FLAG


Meaning of FLAG in English

/ flæg; NAmE / noun , verb

■ noun

1.

a piece of cloth with a special coloured design on it that may be the symbol of a particular country or organization, or may have a particular meaning. A flag can be attached to a pole or held in the hand :

the Italian flag

the flag of Italy

The hotel flies the European Union flag .

The American flag was flying .

All the flags were at half mast (= in honour of a famous person who has died) .

The black and white flag went down, and the race began.

—see also blue flag

2.

used to refer to a particular country or organization and its beliefs and values :

to swear allegiance to the flag

He was working under the flag of the United Nations.

3.

a piece of cloth that is attached to a pole and used as a signal or marker in various sports

—picture at golf

4.

a flower that is a type of iris and that grows near water :

yellow flags

5.

= flagstone

IDIOMS

- fly / show / wave the flag

- keep the flag flying

—more at red adjective

■ verb ( -gg- )

1.

[ vn ] to put a special mark next to information that you think is important :

I've flagged the paragraphs that we need to look at in more detail.

2.

[ v ] to become tired, weaker or less enthusiastic :

It had been a long day and the children were beginning to flag.

Her confidence had never flagged.

flagging support / enthusiasm

PHRASAL VERBS

- flag sb/sth down

- flag sth up

••

WORD ORIGIN

noun senses 1 to 3 and verb sense 1 mid 16th cent.: perhaps from obsolete flag drooping , of unknown ultimate origin.

noun sense 5 late Middle English (also in the sense turf, sod ): probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Icelandic flag spot from which a sod has been cut and Old Norse flaga slab of stone.

noun sense 4 late Middle English : related to Middle Dutch flag and Danish flæg ; of unknown ultimate origin.

verb sense 2 mid 16th cent. (in the sense flap about loosely, hang down ): related to obsolete flag hanging down .

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.