Meanings
adverbflatlong (not comparable)
alternative flat-long
- not comparableobsoleteWith the flat side downward; not edgewise.
Antonio: What a blow was there given! Sebastian: An it had not fall'n flat-long.
1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]1 more example
Yet the pittiless sword had such pity of so precious an object, that at first it did but hit flatlong
The New Arcadia
a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC
Origin
From alternation of the original flatling, by assimilating to long. More at flatling.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Russian плашмя́
- плашмя́ (plašmjá)with the flat side downward
Cite this entry
APA
flatlong. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flatlong
MLA
“flatlong.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flatlong. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “flatlong,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flatlong.
Source: flatlong on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.