An Americanism dating back to 1775–85
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Surveillance cameras showed Rhine carrying cowbells and a blue flag with white stars in the building.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 27, 2023
They circled overhead towing banners that read: "Congratulations to the New Federal State of China" and flew an unfamiliar-looking blue flag.
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2023
At the protests, Millaray would rap or stroll among protesters with her hand-painted blue flag bearing the “Wünelfe,” an eight-point star sacred in Mapuche iconography.
From New York Times • Jan. 27, 2023
In each spot where they did, he bent down and planted a little blue flag and said that’s where I’d likely find my bad pipe.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 13, 2022
A blue peter is a blue flag with a white square in the center, and it is flown when a ship is ready to sail.
From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
