flatten

1. V-T/V-I If you flatten something or if it flattens, it becomes flat or flatter. 使變平; 變平

He carefully flattened the wrappers and put them between the leaves of his book. 他小心翼翼地弄平包裝紙，把它們夾在書頁里。

The dog's ears flattened slightly as Cook spoke his name. 當(dāng)庫克叫狗的名字時，狗的耳朵稍稍耷拉了下來。

2. PHRASAL VERB Flatten out means the same as . 使變平; 變平

The hills flattened out just south of the mountain. 在山的南邊丘陵就變得平坦起來。

3. V-T To flatten something such as a building, town, or plant means to destroy it by knocking it down or crushing it. 夷平 (建筑物、城鎮(zhèn)或植物)

...explosives capable of flattening a five-storey building. …足以把一幢5層建筑夷為平地的炸藥。

...bombing raids flattened much of the area. …空襲把該地區(qū)的許多地方夷為平地。

4. V-T If you flatten yourself against something, you press yourself flat against it, for example, to avoid getting in the way or being seen. 使自己貼著 (以免擋道或被看見)

He flattened himself against a brick wall as I passed. 我經(jīng)過的時候，他緊貼著一堵磚墻站著。

5. V-T If you flatten someone, you make them fall over by hitting them violently. 擊倒

"I've never seen a woman flatten someone like that," said a crew member. "She knocked him out cold."

“我從沒見過一個女人像那樣把人擊倒”，一名機(jī)組人員說，“她把他打昏過去了。”