flatter

«flatter» in Mova's judaism dictionary: To praise someone too much, often not sincerely, to… — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

part of speech

verb (flatter, flatters, flattered, flattering); adjective (flatter — comparative of flat)

meaning for a pupil

1) (verb) To praise someone too much, often not sincerely, to please them or get something. tree →

2) (verb) To make someone look better than usual: «That colour flatters you». tree →

3) (verb) «be flattered»: feel pleased because someone admired you. tree →

4) (adjective) More flat; more level or smooth. tree →

sense in the lessons

In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: The Bible condemns flattering lips as deceitful. Tradition counts flattery as a kind of lying and as a danger to the one who flatters and the one flattered. In the primary lessons: In stories, a sly character flatters the king to get a reward (like the fox in the fable «The Fox and the Crow»). In everyday life: «I'm flattered you asked me». In geography and maths: «flatter land», «this side is flatter».

examples

• May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaketh proud things! (Writings PSA.12.4, JPS 1917) tree →
• For I know not to give flattering titles; else would my Maker soon take me away. (Writings JOB.32.22, JPS 1917) tree →
• A lying tongue hateth those that are crushed by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin. (Writings PRO.26.28, JPS 1917) tree →
• The fox flattered the crow so she would drop the cheese. tree →
• Don't try to flatter me — you still have to tidy up. tree →
• I was flattered when they asked me to sing. tree →
• That dress really flatters you. tree →
• The fields here are flatter than in the hills. tree →
• Press it down to make it flatter. tree →
• He flattered the teacher to get extra time. tree →
• Such a neatly turned compliment flattered Ludovine. tree →

note

Two different words: flatter (praise) and flatter (more flat). Noun: flattery (too much praise). Adjective: flattering. Being flattered is pleasant, but flattery can be a trick.

In the corpora

• May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaketh proud things!
• For it flattereth him in his eyes, until his iniquity be found, and he be hated.
• He that rebuketh a man shall in the end find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.
• A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his steps.
• Let me not, I pray you, respect any man's person; neither will I give flattering titles unto any man.

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «flatter» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.