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

They may keep the flag down if they suspect there has been a malfunction, but Fifa says a series of failsafe measures are in the technology to prevent errors happening.

From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026

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

The decision to take the flag down outside City Hall came just days after the New York Times reported that the flag was flown outside of U.S.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 30, 2024

They manage to flag down Bolerjack, always busy addressing a seemingly endless list of tasks and requests.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 13, 2023

“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