flag

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A piece of cloth, often rectangular, with a design that stands for a country, group or message.

   Grammar: Count it: the flag, three flags.

   Patterns

   • raise the flag
   • fly a flag

   The national flag hung above the town hall.

   Children waved small flags during the parade.

   A red flag on the beach means swimming is unsafe.

2. 2verbtransitive

   To mark something so that it gets attention, or to signal a vehicle to stop.

   Grammar: Takes an object: flag an error; flag down a taxi.

   Patterns

   • flag something up
   • flag someone down

   Please flag any mistakes you find in the report.

   She flagged a taxi outside the station.

   The system flagged the payment as suspicious.

3. 3verbintransitive

   To lose energy or strength, or become less interesting.

   Grammar: No object: her energy flagged.

   Patterns

   • start to flag

   Our energy flagged halfway up the hill.

   Interest in the show began to flag after the third season.

   The runners flagged in the afternoon heat.

Word forms

Common combinations

wave a flag

Fans wave a flag at every match.

red flag

A missing signature is a red flag in this kind of deal.

flag down

He flagged down a passing car.

flag up

Can you flag up the delay to the manager?

fly the flag

The shop flies the flag every national day.

Synonyms and how they differ

banner

A banner is usually long and carries a message, while a flag is a symbol of a state or group.

mark

Mark is a general verb, whereas flag implies drawing attention to a point.

highlight

Highlight means to make stand out, and flag suggests a warning or a to-do.

tire

Tire is the plainer word for losing energy, while flag suggests gradual loss.

Opposites

Word family

flagging adjective

becoming weaker or tired

flagpole noun

a pole on which a flag flies

flagship noun

the most important one of a group

flagged adjective

marked for attention

Commonly confused: flag or flog?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “flag”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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