flatten

To remove structural information, especially to filter something with an implicit tree structure into a simple sequence of leaves; also tends to imply mapping to flat ASCII. "This code flattens an expression with parentheses into an equivalent canonical form."

[Jargon File]

Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)
 

Flatten \Flat"ten\, v. i. To become or grow flat, even, depressed, dull, vapid, spiritless, or depressed below pitch. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

Flatten \Flat"ten\ (fl[a^]t"t'n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flattened; p. pr. & vb. n. Flattening.]

[From Flat, a.]

1. To reduce to an even surface or one approaching evenness; to make flat; to level; to make plane. [1913 Webster]

2. To throw down; to bring to the ground; to prostrate; hence, to depress; to deject; to dispirit. [1913 Webster]

3. To make vapid or insipid; to render stale. [1913 Webster]

4. (Mus.) To lower the pitch of; to cause to sound less sharp; to let fall from the pitch. [1913 Webster]

To flatten a sail (Naut.), to set it more nearly fore-and-aft of the vessel.

Flattening oven, in glass making, a heated chamber in which split glass cylinders are flattened for window glass. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

108 Moby Thesaurus words for "flatten": align, assimilate to, balance, beat down, bend, blow down, break, break down, bring down, bulldoze, burn down, cast down, chop down, conquer, crush, cut down, dab, damp, demolish, disentangle, down, drag, dress, dub, equalize, equilibrize, even, extend, fell, floor, flush, grade, grease, ground, harmonize, harrow, homogenize, humble, knock, knock down, knock out, knock over, lay, lay down, lay flat, lay level, lay low, lay out, level, lubricate, make uniform, master, mow, mow down, normalize, oil, override, plane, planish, plaster, press out, prostrate, pull down, put down, put straight, quell, rase, raze, rectify, reduce, regularize, regulate, ride down, roll, roll flat, set straight, shave, sit up, smash, smooth, smooth down, smooth out, smoothen, stabilize, stand up, standardize, steamroll, steamroller, stereotype, straighten, straighten out, straighten up, subdue, subjugate, suppress, symmetrize, take down, tear down, throw down, trample down, trample underfoot, tread underfoot, unbend, uncurl, uniformize, unkink, unsnarl, vanquish

Source: Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
 

flatten

Source: WordNet (r) 2.0
 

Flatten \Flat"ten\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flattened; p. pr. & vb. n. Flattening.]

[From Flat, a.]

1. To reduce to an even surface or one approaching evenness; to make flat; to level; to make plane.

2. To throw down; to bring to the ground; to prostrate; hence, to depress; to deject; to dispirit.

3. To make vapid or insipid; to render stale.

4. (Mus.) To lower the pitch of; to cause to sound less sharp; to let fall from the pitch.

To flatten a sail (Naut.), to set it more nearly fore-and-aft of the vessel.

Flattening oven, in glass making, a heated chamber in which split glass cylinders are flattened for window glass.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Flatten \Flat"ten\, v. i. To become or grow flat, even, depressed dull, vapid, spiritless, or depressed below pitch.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)