fly flag

Meanings

1. 1phraseidiom

   to display a flag on a pole or building, especially as a sign of support or identity.

   Grammar: Often used with 'the' or a possessive: fly the flag, fly our flag.

   Patterns

   • fly the flag
   • fly a flag
   • fly the flag for something

   The town flies the flag every year on the national holiday.

   They flew the flag at half-mast to show respect.

   The embassy flies its flag above the entrance.

2. 2phraseidiom

   to show support for a country, group, or cause, often publicly.

   Grammar: Used with 'for' to name the group or cause: fly the flag for women in science.

   Patterns

   • fly the flag for someone
   • fly the flag for something

   She flies the flag for small businesses in her speeches.

   The team is flying the flag for the whole region.

   He always flies the flag for local music.

Common combinations

fly the flag

We fly the flag on important national days.

fly the flag at half-mast

The school flew the flag at half-mast after the sad news.

fly the flag for something

The festival flies the flag for independent film.

fly a flag from a building

They fly a flag from the town hall every summer.

Synonyms and how they differ

display a flag

Display a flag is more neutral and formal; fly a flag is the usual everyday phrase.

show the flag

Show the flag can mean to make a brief appearance to remind people you exist; fly the flag is more about open support.

Word family

flag noun

a piece of cloth with a pattern or symbol, used as a symbol of a country or group.

fly verb

to move through the air, or to cause something to move through the air.

Commonly confused: fly flag or fly the coop?

Practice

Make it your own

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

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