red flag

¹

noun

1. the symbol or banner of a left-wing revolutionary party.
2. a danger signal.
3. something that provokes an angry or hostile reaction:

   The talk about raising taxes was a red flag to many voters.

4. Also called powder flag. Nautical. a red burgee, designating in the International Code of Signals the letter “B,” flown by itself to show that a vessel is carrying, loading, or discharging explosives or highly inflammable material.
5. (initial capital letters) a war game the U.S. Air Force holds several times each year at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, to train personnel in air combat.

red-flag

²

[ red-flag ]

verb (used with object)

, red-flagged, red-flag·ging.

1. to mark or draw attention to for a particular purpose:

   The department has red-flagged the most urgent repair work to be done.

2. to provoke the attention of; alert; arouse:

   The animal's refusal to eat red-flagged the keeper that something was wrong.

adjective

1. of or relating to a red flag.
2. intended or serving to emphasize, warn, incite, or provoke.

red flag

¹

noun

1. a symbol of socialism, communism, or revolution
2. a warning of danger or a signal to stop

Red Flag

²

noun

1. the Red Flag
   a socialist song, written by James Connell (1852–1929), Irish political activist, in 1889

Word History and Origins

Origin of red flag¹

First recorded in 1770–80

Origin of red flag²

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

The bigger the claim made in the headline, the bigger the red flag it raises for me.

From The Daily Beast

Russians with us and red flag too, but you still sit on your sofa.

From The Daily Beast

Among pilots this raised no red flag: it indicated an enthusiastic professional proud of his skills.

From The Daily Beast

Lack of video in the Israeli attack was “a big red flag” that initial reports may have been false.

From The Daily Beast

This should have been a red flag to everyone, regardless of what they thought of Fox News.

From The Daily Beast

Thus shall we see the destinies of this country guided under the orange and red flag.

From Project Gutenberg

It seemed an exceedingly long time before the expected "extra" arrived, and when it did come it bore another red flag.

From Project Gutenberg

It is supposed that at Bunker Hill our troops carried a red flag, with a pine tree on a white field in the corner.

From Project Gutenberg

Tommy had come out, and had hailed the man who walked in front of the machine with a red flag.

From Project Gutenberg

Only the waving of the red flag of Socialism could rouse in him what seemed to us others a certain savageness of intolerance.

From Project Gutenberg