Flat, adj. 1) without eminences, plain, level: “f. meads,” Tp. IV, 63. “smite f. the thick rotundity of the earth,” Lr. III, 2, 7.
2) prostrate, level with the ground: “I'll fall f.” Tp. II, 2, 16. to lay f. == to destroy: “to lay all f.” Cor. III, 1, 198. Cor. III, 1, 198 Cymb. I, 4, 23. “down with the nose, down with it f.” Tim. IV, 3, 158.
3) stale, insipid, dull: “the f. unraised spirits,” Tim. IV, 3, 158. “drink up the lees and dregs of a f. tamed piece,” Troil. IV, 1, 62. “weary, stale, f. and unprofitable,” Hml. I, 2, 133. “that we are made of stuff so f. and dull,” IV, 7, 31.
4) depressed, low: “now you are too f. and mar the concord,” Gentl. I, 2, 93 (quibbling; cf. v. 91).
5) absolute, downright: “f. blasphemy,” Meas. II, 2, 131. “the f. transgression of a schoolboy,” Ado II, 1, 229. “f. perjury,” IV, 2, 44. IV, 2, 44 LLL IV, 3, 293. Shr. V, 1, 37. John III, 1, 298. that's f. == that's certain: LLL III, 102. H4A I, 3, 218. IV, 2, 43.
Shakespeare Lexicon. Alexander Schmidt. Berlin. Georg Reimer. 1902.
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