Part 188

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, v. 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.

Flat"ter*er (?), n. One who flatters.

The most abject flaterers degenerate into the greatest tyrants.

Addison.

Flat"ter*ing, a. That flatters (in the various senses of the verb); as, a flattering speech.

Lay not that flattering unction to your soul.

Shak.

A flattering painter, who made it his care, To draw men as they ought be, not as they are.

Goldsmith.

Flat"ter*ing*ly, adv. With flattery.

Flat"ter*y (?), n.; pl. Flatteries (#). [OE. flaterie, OF. flaterie, F. flaterie, fr. flater to flatter, F. flatter; of uncertain origin. See Flatter, v. t.] The act or practice of flattering; the act of pleasing by artful commendation or compliments; adulation; false, insincere, or excessive praise.

Just praise is only a debt, but flattery is a present.

Rambler.

Flattery corrupts both the receiver and the giver.

Burke.

Syn. -- Adulation; compliment; obsequiousness. See Adulation.

Flat"ting (?), n. 1. The process or operation of making flat, as a cylinder of glass by opening it out.

2. A mode of painting,in which the paint, being mixed with turpentine, leaves the work without gloss. Gwilt.

3. A method of preserving gilding unburnished, by touching with size. Knolles.

4. The process of forming metal into sheets by passing it between rolls.

Flatting coat, a coat of paint so put on as to have no gloss. -- Flatting furnace. Same as flattening oven, under Flatten. -- Flatting mill. (a) A rolling mill producing sheet metal; esp., in mints, the ribbon from which the planchets are punched. (b) A mill in which grains of metal are flatted by steel rolls, and reduced to metallic dust, used for purposes of ornamentation.