Flatten

Pronunciation: /ˈflætən/

Definitions of flatten

verb to make or become flat or flatter

Example Sentences

A1 I need to flatten the dough before baking the cookies.

A2 She used a rolling pin to flatten the pizza dough.

B1 The construction workers will flatten the ground before building the new house.

B2 The chef carefully flattened the chicken breasts to ensure even cooking.

C1 The earthquake caused the buildings to flatten to the ground.

C2 The steamroller was used to flatten the road surface before paving.

Examples of flatten in a Sentence

formal The architect proposed to flatten the uneven terrain before constructing the new building.

informal I need to flatten out this dough before I can start cutting out the cookies.

slang Let's flatten this competition and show them who's boss!

figurative Her harsh words seemed to flatten his spirits.

Grammatical Forms of flatten

• past tense: flattened
• plural: flatten
• comparative: flatter
• superlative: flattest
• present tense: flatten
• future tense: will flatten
• perfect tense: have flattened
• continuous tense: is flattening
• singular: flattens
• positive degree: flat
• infinitive: flatten
• gerund: flattening
• participle: flattened

Origin and Evolution of flatten

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old French

Story behind the word: The word 'flatten' originated from the Old French word 'flater' which meant 'to smooth or make flat'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'flatten' has retained its original meaning of making something flat or smooth, but it has also come to be used in a more metaphorical sense to indicate the act of making something less complex or intense.