flat·ter /ˈflætə $ -ər/ ●○○ verb [transitiveT] 1 PRAISEto praise someone in order to please them or get something from them, even though you do not mean it 奉承,讨好,向…献媚 Perry would always flatter Mrs. Mitchell by praising her cooking. 佩里常常奉承米切尔太太,称赞她的烹调手艺。
► see thesaurus at praise 2 SUIT/LOOK GOOD TOGETHERto make someone look as attractive as they can 使〔某人〕显得漂亮 SYN suit That dress really flatters your figure. 那件连衣裙很显你的身材。
3 to make something look or seem more important or better than it is 使〔某物〕显得更重要 [更好] Lewis’s novel doesn’t flatter Midwestern attitudes and morals. 刘易斯的小说并没有美化美国中西部人的生活态度和道德观念。
4 flatter yourself BELIEVEif you flatter yourself that something is true about your abilities or achievements, you make yourself believe it is true, although it is not 自以为,自信flatter yourself that She flatters herself that she could have been a model. 她自以为原本是可以当模特的。
—flatterer noun [countableC]