/ 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 .