Dictionary.com

half-mast

[ haf-mast, hahf-mahst ]
/ ˈhæfˈmæst, ˈhɑfˈmɑst /
Save This Word!

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.

COMPARE MEANINGS

Click for a side-by-side comparison of meanings. Use the word comparison feature to learn the differences between similar and commonly confused words.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?

Origin of half-mast

First recorded in 1620–30
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use half-mast in a sentence

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 Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
FEEDBACK