Rarely flat-way. [f. FLAT a. + -WAYS, -WISE.] With the flat side (instead of the edge) uppermost, foremost, or applied to another surface. Opposed to EDGE-WAYS, -WISE.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XVIII. xviii. 578. The broad bit of the plough-share … lying flatwise.
1684. Boyle, Porousness of Anim. & Solid Bodies, vii. 108. Covered it pretty well with some of these Plates, which were laid on flat-wise.
1692. Rushworth, Hist. Coll. (1721), V. 358. They drew their Swords, and laid on some of them Flatways, but seeing that would not keep them off, at last cut them over the Hands and Faces, and one Woman lost her Nose; whereof ’twas Reported, she afterwards Died.
1751. R. Paltock, P. Wilkins (1884), I. xix. 195. I … leaped off flatwise with face towards the water.
c. 1790. Imison, The School of Arts, II. 11. To lay Mezzotinto Prints upon Glass. Provide a clear plate of glass, as straight as possible, a little larger than the print, then steep the print, flat way, in warm water about an hour.
1807. P. Tracy, in Med. Jrnl., XVII. March, 212. His jaw so closed as to render it very difficult to get the handle of a spoon (flat-ways) between his teeth.
1870. E. J. Reed, The Navy, in Macm. Mag., XXIII. Nov., 5/2. Such a raft will not float flatwise.
1879. F. W. Robinson, Coward Conscience, I. iii. He got entangled in his hoop and fell flatwise upon the gravel.
