flatly

English

From flat +‎ -ly.

flatly (comparative more flatly, superlative most flatly)

In a physically flat or level manner.
- 1980, Margaret Drabble, The Middle Ground
  Rabbit country, the working man's uncultivable terrain. Half a mile away, square open patches of yellow sand flatly glittered, and far on the horizon cranes and vast silver cylinders stood about, ghostly shining inhabitants of the marsh.
In a definite manner; in a manner showing complete certainty.
It was an accusation that he flatly denied.
In a manner that shows no emotion.
He replied flatly to the policeman's questions.

In sense 2 the collocation is nearly always with a negative idea. To flatly deny. To flatly refuse. To flatly contradict. And so on, similarly.

in a manner showing complete certainty

in a manner that shows no emotions

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