C1verb · irregular · intransitive · rare

flatter

flat·ter

flatter · flatters · flattered · flattering

лестити, улещувати, облещувати, підлещати

льстить, польстить, раздувать чьё-либо эго, раздуть чьё-либо эго

anbiedern, schmeicheln, einschmeicheln

To compliment someone, often insincerely and sometimes to win favourTo compliment someone, often (but not necessarily) insincerely and sometimes to win favour.

ⓘ

UK/ˈflætə/US/ˈflætɚ/

» I'm really flattered to hear that.

Я действительно польщён слышать это.

Я действительно польщена слышать это.

Мені дуже лесно це чути.

Meaning

6 senses

(ambitransitive)To compliment someone, often (but not necessarily) insincerely and sometimes to win favour.
schmeicheln
льститьlʹstitʹ, польсти́тьpolʹstítʹ
лести́тиlestýty, улещуватиuleščuvaty, облещуватиobleščuvaty
(ambitransitive)To enhance or gratify someone's vanity by praising them.
anbiedern, einschmeicheln
льститьlʹstitʹ, раздува́ть чьё-либо э́гоrazduvátʹ čʹjo-libo égo, разду́ть чьё-либо э́гоrazdútʹ čʹjo-libo égo
(ambitransitive)To portray someone to advantage.
Her portrait flatters her.
anbiedern
льститьlʹstitʹ, выгора́живатьvygoráživatʹ, вы́городитьvýgoroditʹ
(ambitransitive)To encourage or cheer someone with (usually false) hope.
(ambitransitive, reflexive, usually)To cheer or please (with the idea that); congratulate oneself, especially when the perception is false.
Before the results came out, I flattered myself that I had done well on the test. It turned out I was the worst in the class!
To cheer or please (with the idea that); congratulate oneself, especially when the perception is false.
(ambitransitive, intransitive, obsolete, reflexive, usually)In phrasal verb "to flatter with": to encourage, inspire with hope.

More definitions

praise somewhat dishonestly

Examples

111 sentences

I'm really flattered to hear that.
Мені дуже лесно це чути.
ruЯ действительно польщён слышать это.
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That's very flattering.
Це мені дуже лестить.
ruЭто мне очень льстит.
deDas ist sehr schmeichelhaft.
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You flatter me.
Ти мені лестиш.
ruВы мне льстите.
deDu schmeichelst mir.
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You flatter yourselves.
Ви собі лестите.
ruВы себе льстите.
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I suppose I should be flattered.
deIch sollte mich wohl geschmeichelt fühlen.
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Translations

8 languages

Українська

By meaning 1

to compliment someone:

Русский

By meaning 3

to compliment someone:

to enhance someone's vanity:

to portray something to advantage:

Deutsch

By meaning 2

to compliment someone:

to enhance someone's vanity:

Origin

*From Middle English flatteren, flateren (“to flutter, float, fawn over”), probably a conf

*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; splash; cover with liquid”), Middle Dutch flatteren (“to embellish, flatter, caress”), German flattern (“to flutter”).

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