adv. and a. Obs. exc. arch. or dial. [f. FLAT a. + -LING(S.]
A. adv.
1. In a prostrate position, at full length, flat. Often with fall, lie, etc.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XVII. 368.
| That oft leddres, and men withall, | |
| Thai gert fall flatlings to the ground. |
c. 1450. Mirour Saluacioun, 2501. The knyghtes upon the grounde laide than the crosse flatling.
1530. Lyndesay, Test. Papyngo, 184.
| And, with that word, scho tuke one passioun, | |
| Syne flatlyngis fell, and swappit in to swoun. |
a. 1605. Montgomerie, Flyting w. Polwart, 111. I’s fell thee like a fluike, flatlings on the flure.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., I. 37. The halfe of his body and right arme fell flatlings in the fire.
1895. J. H. McCarthy, Lond. Leg., III. 118. In a moment he had stumbled backwards and fallen flatlings into the ditch.
2. With the flat side.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, VIII. xxxii. Sire tristram folowed hym and smote vpon hym fyue or sixe strokes flatlynge on the neck that he made hym to falle vpon the nose.
1578. Timme, Caluine on Gen., 121. This shaking sword … was not always shaking with the edge towards Man, but sometimes flatling also.
1591. Harington, Orl. Fur., XXX. liv. It [the blow] lighted flatling on him.
1820. Scott, Ivanhoe, xlii. [His] sword turned in his hand, so that the blade struck me flatlings.
1868. Morris, Earthly Par., I. 321.
| But as he ceased a soldier drew anear, | |
| And smote him flatling with his sheathèd sword. |
3. Of motion: On the level, horizontally.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. ii. IV. Columnes, 322.
| Of the Sun’s stops, it Colure hath to name, | |
| Because his Teem doth seem to trot more tame | |
| On these cut points: for here he doth not ride | |
| Flatling a-long, but up the Sphears steep side. |
4. dial. Plainly, peremptorily.
1847–78. in Halliwell, Flatlins, plainly, peremptory.
† B. adj. (In form flatling only.) Of a blow: Dealt with the flat side of a weapon. Obs.
1579–80. North, Plutarch, Alcibiades, 210.
| Looke vpon Theolus (quoth he) lo there he bowes, | |
| behold his comely crow-bright face with fat and flatling blowes. |
1609. Heywood, Brit. Troy, xi. 91.
| But him the Woorthy stounded with a blow, | |
| A flatling blow that on his Beauer glancst. |
