flatter
verbVerb Forms
Idioms | present simple I / you / we / they flatter | |
| he / she / it flatters | |
| past simple flattered | |
| past participle flattered | |
| -ing form flattering |
- [transitive] flatter somebody
to say nice things about somebody, often in a way that is not sincere, because you want them to do something for you or you want to please them 奉承；讨好；向…谄媚 - [transitive] flatter yourself (that…)
to choose to believe something good about yourself and your abilities, especially when other people do not share this opinion 自命不凡 - [transitive] flatter somebody/something
to make somebody look attractive; to make somebody seem more attractive or better than they really are 使显得更漂亮；使胜过本人
Word OriginMiddle English: perhaps a back-formation from flattery.
Idioms
be/feel flattered
to be pleased because somebody has made you feel important or special 被奉承得高兴；感到荣幸
flatter to deceive
- (British English)
if something flatters to deceive, it appears to be better, more successful, etc. than it really is 显得比实际好；看似比实际成功 As with many new bands, their early success flattered to deceive. 和许多新乐队一样，他们早期的成功也是自欺欺人。