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Webster 1913 Edition

Flatter

Flat′ter

(flăt′tẽr)
,
Noun.
1.
One who, or that which, makes flat or flattens.
2.
(Metal Working)
(a)
A flat-faced fulling hammer.
(b)
A drawplate with a narrow, rectangular orifice, for drawing flat strips, as watch springs, etc.

Flat′ter

(flăt′tẽr)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Flattered
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Flattering
.]
[OE.
flateren
, cf. OD.
flatteren
; akin to G.
flattern
to flutter, Icel.
flaðra
to fawn, flatter: cf. F.
flatter
. Cf.
Flitter
,
Flutter
,
Flattery
.]
1.
To treat with praise or blandishments; to gratify or attempt to gratify the self-love or vanity of, esp. by artful and interested commendation or attentions; to blandish; to cajole; to wheedle.
When I tell him he hates flatterers,
He says he does, being then most
flattered
.
Shakespeare
A man that
flattereth
his neighbor, spreadeth a net for his feet.
Prov. xxix. 5.
Others he
flattered
by asking their advice.
Prescott.
2.
To raise hopes in; to encourage or favorable, but sometimes unfounded or deceitful, representations.
3.
To portray too favorably; to give a too favorable idea of;
as, his portrait
flatters
him
.

Flat′ter

,
Verb.
I.
To use flattery or insincere praise.
If it may stand him more in stead to lie,
Say and unsay, feign,
flatter
, or adjure.
Milton.

Webster 1828 Edition

Flatter

FLAT'TER

,
Noun.
The person or thing by which any thing is flattened.

FLAT'TER

,
Verb.
T.
[Flatter may be from the root of flat, that is, to make smooth, to appease, to soothe. L. plaudo. Perhaps flat and plaudo are from one root, the radical sense of which must be to extend, strain, stretch.]
1.
To soothe by praise; to gratify self-love by praise or obsequiousness; to please a person by applause or favorable notice, by respectful attention, or by any thing that exalts him in his own estimation, or confirms his good opinion of himself. We flatter a woman when we praise her children.
A man that flattereth his neighbor, spreadeth a net for his feet. Prov. 29.
2.
To please; to gratify; as, to flatter one's vanity or pride.
3.
To praise falsely; to encourage by favorable notice; as, to flatter vices or crimes.
4.
To encourage by favorable representations or indications; as, to flatter hopes. We are flattered with the prospect of peace.
5.
To raise false hopes by representations not well founded; as, to flatter one with a prospect of success; to flatter a patient with the expectation of recovery when his case is desperate.
6.
To please; to soothe.
A concert of voices - makes a harmony that flatters the ears.
7.
To wheedle; to coax; to attempt to win by blandishments, praise or enticements. How many young and credulous persons are flattered out of their innocence and their property, by seducing arts!

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