flag

1
[ flag ]
See synonyms for: flagflaggedflaggingflags on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a piece of cloth, varying in size, shape, color, and design, usually attached at one edge to a staff or cord, and used as the symbol of a nation, state, or organization, as a means of signaling, etc.; ensign; standard; banner; pennant.

  2. Ornithology. the tuft of long feathers on the legs of falcons and most hawks; the lengthened feathers on the crus or tibia.

  1. Hunting. the tail of a deer or of a setter dog.

  2. Journalism.

    • the nameplate of a newspaper.

    • the name of a newspaper as printed on the editorial page.

  3. a tab or tag attached to a page, file card, etc., to mark it for attention.

  4. Movies, Television. a small gobo.

  5. Usually flags . the ends of the bristles of a brush, especially a paintbrush, when split.

  6. Computers. a symbol, value, or other means of identifying data of interest, or of informing later parts of a program what conditions earlier parts have encountered.

verb (used with object),flagged, flag·ging.
  1. to place a flag or flags over or on; decorate with flags.

  2. to signal or warn (a person, automobile, etc.) with or as if with a flag (sometimes followed by down): to flag a taxi; to flag down a passing car.

  1. to communicate (information) by or as if by a flag.

  2. to decoy, as game, by waving a flag or the like to excite attention or curiosity.

  3. to mark (a page in a book, file card, etc.) for attention, as by attaching protruding tabs.

  4. (of a brush) to split the ends of the bristles.

Idioms about flag

  1. strike the flag, : Also strike one's flag.

    • to relinquish command, as of a ship.

    • to submit or surrender: His financial situation is growing worse, but he's not ready to strike the flag.

Origin of flag

1
First recorded in 1475–85; perhaps blend of flap (noun) and fag2 (noun) in obsolete sense “flap”

Other words from flag

  • flagger, noun
  • flagless, adjective

Words Nearby flag

Other definitions for flag (2 of 4)

flag2
[ flag ]

noun
  1. any of various plants with long, sword-shaped leaves, as the sweet flag.

  1. the long, slender leaf of such a plant or of a cereal.

Origin of flag

2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English flagge

Other definitions for flag (3 of 4)

flag3
[ flag ]

verb (used without object),flagged, flag·ging.
  1. to fall off in vigor, energy, activity, interest, etc.: Public enthusiasm flagged when the team kept losing.

  2. to hang loosely or limply; droop.

Origin of flag

3
First recorded in 1535–45; perhaps blend of of flap (verb) and fag2 (verb) in obsolete sense “to droop”. See flag1

Other words for flag

Other definitions for flag (4 of 4)

flag4
[ flag ]

verb (used with object),flagged, flag·ging.
  1. to pave with flagstones.

Origin of flag

4
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English flagge “piece of sod”; akin to Old Norse flaga “slab”

Other words from flag

  • flagger, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use flag in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for flag (1 of 4)

flag1

/ (flæɡ) /


noun
  1. a piece of cloth, esp bunting, often attached to a pole or staff, decorated with a design and used as an emblem, symbol, or standard or as a means of signalling

  2. a small paper flag, emblem, or sticker sold on flag days

  1. computing an indicator, that may be set or unset, used to indicate a condition or to stimulate a particular reaction in the execution of a computer program

  2. informal short for flag officer, flagship

  3. journalism another name for masthead (def. 2)

  4. the fringe of long hair, tapering towards the tip, on the underside of the tail of certain breeds of dog, such as setters

  5. the conspicuously marked tail of a deer

  6. a less common name for bookmark

  7. Australian and NZ the part of a taximeter that is raised when a taxi is for hire

  8. the pennant-shaped pattern that is formed when a price fluctuation is plotted on a chart, interrupting the steady rise or fall that precedes and then follows it

  9. the flag (in Victoria, Australia) the Australian Rules premiership

  10. fly the flag to represent or show support for one's country, an organization, etc

  11. show the flag

    • to assert a claim, as to a territory or stretch of water, by military presence

    • informal to be present; make an appearance

  12. strike the flag or lower the flag

    • to relinquish command, esp of a ship

    • to submit or surrender

verbflags, flagging or flagged (tr)
  1. to decorate or mark with a flag or flags

  2. (often foll by down) to warn or signal (a vehicle) to stop

  1. to send or communicate (messages, information, etc) by flag

  2. to decoy (game or wild animals) by waving a flag or similar object so as to attract their attention

  3. to mark (a page in a book, card, etc) for attention by attaching a small tab or flag

  4. mainly Australian to draw attention to (something)

  5. (foll by away or by) NZ to consider unimportant; brush aside

Origin of flag

1
C16: of uncertain origin

Derived forms of flag

  • flagger, noun
  • flagless, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for flag (2 of 4)

flag2

/ (flæɡ) /


verbflags, flagging or flagged (intr)
  1. to hang down; become limp; droop

  2. to decline in strength or vigour; become weak or tired

Origin of flag

2
C16: of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for flag (3 of 4)

flag3

/ (flæɡ) /


noun
  1. any of various plants that have long swordlike leaves, esp the iris Iris pseudacorus (yellow flag)

  2. the leaf of any such plant

Origin of flag

3
C14: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Dutch flag, Danish flæg yellow iris

British Dictionary definitions for flag (4 of 4)

flag4

/ (flæɡ) /


noun
  1. short for flagstone

verbflags, flagging or flagged
  1. (tr) to furnish (a floor) with flagstones

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012