full length along the ground
   • "found himself lying flat on the floor"
   • synonyms: prostrate
5. lacking contrast or shading between tones
   • antonym: contrasty
6. (of a musical note) lowered in pitch by one chromatic semitone
   • "B flat"
   • antonym: natural
7. flattened laterally along the whole length (e.g., certain leafstalks or flatfishes)
   • synonyms: compressed
8. lacking taste or flavor or tang
   • "a bland diet"; "insipid hospital food"; "flavorless supermarket tomatoes"; "vapid beer"; "vapid tea"
   • synonyms: bland, flavorless, flavourless, insipid, savorless, savourless, vapid
9. lacking stimulating characteristics; uninteresting
   • "a bland little drama"; "a flat joke"
   • synonyms: bland
10. having lost effervescence
    • "flat beer"; "a flat cola"
11. sounded or spoken in a tone unvarying in pitch
    • "the owl's faint monotonous hooting"
    • synonyms: monotone, monotonic, monotonous
12. horizontally level
    • "a flat roof"
13. 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"
    • synonyms: 2-dimensional, two-dimensional
14. not reflecting light; not glossy
    • "flat wall paint"; "a photograph with a matte finish"
    • synonyms: mat, matt, matte, matted
15. commercially inactive
    • "flat sales for the month"; "prices remained flat"; "a flat market"

FLAT adverb

Definition of flat (adverb)

1. with flat sails
   • "sail flat against the wind"
2. 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"
   • synonyms: directly, straight
   • antonym: indirectly