Definition of "flatten" in English

verb

1. (transitive) To make something flat or flatter.

   • As there was a lot of damage, we chose the heavy roller to flatten the pitch.
   • Mary would flatten the dough before rolling it into pretzels.

2. (reflexive) To press one's body tightly against a surface, such as a wall or floor, especially in order to avoid being seen or harmed.

3. (transitive) To knock down or lay low.

   • The prize fighter quickly flattened his challenger.

4. (intransitive) To become flat or flatter; to plateau.

   • Prices have flattened out.

5. (intransitive) To be knocked down or laid low.

6. (music) To lower by a semitone.

7. To make vapid or insipid; to render stale.

8. (programming, transitive) To reduce (a data structure) to one that has fewer dimensions, e.g. a 2×2 array into a list of four elements.

9. (computer graphics, transitive) To combine (separate layers) into a single image.