Flag Definition

flăg

flagged, flagging, flags

noun

flags

A piece of cloth or bunting, often attached to a staff, with distinctive colors, patterns, or symbolic devices, used as a national or state symbol, as a signal, etc.; banner; standard; ensign.

Webster's New World

National or other allegiance, as symbolized by a flag.

Ships of the same flag.

American Heritage

Long feathers or quills, as on a hawk.

Webster's New World

The tail of a deer.

Webster's New World

A ship carrying the flag of an admiral; a flagship.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

verb

flagged, flagging, flags

To decorate or mark with flags.

Webster's New World

To become limp; droop.

Webster's New World

To lose strength; grow weak or tired.

His energy flagged.

Webster's New World

To signal with or as if with a flag.

American Heritage

To signal with or as with a flag; esp., to signal (the driver of a vehicle) to stop.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

idiom

dip the flag

to salute by lowering a flag briefly

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Flag

Noun

Singular:

flag

Plural:

flags

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Flag

dip the flag

Origin of Flag

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”). Related to Dutch vlag (“flag”), German Flagge (“flag”), Swedish flagg (“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.

From Wiktionary
Middle English flagge piece of turf from Old Norse flaga slab of stone plāk-¹ in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Possibly of Scandinavian origin Old Norse flögra to flap about

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Middle English flagge reed of Scandinavian origin

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Icelandic flag

From Wiktionary
Of uncertain origin; compare Danish flæg.

From Wiktionary
Probably from Old Norse.

From Wiktionary
Origin unknown

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition