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throw the I Ching

Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

flat out

English answer:

at full capacity / at full steam/downright

Added to glossary by William Stein
Jun 26, 2003 02:33
21 yrs ago
3 viewers *
English term

flat out

English Art/Literary
'to work flat out ' means to make all possible efforts to accomplish something, or to work fast?
Responses
5 +13 at full capacity / at full steam
3 +8 at maximum speed or effort
4 +4 with full power
5 +2 to work very fast to accomplish something
4 top speed, maximum effort; downright, thoroughgoing

Discussion

Non-ProZ.com Jun 26, 2003:
context The plant is working flat out to keep up with orders.
Fuad Yahya Jun 26, 2003:
The expression "to work flat out" sounds very odd. Please post a full sentence. It may help clarify the meaning.
RHELLER Jun 26, 2003:
please give entire sentence, thanks

Responses

+13
2 hrs
Selected

at full capacity / at full steam

It refers to working at full capacity, not just fast.
Peer comment(s):
agree DGK T-I
2 mins
agree Sarah Ponting
39 mins
agree Roberta Anderson
47 mins
agree J. Leo (X)
2 hrs
agree mannix
2 hrs
agree Karen Ordanic
3 hrs
agree Lisa Frideborg Eddy (X)
5 hrs
agree Cilian O'Tuama : perfectly normal Irish-English too
5 hrs
agree Derry
12 hrs
agree Empty Whiskey Glass
14 hrs
agree john mason
15 hrs
agree Kaori Myatt : sounds good
21 hrs
agree Rossana Triaca
1 day 1 hr
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks!"
+8
4 mins

at maximum speed or effort

so both are correct. Gage Canadian Dictionary.
Peer comment(s):
agree Rowan Morrell
3 mins
agree Begoña Yañez
54 mins
agree DGK T-I
1 hr
agree Sarah Ponting
3 hrs
agree Erika P (X)
3 hrs
agree J. Leo (X)
4 hrs
Thank you all.
agree Derry
15 hrs
agree Empty Whiskey Glass
17 hrs
Something went wrong...
+2
17 mins

to work very fast to accomplish something

a deathline, for example, but it also depends on the context!

Collins Dictionary

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-06-26 13:08:00 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry, \"deadline\", I was deadtired last night! Je, Je
Thanks.
Peer comment(s):
agree DGK T-I : agree(eg:very fast to accomp.a 'deadline')
2 hrs
Many thanks
agree J. Leo (X)
4 hrs
Many thanks
Something went wrong...
+4
2 hrs

with full power

or full throttle, i.e with complete commitment and energy. The speed is secondary, but it obviously will go faster.
It doesn't sound strange at all, it's just very colloquial American/Canadian.
Peer comment(s):
agree DGK T-I : it's coloq.in Britain as well.I don't know it's origin,but wonder if it might come from the way a galloping horse'stretches itself out flat'when it is going at full gallop.Not to be confused with different uses of'flat out'eg:'he lay flat out on the...'
19 mins
agree J. Leo (X)
2 hrs
agree jerrie : 'to pull out all the stops' is another expression. Basically, to work as hard as is physically possible (24 hours around the clock, if need be), using every resource possible to meet the deadline/complete the order
3 hrs
agree Empty Whiskey Glass
14 hrs
Something went wrong...
1 day 22 hrs

top speed, maximum effort; downright, thoroughgoing

I concur with the Random House Dictionary that there are basically two meanings for "flat out", as listed below.

Random House

lat-out (flatÆoutÆ), adj. Informal.
1. moving or working at top speed or with maximum effort; all-out: a flat-out effort by all contestants.
2. downright; thoroughgoing: Many of the paintings were flat-out forgeries.
[1925–30]
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