to strike the flag
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To lower it. The phrase is used of an admiral relinquishing his command afloat; the action is also a token of respect, submission, or surrender.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to strike the flag” mean?
To lower it. The phrase is used of an admiral relinquishing his command afloat; the action is also a token of respect, submission, or surrender.
Is “to strike the flag” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.