half-mast
[ haf-mast, hahf-mahst ]
/ ˈhæfˈmæst, ˈhɑfˈmɑst /
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noun
a position approximately halfway between the top of a mast, staff, etc., and its base.
verb (used with object)
to place (a flag) at half-mast, as a mark of respect for the dead or as a signal of distress.
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Origin of half-mast
First recorded in 1620–30
Words nearby half-mast
half-line, half-liter, half-long, half-mad, half-marathon, half-mast, half measure, half-mile, half-miler, half-minute, halfmoon
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for half-mast
British Dictionary definitions for half-mast
half-mast
noun
the lower than normal position to which a flag is lowered on a mast as a sign of mourning or distress
verb
(tr) to put (a flag) in this position
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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