An Americanism dating back to 1775–85
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Their campaign also goes by the name the “Blue Revolution” - a reference to the blue flag created in 1952 when British-administered Eritrea became an autonomous region of Ethiopia before it was later annexed.
From BBC ● May 23, 2024
Thursday’s summit was earlier disturbed when Ukrainian delegates interrupted a speech to the assembly by Timofeeva, waving Ukraine’s yellow and blue flag by her side as she spoke.
From Seattle Times ● May 5, 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
The cookhouse couldn’t be more obvious—never mind the orange and blue flag, the boiler belching in the background, or the stream of people heading for it.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
“The secret is out that fall is the best time to come,” said Brad Guidi, co-founder of Blue Flag Capital, which owns five hotels on the island, including the recently renovated Brass Lantern Inn.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026
A council says one of its beaches has no Blue Flag this year because of an "administrative error", though insists it still has an "exceptional standard of care and quality".
From BBC ● May 18, 2026
The Blue Flag, a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education, certifies the environmental commitment of cruise companies, marinas and beaches.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 28, 2022
The Carbis Bay Hotel & Estate, where the Woolfs stayed, has its own beach that was awarded Blue Flag eco-certification, as well as a spa.
From New York Times ● Feb. 26, 2018
Blue Flag Iris versicolor Grows from 2-3 ft. high.
From The Library of Work and Play: Gardening and Farming. by Shaw, Ellen Eddy
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.
