3 Definitions and a Lie: FLAG
Happy Flag Day!
Saturdays are perfect days for homonymous surprises. Surprise—we’re talking about the many meanings of the word flag!
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia famously asserted, "Words have meaning, and their meaning doesn't change.” Of course, he was famously wrong. Words in English often have multiple meanings, some of which are acquired or discarded over time. Precise language learners recognize that real fluency depends on recognizing all the definitions of common words.
Consider the word FLAG. Three of the following definitions apply to flag when used as a verb. Which choice is not a valid meaning of the word?
To whip or beat
To signal or warn
To mark or identify
To lose energy, enthusiasm, or momentum
Of course, flag is more commonly used as a noun, with the following common definitions:
a piece of material used as an symbol of a organization, institution, or political state
a piece of material used as a marker or signal in various sports
a flat stone, often used for paving
a tab or tag used to mark a page or place
Have you determined which definition is not a definition of the word FLAG? Find out below…
Choice 1 describes a very similar sounding word: FLOG
flog (verb) - to beat with a whip, stick, or scourge; to punish or thrash
“Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that our country shall be righteous as well as strong.” — James Bryce