~ 1
■ adjective ( ~ter , ~test )
1》 having a level surface; without raised areas or indentations.
↘not sloping.
↘having a broad level surface but little height or depth: a ~ box.
↘(of shoes) without high heels.
2》 dull; lifeless: a ~ voice.
↘showing little or no activity: sales were ~.
↘(of a photograph) lacking contrast.
3》 (of a sparkling drink) having lost its effervescence.
4》 Brit. (of a battery) having exhausted its charge.
5》 (of something kept in~ed) having lost some or all of its air.
6》 (of a fee, charge, or price) unvarying; fixed: a ~ rate of £250.
7》 (of a negative statement) definite and firm: a ~ denial.
8》 (of musical sound) below true or normal pitch.
↘[ postposition ] (of a key) having a ~ or ~s in the signature.
↘[ postposition ] (of a note) a semitone lower than a specified note.
■ adverb
1》 in or to a horizontal position.
↘lying in close juxtaposition to a surface.
↘so as to become level and even.
2》 informal completely; absolutely: I'm turning you down ~.
3》 emphasizing the speed of an action or task: prepare a meal in ten minutes ~.
4》 below the true or normal pitch of musical sound.
■ noun
1》 the ~ part of something.
↘( ~s ) shoes with a very low heel or no heel.
2》 ( ~s ) an area of low level ground, especially near water.
3》 informal a ~ tyre.
4》 an upright section of stage scenery.
5》 ( the Flat ) Brit. ~ racing.
6》 a musical note lowered a semitone below natural pitch.
↘the sign () indicating this.
7》 N. Amer. a shallow container in which seedlings are grown.
■ verb ( ~s , ~ting , ~ted )
1》 [usu. as adjective ~ted ] N. Amer. Music lower (a note) by a semitone.
2》 archaic ~ten.
Phrases
fall ~ fail to produce the intended effect.
~ out
1》 as fast or as hard as possible.
2》 informal, chiefly N. Amer. unequivocally.
3》 lying down in a state of exhaustion.
Derivatives
~ly adverb
~ness noun
~tish adjective
Origin
ME: from ON ~r .
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~ 2
■ noun chiefly Brit. a set of rooms comprising an individual place of residence within a larger building.
■ verb ( ~s , ~ting , ~ted ) Austral./NZ live in or share a ~.
Phrases
go ~ting Austral./NZ leave one's family home to live in a ~.
Derivatives
~let noun
Origin
C19: alt. of obs. flet 'floor, dwelling', of Gmc origin and related to ~ 1 .