flag
Forms
- Plural
- flags
- present (v1)
- flag
- past (v2)
- flagged
- past participle (v3)
- flagged
- present participle
- flagging
- 3rd person singular
- flags
Definitions
1.A piece of cloth, often decorated with an emblem, used as a visual signal or symbol.
- The French flag is blue, white, and red.
2.The design that could be placed on a flag, typically a rectangular graphic that is used to represent an entity (like a country, organisation or group of people) or an idea.
- The flag of France has three vertical stripes.
3.A flag flown by a ship to show the presence on board of the admiral; the admiral himself, or his flagship.
- The French flag is blue, white, and red.
4.A signal flag.
- The French flag is blue, white, and red.
1.To signal to, especially to stop a passing vehicle etc.
- Please flag down a taxi for me.
- The electric locomotive is accompanied by a shunter who, in addition to his normal duties, flags the trains over the unprotected level crossings and opens the gates through which the line passes.
2.To furnish or deck out with flags.
3.To mark with a flag, especially to indicate the importance of something.
- Walcott was, briefly, awarded a penalty when he was upended in the box but referee Phil Dowd reversed his decision because Bendtner had been flagged offside.
4.To convey (a message) by means of flag signals.
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #2450
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Etymology
From Middle English flag, flagge (“flag”), further etymology uncertain. Perhaps from or related to early Middle English flage (name for a baby's garment) and Old English flagg, flacg (“cataplasm, poultice, plaster”). Or, perhaps ultimately imitative, or otherwise drawn from Proto-Germanic *flaką (“something flat”), from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- (“flat, broad, plain”), referring to the shape.