flag
n. countablen. a piece of cloth with a special design that represents a country or group. You see them flying on poles outside buildings or at sports events.
n. a piece of fabric, typically rectangular, with a distinctive design used as a symbol, signalling device, or emblem.
The national flag flies high above the government building.
The referee raised his yellow flag to signal that a player was offside during the final minutes of the match.
While the primary function of a flag is identification, it often serves as a potent emotional symbol capable of uniting a population or sparking intense political debate.
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. Germanic cognates include Saterland Frisian Flaage (“flag”), West Frisian flagge (“flag”), Dutch vlag (“flag”), German Flagge (“flag”), Swedish flagga (“flag”), Danish flag (“flag, ship's flag”). Compare also Middle English flacken (“to flutter, palpitate”), Swedish dialectal flage (“to flutter in the wind”), Old Norse flögra (“to flap about”). Akin to Old High German flogarōn (“to flutter”), Old High German flogezen (“to flutter, flicker”), Middle English flakeren (“to move quickly to and fro”), Old English flacor (“fluttering, flying”). More at flack, flacker.
Perhaps from a variant of flack (“to hang loose”), from Middle English flacken; or perhaps from Old Norse. Compare Middle Dutch flaggheren, vlaggheren (“to droop, flag”).
From Middle English flagge, of uncertain origin, perhaps from North Germanic; compare Danish flæg (“yellow iris”). Or, possibly from sense 1, referring to its motion in the wind. Compare also Dutch vlag.
From Middle English flag, flagge, probably of Scandinavian/North Germanic origin; compare Icelandic flag.
Commonly used with verbs like 'fly', 'raise', 'lower', or 'wave'.
- 01
flag down
Use a flag or similar kind of signal to get someone's attention.
- 02
fly the flag
To support one's country enthusiastically.
- 03
freak flag
Unconventional or unrestrained behavior; extreme, nonconformist views; the side of one's personality which harbors a tendency toward such behavior or such views.