flatten
/ˈflætn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈflætn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfla-tᵊn/ (ame, mw)
flatten — verb
- flattenpresent simple I / you / we / they
- flattenshe / she / it
- flattenedpast simple
- flattening-ing form
1. to press, smooth, or push something so that it becomes flat or level without bum
to press, smooth, or push something so that it becomes flat or level without bumps or raised parts, or to become flat in this way
Hao flattened the wrinkled shirt by pressing it firmly with a hot iron.
flatten + object (clothing/fabric)
The cardboard box was flattened and put into the recycling bin after Baraka unpacked it.
passive construction: be flattened
When a sharp piece of glass pierced the tire, it flattened on the highway.
Noor flattened the tablecloth with her palms, smoothing out every small crease.
The children used their hands to flatten the wet sand into a smooth circle for a castle.
- inflate
to fill with air, the opposite of flattening a tire or balloon
文法句型
flatten + object
flatten + adverb/particle (out, down)
用法筆記
Frequently used with particle adverbs like 'out' or 'down' to emphasize the action: 'flatten out the wrinkles', 'flatten down the carpet'.
常見錯誤
2. to stop changing up or down as quickly as before, so that the rate of increase o
to stop changing up or down as quickly as before, so that the rate of increase or decrease becomes slower and more steady
House prices in Camila's neighborhood flattened after three years of fast increases.
intransitive: prices flatten
The central bank raised interest rates to flatten the rate of inflation.
transitive: flatten + rate of [something]
After rapid growth, the company's monthly sales flattened out during the summer.
The population of the small island flattened as more families moved to the mainland.
Tanvi noticed that her weight had flattened near sixty kilograms despite eating the same amount.
文法句型
flatten + noun phrase (rates, prices, growth)
flatten + out / off
用法筆記
Common with the particles 'out' and 'off' ('flatten out', 'flatten off'). Often used to describe economic data, population trends, or physical measurements that stop changing quickly.
常見錯誤
3. to slow down the speed at which a disease spreads, shown on a graph as a line th
to slow down the speed at which a disease spreads, shown on a graph as a line that becomes less steep
The health minister introduced free mask distribution to flatten the infection curve.
collocation: flatten the curve
A quick vaccination campaign helped Sari's city flatten the curve and reopen schools safely.
The number of new daily cases flattened after the two-week lockdown was strictly enforced.
Public health experts in Hao's district worked hard to flatten the curve before the holiday season.
Large public gatherings were banned to flatten the curve, and the measure proved effective.
- slow the spread
more general term, not tied to graph imagery
文法句型
flatten + noun phrase (curve, infection rate)
number + flattens
用法筆記
This sense became widely used worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic starting in 2020. It is almost always used with 'the curve' as the object, referring to the epidemic curve on a graph showing new infections over time.
常見錯誤
4. to press a soft or bendable material so that it becomes both flat and thin at th
to press a soft or bendable material so that it becomes both flat and thin at the same time
Noor flattened the dough into a thin circle before spreading tomato sauce on it.
flatten + into + [shape/form]
The gold was flattened into a thin sheet by a machine that hammered it repeatedly.
passive: be flattened + into
Hannah flattened the pastry dough with her hands until it was even on both sides.
In pottery class, Tanvi flattened a lump of clay on the table with a rolling pin.
Metal wires are fed through rollers that flatten them into thin strips for making springs.
- roll out
specifically for dough or pastry; implies using a rolling pin
- press out
emphasizes using even force to spread material
- hammer out
for metal; suggests repeated forceful blows
- thicken
to make something thicker
文法句型
flatten + object
flatten + object + into + shape/form
用法筆記
This sense is distinct from the general MAKE LEVEL sense because it specifically involves reducing thickness. Typical materials include dough, clay, metal, or wax that can be pressed or rolled into a thinner shape.
常見錯誤
5. to completely knock down or destroy a building, house, tree, or other large stru
to completely knock down or destroy a building, house, tree, or other large structure so that it lies flat on the ground
The abandoned factory was flattened to make space for a new city park.
passive: be flattened + purpose
Typhoon winds flattened hundreds of wooden houses along the coast of Sari's province.
natural disaster + flatten + structures
The construction crew flattened the old parking garage in a single morning.
A tornado completely flattened the barn on Pedro's farm, but his family was safe.
The historic hotel in the town center was flattened by a fire that started in the kitchen.
文法句型
flatten + object (building, house, tree)
be flattened + by + noun phrase
用法筆記
Subject is usually a natural disaster (storm, earthquake, tornado), heavy machinery, or construction crew. Frequently used in the passive voice because the focus is on the destroyed structure rather than the agent.