flatter

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To praise someone, often insincerely, to please them or win favour.

   He flattered the boss hoping for a promotion.

2. 2
   verb

   To make someone look more attractive than they really are.

   That dress really flatters you.

3. 3
   verb

   To please oneself with a belief, often a mistaken one.

   I flattered myself that I had passed, but I had failed.

*From Middle English flatteren, flateren (“to flutter, float, fawn over”), probably a conflation of Old English floterian, flotorian (“to flutter, float, be disquieted”), from Proto-West Germanic *flotrōn, from Proto-Germanic *flutrōną (“to be floating”), from Proto-Indo-European *plewd- (“to flow, swim”), equivalent to float + -er; and Old Norse flaðra (“to fawn on someone, flatter”), from Proto-Germanic *flaþrōną (“to fawn over, flutter”), from Proto-Indo-European *peled- (“moisture, wetness”), *pel- (“to gush, pour out, fill, flow, swim, fly”). Cognate with Scots flatter, flotter (“to float…

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