Obs. [Onomatopœic; cf. flacker, flutter, flitter.] intr. To float, flutter.

1

c. 1375.  Barbour, Troy-bk., II. 1751.

        And he hime-self in-to þe flude
Flatterand amange þe wawes wode
With gret force of his armes gane swyme.

2

a. 1450[?].  Chaucer’s Knt.’s T., 1104 (Petworth MS.).

        A Rose garlonde fresshe an wel smellinge
Aboue her hede her dowues flateringe [other texts flikeringe].

3

a. 1803.  Sir Patrick Spens, in Child, Ballads, III. lviii. 27/1.

        And mony was the feather-bed
  That flattered on the faem,
And mony was the gude lord’s son
  That never mair cam hame.

4