HALF-MAST | Meaning, Definition In Cambridge English Dictionary

Meaning of half-mast in English half-mastnoun [ U ] uk /ˌhɑːfˈmɑːst/ us /ˌhæfˈmæst/ Add to word list Add to word list (US also half-staff) the position of a flag that is halfway down the pole, usually as an expression of sadness at a death or sad public event: at half-mast The flags at Buckingham Palace were all flying at half-mast.to half-mast There was no game at the ground on Saturday and the flag was lowered to half-mast. the position of something that is halfway between up and down, or halfway between open and closed: at half-mast She found him dozing by the fire with his eyes at half-mast and his head lolling.to half-mast The blinds on their windows were always lowered to half-mast in the summer. humorous the position of someone's trousers that are being worn around or below their hips: at half-mast Many of these youths appear to prefer their trousers at half-mast.to half-mast His new trousers, being a couple of sizes too large, kept threatening to drop to half-mast. UK humorous the position of long trousers that reach somewhere between someone's knees and ankles, rather than down to their ankles or shoes: at half-mast This spring, trousers have to be cropped — they aren't happening unless they're at half-mast.

• Flags hung at half-mast, and 4,000 people queued at the church to pay their respects to him.
• The embassy flag has been at half-mast all day.
• Although the flags were raised, they returned to half-mast immediately after the national anthems were played.
• Flags across the country were lowered to half-mast in preparation for two days of national mourning.

Flags

• caution flag
• colour
• crossbones
• ensign
• flag
• flag bearer
• flag of convenience
• Old Glory
• pennant
• pride flag
• rainbow flag
• skull and crossbones
• standard
• Star-Spangled Banner
• Stars and Stripes
• the Jolly Roger
• tifo
• tricolour
• windsock

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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Placing and positioning an object Open and closed Style & appearance of clothes half-mastadverb uk /ˌhɑːfˈmɑːst/ us /ˌhæfˈmæst/ (US also half-staff) (of a flag) in or to a position halfway down the pole, usually as an expression of sadness at a death or sad public event: Every flag in Quebec will fly half-mast for him. A huge Union Jack was flying half-mast on the top of the hotel.

• Flags at the university were flying half-mast, and the close-knit rowing community was shocked and upset.
• Across the whole nation flags were fluttering half-mast.

Flags

• caution flag
• colour
• crossbones
• ensign
• flag
• flag bearer
• flag of convenience
• Old Glory
• pennant
• pride flag
• rainbow flag
• skull and crossbones
• standard
• Star-Spangled Banner
• Stars and Stripes
• the Jolly Roger
• tifo
• tricolour
• windsock

See more results » half-mastadjective uk /ˌˈhɑːf.mɑːst/ us /ˈhæf.mæst/ (US also half-staff) used to describe a flag or its position when it is halfway down the pole, usually as an expression of sadness at a death or sad public event: The TV channels were all full of half-mast flags and solemn music. The state flag should be moved into the half-mast position. used to describe something or its position when it is halfway between up and down, or halfway between open and closed: There were half-mast white blinds on all the windows. He looked at her with sleepy, half-mast eyes. humorous used to describe someone's trousers or their position when they are being worn around or below their hips: He was a complete fashion victim in baggy, half-mast trousers. UK humorous used to describe long trousers that reach somewhere between someone's knees and their ankles, rather than down to their feet: He walks away, his little half-mast trousers flapping against his legs. I would rather my leggings were too long than half-mast. Flags

• caution flag
• colour
• crossbones
• ensign
• flag
• flag bearer
• flag of convenience
• Old Glory
• pennant
• pride flag
• rainbow flag
• skull and crossbones
• standard
• Star-Spangled Banner
• Stars and Stripes
• the Jolly Roger
• tifo
• tricolour
• windsock

See more results »

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Placing and positioning an object Open and closed Style & appearance of clothes (Definition of half-mast from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

half-mast | American Dictionary

half-mastnoun [ U ] us/ˈhæfˈmæst/ Add to word list Add to word list the position half the way down a pole to which a flag is moved to show respect for someone who has died: The flags were at half-mast all week. (Definition of half-mast from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of half-mast

half-mast I am sorry to see that the red flag is at half-mast tonight. From the Hansard archive Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0 He has hoisted the white flag at half-mast. From the Hansard archive Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0 Thank you also for having the flags flown at half-mast. From Europarl Parallel Corpus - English The pageantry included the tolling of bells, and flags being flown at half-mast. From Wikipedia This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license. As a gesture of respect, the national flags on the ships in the harbour were flown at half-mast, and salutes were fired. From Wikipedia This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license. If the flag is flown from a flagpole in mourning, it shall be raised to half-mast. From Wikipedia This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license. We honour him and his beliefs to this day with the black ring around our insignia and by flying our banner always at half-mast. From Wikipedia This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license. The state closed all offices and flags were flown at half-mast. From Wikipedia This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license. By order of the colonial authorities, all flags on public buildings were hung at half-mast. From Wikipedia This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license. The signs may vary but usually include the lowering or posting half-mast of flags on public buildings. From Wikipedia This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license. When such an order is issued, all government buildings, offices, public schools and military bases are to fly their flags at half-mast. From Wikipedia This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license. All the regional flags and the departmental ensigns are flown at half-mast on national or regional mourning days as well as the national flag. From Wikipedia This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license. In addition to the tradition of half-mast, the national flag topped by black cloth may be flown to designate mourning. From Wikipedia This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license. When being hoisted to half-mast, the flag should first be brought to the peak of the staff and then lowered to the half-mast position. From Wikipedia This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license. The issue of whether to fly the flag at half-mast for her funeral caused controversy for some councils where local feelings were strong. From Wikipedia This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license. See all examples of half-mast These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors. What is the pronunciation of half-mast?

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half-hourly half-life half-light half-marathon half-mast half-moon half-moon glasses half-page half-pant {{#randomImageQuizHook.filename}} {{#randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} Test your vocabulary with our fun image quizzes Try a quiz now {{/randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{^randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{/randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{/randomImageQuizHook.filename}}

More meanings of half-mast

• fly at half-mast
• half-mast, at half-staff
• fly at half mast, at fly at half-mast
• fly something at half-mast, at fly at half-mast
• fly something at half mast, at fly at half-mast

See all meanings

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