flag down

Idioms  

1. Signal to stop, as in The police were flagging down all cars. This expression uses the verb flag in the sense of “catch the attention of, as by waving a flag,” a usage dating from the mid-1800s; down was added in the first half of the 1900s.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

flag down

Peterson has shown flashes of brilliance, but has also missed time with mysterious injuries and seen his play flag down the stretch.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 21, 2026

Another frustration for supporters is around 'delaying the flag' - where officials are told to keep their flag down if they felt there was an immediate goalscoring opportunity.

From BBC ● Nov. 11, 2025

Cretan, the spokesperson for the mayor’s office, said there was no legislative requirement to take the flag down.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 30, 2024

The man said someone attempted to flag down a police officer when the incident happened.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 29, 2024

“You think you’re going to flag down a boat with a weak little phone light?”

From "Adrift" by Paul Griffin

Related Words

• address
• greet
• salute
• signal
• welcome