Flag

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Flag, v. i. [Cf. Icel. flaka to droop, hang loosely. Cf. Flacker, Flag an ensign.].

•  To hang loose without stiffness; to bend down, as flexible bodies; to be loose, yielding, limp.  [1913 Webster]

  "As loose it [the sail] flagged around the mast."  [1913 Webster]
•  To droop; to grow spiritless; to lose vigor; to languish; as, the spirits flag; the strength flags.  [1913 Webster]

  "The pleasures of the town begin to flag."

Syn. -- To droop; decline; fail; languish; pine.

Flag, v. t. 

•  To let droop; to suffer to fall, or let fall, into feebleness; as, to flag the wings.  prior.  [1913 Webster]
•  To enervate; to exhaust the vigor or elasticity of.  [1913 Webster]

  "Nothing so flags the spirits."  [1913 Webster]

Flag, n. [Cf. LG. & G. flagge, Sw. flagg, Dan. flag, D. vlag. See Flag to hang loose.].

•  That which flags or hangs down loosely.  [1913 Webster]
•  A cloth usually bearing a device or devices and used to indicate nationality, party, etc., or to give or ask information; -- commonly attached to a staff to be waved by the wind; a standard; a banner; an ensign; the colors; as, the national flag; a military or a naval flag.  [1913 Webster]
•  A group of feathers on the lower part of the legs of certain hawks, owls, etc.  [1913 Webster]
•  One of the wing feathers next the body of a bird; -- called also flag feather.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Black flag. See under Black. -- Flag captain, Flag leutenant, etc., special officers attached to the flagship, as aids to the flag officer. -- Flag officer, the commander of a fleet or squadron; an admiral, or commodore. -- Flag of truse, a white flag carried or displayed to an enemy, as an invitation to conference, or for the purpose of making some communication not hostile. -- Flag share, the flag officer's share of prize money. -- Flag station (Railroad), a station at which trains do not stop unless signaled to do so, by a flag hung out or waved. -- National flag, a flag of a particular country, on which some national emblem or device, is emblazoned. -- Red flag, a flag of a red color, displayed as a signal of danger or token of defiance; the emblem of anarchists. -- To dip, the flag, to mlower it and quickly restore it to its place; -- done as a mark of respect. -- To hang out the white flag, to ask truce or quarter, or, in some cases, to manifest a friendly design by exhibiting a white flag. -- To hang the flag half-mast high or To hang the flag half-staff or To hang the flag at half-staff, to raise it only half way to the mast or staff, as a token or sign of mourning. -- To strike the flag or To lower the flag, to haul it down, in token of respect, submission, or, in an engagement, of surrender. -- Yellow flag, the quarantine flag of all nations; also carried at a vessel's fore, to denote that an infectious disease is on board.

Flag, v. t. [From Flag an ensign.].

•  To signal to with a flag or by waving the hand; as, to flag a train; also used with down; as, to flag down a cab.  [1913 Webster]
•  To convey, as a message, by means of flag signals; as, to flag an order to troops or vessels at a distance.  [1913 Webster]
•  To decoy (game) by waving a flag, handkerchief, or the like to arouse the animal's curiosity.

  "The antelope are getting continually shyer and more difficult to flag."  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Flag, n. [From Flag to hang loose, to bend down.].

 An aquatic plant, with long, ensiform leaves, belonging to either of the genera Iris and Acorus.  [1913 Webster]

Cooper's flag, the cat-tail (Typha latifolia), the long leaves of which are placed between the staves of barrels to make the latter water-tight. -- Corn flag. See under 2d Corn. -- Flag broom, a coarse of broom, originally made of flags or rushes. -- Flag root, the root of the sweet flag. -- Sweet flag. See Calamus, n., 2.

Flag, v. t. 

 To furnish or deck out with flags.  [1913 Webster]

Flag, n. [Icel. flaga, cf. Icel. flag spot where a turf has been cut out, and E. flake layer, scale. Cf. Floe.].

•  A flat stone used for paving.  Woodward.  [1913 Webster]
•  Any hard, evenly stratified sandstone, which splits into layers suitable for flagstones.  [1913 Webster]

Flag, v. t. 

 To lay with flags of flat stones.  [1913 Webster]
"The sides and floor are all flagged with . . . marble."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Flag, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a piece of cloth, usu. oblong or square, attachable by one edge to a pole or rope and used as a country's emblem or as a standard, signal, etc. b a small toy, device, etc., resembling a flag.
2 Brit. an oblong strip of metal etc. that can be raised or lowered to indicate whether a taxi is for hire or occupied.
3 Naut. a flag carried by a flagship as an emblem of an admiral's rank afloat.
--v. (flagged, flagging)
1 intr. a grow tired; lose vigour; lag (his energy flagged after the first lap). b hang down; droop; become limp.
2 tr. a place a flag on or over. b mark out with or as if with a flag or flags.
3 tr. (often foll. by that) a inform (a person) by flag-signals. b communicate (information) by flagging.

Idiom

black flag
1 a pirate's ensign.
2 hist. a flag hoisted outside a prison to announce an execution. flag-boat a boat serving as a mark in sailing-matches. flag-captain the captain of a flagship. flag-day Brit. a day on which money is raised for a charity by the sale of small paper flags etc. in the street. Flag Day US 14 June, the anniversary of the adoption of the Stars and Stripes in 1777. flag down signal to (a vehicle or driver) to stop. flag-lieutenant Naut. an admiral's ADC. flag-list Naut. a roll of flag-officers. flag of convenience a foreign flag under which a ship is registered, usu. to avoid financial charges etc. flag-officer Naut. an admiral, vice admiral, or rear admiral, or the commodore of a yacht-club. flag of truce a white flag indicating a desire for a truce. flag-pole = FLAGSTAFF. flag-rank Naut. the rank attained by flag-officers. flag-station a station at which trains stop only if signalled.
flag-wagging sl.
1 signalling with hand-held flags.
2 = flag-waving. flag-waver a populist agitator; a chauvinist. flag-waving populist agitation, chauvinism. keep the flag flying continue the fight. put the flag out celebrate victory, success, etc.
show the flag
1 make an official visit to a foreign port etc.
2 ensure that notice is taken of one's country, oneself, etc.; make a patriotic display.

Derivative

flagger n.

Flag, n. & v.
--n. (also flagstone)
1 a flat usu. rectangular stone slab used for paving.
2 (in pl.) a pavement made of these.
--v.tr. (flagged, flagging) pave with flags.

Flag, n.
1 any plant with a bladed leaf (esp. several of the genus Iris) growing on moist ground.
2 the long slender leaf of such a plant.

Flag, n. (in full flag-feather) a quill-feather of a bird's wing.

Etymology

perh. rel. to obs. fag loose flap: cf. FLAG(1) v.

DEVIL DICTIONARY

Flag

n. A colored rag borne above troops and hoisted on forts and ships. It appears to serve the same purpose as certain signs that one sees and vacant lots in London -- "Rubbish may be shot here."

THESAURUS

Flag

Dannebrog, Jolly Roger, Old Glory, Star-Spangled Banner, Stars and Stripes, Tarmac, Tarvia, Union Flag, Union Jack, abate, adobe, and blue, ashlar, asphalt, banderole, banner, banneret, bead, beat, beat the drum, bejewel, beribbon, bespangle, bitumen, bituminous macadam, black flag, blacktop, blade, blow, blue ensign, bract, bracteole, bractlet, break, break down, brick, bricks and mortar, bunting, burgee, burn out, carpet, causeway, cave in, cement, check off, clinker, coachwhip, cobble, cobblestone, collapse, color, colors, come apart, come unstuck, concrete, conk out, cotyledon, covering materials, crack up, crumble, curb, curbing, curbstone, dally, dangle, dawdle, debilitate, decline, decrease, degenerate, delay, desiccate, deteriorate, diamond, die, dillydally, diminish, dip, disintegrate, do in, do up, drag, droop, drop, dry up, dwindle, ease up, ebb, edgestone, enervate, engrave, ensign, exchange colors, exhaust, fade, fade away, fag, fag out, fail, faint, fall off, falter, fatigue, feather, ferroconcrete, festoon, figure, filigree, firebrick, fizzle out, flag down, flagging, flagstone, flash, floor, flooring, floral leaf, flounce, flower, foliole, frazzle, frond, garland, gasp, gem, gesture, get tired, give a signal, give out, give the nod, give way, glance, glume, go downhill, go soft, go to pieces, gonfalon, gonfanon, goof off, gravel, grow weary, guidon, hail, hail and speak, half-mast, halt, hang down, harass, hit the skids, hoist a banner, house flag, identify, illuminate, inform, involucre, involucrum, jack, jade, jewel, kerb, kerbstone, kick, knock out, knock up, label, lag, lamina, languish, lath and plaster, leaf, leaflet, leer, lemma, lessen, let up, ligule, linger, loiter, lollygag, long pennant, lose strength, macadam, make a sign, mark, masonry, merchant flag, metal, mortar, motion, national flag, needle, nod, nudge, oriflamme, overfatigue, overstrain, overtire, overweary, paint, pant, pave, pavement, pavestone, paving, paving material, paving stone, peak, pebble, peg out, pendant, pennant, pennon, pennoncel, petal, peter out, pile, pine, pine needle, plasters, play out, plume, poke, poop, poop out, prestressed concrete, prostrate, puff, puff and blow, raise a cry, red, red ensign, ribbon, road metal, roofage, roofing, royal standard, run down, run out, sag, salute, sear, seed leaf, sepal, shilly-shally, shrink, shrivel, siding, sign, signal, signal flag, signalize, sink, slump, sound an alarm, sound the trumpet, spangle, spathe, speak, spear, spire, standard, stipula, stipule, stone, stop, streamer, subside, succumb, swag, swallowtail, tab, tag, taper off, tar, tarmacadam, tarry, tick off, tile, tiling, tinsel, tire, tire out, tire to death, touch, trail, tricolor, tucker, unfurl a flag, use up, vexillum, walling, wane, warn, washboard, waste, waste away, waste time, wave, wave a flag, wave the hand, weaken, wear, wear away, wear down, wear on, wear out, wear thin, weary, wheeze, white, wilt, wind, wink, wither, wither away, wizen, wreathe, yield

ROGET THESAURUS

Flag

Disease

VB V, be ill, ail, suffer, labor under, be affected with, complain of, have, droop, flag, languish, halt, sicken, peak, pine, gasp, keep one's bed, feign sickness, lay by, lay up, take a disease, catch a disease, catch an infection, break out.

Inactivity

VB be inactive, do nothing, move slowly, let the grass grow under one's feet, take one's time, dawdle, drawl, droil, lag, hang back, slouch, loll, lollop, lounge, poke, loaf, loiter, go to sleep over, sleep at one's post, ne battre que d'une aile, take it easy, take things as they come, lead an easy life, vegetate, swim with the stream, eat the bread of idleness, loll in the lap of luxury, loll in the lap of indolence, waste time, consume time, kill time, lose time, burn daylight, waste the precious hours, idle away time, trifle away time, fritter away time, fool away time, spend time in, take time in, peddle, piddle, potter, pudder, dabble, faddle fribble, fiddle-faddle, dally, dilly-dally, sleep, slumber, be asleep, hibernate, oversleep, sleep like a top, sleep like a log, sleep like a dormouse, sleep soundly, heavily, doze, drowze, snooze, nap, take a nap, dream, snore one's best, settle to sleep, go to sleep, go off to sleep, doze off, drop off, fall asleep, drop asleep, close the eyes, seal up the eyes, seal up eyelids, weigh down the eyelids, get sleep, nod, yawn, go to bed, turn, get some z's, stack z's, languish, expend itself, flag, hang fire, relax, render idle, sluggardize, mitigate.

Fatigue

VB be fatigued, yawn, droop, sink, flag, lose breath, lose wind, gasp, pant, puff, blow, drop, swoon, faint, succumb, fatigue, tire, weary, irk, flag, jade, harass, exhaust, knock up, wear out, prostrate, tax, task, strain, overtask, overwork, overburden, overtax, overstrain, be fatigued, yawn, droop, sink, flag, lose breath, lose wind, gasp, pant, puff, blow, drop, swoon, faint, succumb, fatigue, tire, weary, irk, flag, jade, harass, exhaust, knock up, wear out, prostrate, tax, task, strain, overtask, overwork, overburden, overtax, overstrain.

Scepter

N scepter, regalia, caduceus, Mercury's rod, Mercury's staff, Mercury's wand, rod of empire, mace, fasces, wand, staff, staff of office, baton, truncheon, flag, ensign of authority, emblem of authority, badge of authority, insignia of authority, throne, chair, musnud, divan, dais, woolsack, toga, pall, mantle, robes of state, ermine, purple, crown, coronet, diadem, tiara, cap of maintenance, decoration, title, portfolio, key, signet, seals, talisman, helm, reins.

Weakness

VB be weak, drop, crumble, give way, totter, tremble, shake, halt, limp, fade, languish, decline, flag, fail, have one leg in the grave, render weak, weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, shake, deprive of strength, relax, enervate, eviscerate, unbrace, unnerve, cripple, unman, cramp, reduce, sprain, strain, blunt the edge of, dilute, impoverish, decimate, extenuate, reduce in strength, reduce the strength of, mettre de l'eau dans son vin.

Layer

N layer, stratum, strata, course, bed, zone, substratum, substrata, floor, flag, stage, story, tier, slab, escarpment, table, tablet, dess, flagstone, board, plank, trencher, platter, plate, lamina, lamella, sheet, foil, wafer, scale, flake, peel, coat, pellicle, membrane, film, leaf, slice, shive, cut, rasher, shaving, integument, eschar, stratification, scaliness, nest of boxes, coats of an onion, monolayer, bilayer, trilayer, lamellar, lamellated, lamelliform, layered, laminated, laminiferous, micaceous, schistose, schistous, scaly, filmy, membranous, pellicular, flaky, squamous, foliated, foliaceous, stratified, stratiform, tabular, discoid, spathic, spathose, trilamellar, graphitic.

Base

N base, basement, plinth, dado, wainscot, baseboard, mopboard, bedrock, hardpan, foundation, substructure, substratum, ground, earth, pavement, floor, paving, flag, carped, ground floor, deck, footing, ground work, basis, hold, bilge, bottom, nadir, foot, sole, toe, hoof, keel, root, centerboard, bottom, undermost, nethermost, fundamental, founded on, based on, grounded on, built on.

Slowness

VB move slowly, creep, crawl, lag, slug, drawl, linger, loiter, saunter, plod, trudge, stump along, lumber, trail, drag, dawdle, grovel, worm one's way, steal along, job on, rub on, bundle on, toddle, waddle, wabble, slug, traipse, slouch, shuffle, halt, hobble, limp, caludicate, shamble, flag, falter, trotter, stagger, mince, step short, march in slow time, march in funeral procession, take one's time, hang fire, retard, relax, slacken, check, moderate, rein in, curb, reef, strike sail, shorten sail, take in sail, put on the drag, apply the brake, clip the wings, reduce the speed, slacken speed, slacken one's pace, lose ground.

Indication

N indication, symbolism, symbolization, semiology, semiotics, semeiology, semeiotics, Zeitgeist, characteristic, diagnostic, lineament, feature, trait, fingerprint, voiceprint, footprint, noseprint, cloven hoof, footfall, recognition (memory), diagnostic, divining rod, detector, sign, symbol, index, indice, indicator, point, pointer, exponent, note, token, symptom, dollar sign, dollar mark, type, figure, emblem, cipher, device, representation, epigraph, motto, posy, gesture, gesticulation, pantomime, wink, glance, leer, nod, shrug, beck, touch, nudge, dactylology, dactylonomy, freemasonry, telegraphy, chirology, byplay, dumb show, cue, hint, clue, clew, key, scent, signal, signal post, rocket, blue light, watch fire, watch tower, telegraph, semaphore, flagstaff, cresset, fiery cross, calumet, heliograph, guidon, headlight, mark, scratch, line, stroke, dash, score, stripe, streak, tick, dot, point, notch, nick, print, imprint, impress, impression, keyboard symbols, printing symbols, red letter, italics, sublineation, underlining, bold font, jotting, note, annotation, reference, blaze, cedilla, guillemets, hachure, quotation marks, ", double quotes, " ", parentheses, "( )", brackets, "", braces, "", left arrow, "<", right arrow, ">", forward slash, "/", backward slash, "\", exclamation point, "!", commercial at, "@", pound sign, "#", percent sign, "%", carat, "", ampersand, "&", asterisk, "*", hyphen, "-", dash, "-", "_", em dash, "--", plus sign, "+", equals sign, "=", question mark, "?", period, ", ", semicolon, ", ", colon, ":", comma, ", ", apostrophe, "'", single quote, "'", tilde, "~", badge, criterion, countercheck, countermark, countersign, counterfoil, duplicate, tally, label, ticket, billet, letter, counter, check, chip, chop, dib, totem, tessera, card, bill, witness, voucher, stamp, cacher, trade mark, Hall mark, signature, mark, autograph, autography, attestation, hand, hand writing, sign manual, cipher, seal, sigil, signet, hand and seal, paraph, brand, superscription, indorsement, endorsement, password, watchword, catchword, security card, pass, passkey, credentials, open sesame, timbrology, mot de passe, mot du guet, pass-parole, shibboleth, title, heading, docket, address card, visiting card, carte de visite, insignia, banner, banneret, bannerol, bandrol, flag, colors, streamer, standard, eagle, labarum, oriflamb, oriflamme, figurehead, ensign, pennon, pennant, pendant, burgee, blue Peter, jack, ancient, gonfalon, union jack, banderole, old glory, quarantine flag, vexillum, yellow-flag, yellow jack, tricolor, stars and stripes, bunting, heraldry, crest, coat of arms, arms, armorial bearings, hatchment, escutcheon, scutcheon, shield, supporters, livery, uniform, cockade, epaulet, chevron, garland, love knot, favor, beacon, cairn, post, staff, flagstaff, hand, pointer, vane, cock, weathercock, guidepost, handpost, fingerpost, directing post, signpost, pillars of Hercules, pharos, bale-fire, beacon-fire, l'etoile du Nord, landmark, seamark, lighthouse, balize, polestar, loadstar, lodestar, cynosure, guide, address, direction, name, sign, signboard, warning, omen, prefigurement, trace, record, warning &c, alarm, scepter, trophy, gauge, milestone, milepost, brand, fool's cap, check, telltale, test, mileage ticket, milliary, notification, advertisement, word of command, call, bugle call, trumpet call, bell, alarum, cry, battle cry, rallying cry, angelus, reveille, sacring bell, sanctus bell, exposition &c (explanation), proof, pattern, indicating, indicative, indicatory, denotative, connotative, diacritical, representative, typical, symbolic, pantomimic, pathognomonic, symptomatic, characteristic, demonstrative, diagnostic, exponential, emblematic, armorial, individual, known by, recognizable by, indicated, pointed, marked, denotable, indelible, in token of, symbolically, in dumb show, ecce signum, ex ungue leonem, ex pede Herculem, vide ut supra, vultus ariete fortior.