Obs. Pa. t. 4 flat(te, flattide. [ad. OF. flatir, flater to dash, hurl, intr. to dash, be thrown down.]

1

  1.  trans. To cast suddenly, dash.

2

c. 1330.  Arth. & Merl., 9748.

        Gif Arthour no had y-come
Wiþ his sextene, þat on hem plat,
And euerich a paien to deþ flat.

3

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. V. 224.

        Til vigilate þe veil · fette water at his eiȝen,
And flatte [v.r. flat, flattide it] on his face · and faste on him criȝede.

4

1375.  Cantic. de Creatione, 221, in Anglia, I. 303, etc.

        And hadde here gyled eft þat stounde,
Doun she flat here face to grounde.

5

  2.  To smite or strike; in quots. absol.

6

c. 1330.  Arth. & Merl., 9562.

        Boþe on helmes & ysen hatten
Þe dintes of swordes flatten.

7

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. VII. 174.

        Þenne Faytors for fere · flowen to Bernes,
And flapten [v.r. flatte, flatten] on with fleiles · from morwe til euen.

8

  3.  intr. To dash, rush; to dart out.

9

c. 1330.  Arth. & Merl., 5672.

        For the mouthe he [a dragon] had grininge,
And the tong out flattinge.

10

c. 1450.  Merlin, 275. The saisnes were so many that thei moste flat in-to the foreste wolde thei or noon.

11