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

But he said the groups do what they can to check new members for "red flags".

From BBC

He might have won had Mercedes not overruled his wish to stay out rather than pit for fresh tyres shortly before the red flag.

From BBC

Those high winds and low humidity rates prompted the weather service to issue a rare “particularly dangerous situation” red flag alert on Nov. 7, warning of “widespread, extreme fire weather conditions.”

From Los Angeles Times

Experts say those offences may have been a “red flag” that someone could go onto more serious offending.

From BBC

“You’ve got so many red flags,” she sings, “but, boy, they just turn me on.”

From New York Times