A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1492-1512, 1569-1586
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
Flatter, Flattir, v.1 [ME. flater(e, flateren (a 1225), f. OF. flater (Flat v1.) after flaterie.]
1. intr. To use flattery (with a person). a1500 Henr. Fab. 2212.
Richt swa this warld … Flatteris with folk c1500-c1512 Dunb. xvi. 42.
Sum gevis to thame can flattir and fenȝie c1500-c1512 Ib. xxx. 43.
In me was falset with every wicht to flatter a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS xxix. 73.
I hait flatterie … Ȝit man I leir to flatter a1578 Pitsc. I. 167/5.
[They] flatterit with the king and with the courteouris
2. tr. To treat (one) with flattery. 1492 Myll Spectakle of Luf 281/16.
Men ar sa blyndit and flatterit with thare bewte a1578 Pitsc. I. 130/18.
Thay could flatter him and that was maist delectabill to his consait
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Flatter v.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/flatter_v_1>
