See Also: Flag-to-Flag - Motor Sports(gambling)
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Flag(finance)

flag(5) (iou)



flag noun4. [flag] M16.
[Perh. orig. an application of the adjective.]
A piece of bunting or other material, usu. oblong or square, attachable by one edge to a staff or halyard, and used as a standard, ensign, or signal, or for decoration or display. M16.
spec. Nautical. A flag carried by a vessel to show that an admiral is in command. Hence, the emblem of an admiral's rank afloat; the admiral himself; a flagship. M17.
spec. A flag raised, dropped, waved, etc., to indicate the start or finish of a race. Hence, the moment so indicated. Also, a device on a chess-clock which falls when the time-limit is reached. M19.
The tail of an animal, esp. of a setter. M19.
An apron. slang. M19.
A small object or device resembling a flag; esp. a visible part of the mechanism in a taxi's meter etc., used to indicate availability. E20.
A statement of the name (and sometimes other details) of a newspaper or other publication, as printed on the page. M20.
Computing. A symbol or symbols used to indicate some property of the data in a record, spec. the truth of a statement. M20.
Phrases: black flag (a) a pirate's ensign; (b) a flag formerly hoisted outside a prison to announce the execution of a criminal. chequered flag: see CHEQUERED adjective 1. flag of convenience a foreign flag under which a ship is registered in order to avoid financial charges etc. flag of truce a white flag used to signal the wish for a truce. give the honour of the flag make etc. an acknowledgement of supremacy by lowering the flag to another. hoist one's flag (of an admiral) take up command. hoist the flag make a claim to discovered territory by raising one's national flag. keep the flag flying refuse to haul down one's flag and surrender; continue the fight (chiefly fig.). lower one's flag, strike one's flag take one's flag down, esp. as a token of respect, submission, or surrender; (of an admiral) relinquish command. put the flag out, put the flags out celebrate a victory or other event. rally round the flag: see RALLY verb1. red flag: see RED adjective. show the flag (esp. of a naval vessel) make an official visit to a foreign port or elsewhere; fig. ensure that notice is taken of oneself, one's country, etc. strike one's flag: see lower one's flag above. white flag a flag of truce, a flag disclaiming hostile intention. yellow flag: see YELLOW adjective.
Comb.: flag-boat a boat serving as a mark in sailing-matches; flag-captain the captain of a flagship; flag-day a day on which a charity holds a street collection, and donors are given small paper badges as tokens; Flag Day US the anniversary (14 June) of the adoption of the Stars and Stripes in 1777; flag-fall the dropping of a flag to indicate the start of a race; flag-flying the flying of flags; fig. (colloq.) (a) (deliberate) overbidding at bridge; (b) = kite-flying (c) s.v. KITE noun; flag-lieutenant an admiral's aide-de-camp; flag-list the roll of flag-officers; flagman (a) an admiral, a flag-officer; (b) a person who has charge of, carries, or signals with a flag; flag-officer an admiral, vice admiral, or rear admiral; a yacht-club commodore; flag-pole a flagstaff; flag-rank the rank of flag-officer; flagstaff, pl. -staffs, -staves, a pole or staff on which a flag is hoisted; flag-station: where trains stop only if signalled; flag-wagging slang (a) signalling with hand-held flags; (b) = flag-waving below; flag-waver a chauvinist, a political agitator; flag-waving trying to arouse popular enthusiasm, jingoism.
flagless adjective not bearing a flag or flags M19.
flaglet noun a small flag L19.