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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

half-mast en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio

Meanings

  1. (uncountable) The lowered position, half the height of a mast, at which a flag is flown when mourning, especially expressing respect for the deceased.
    • Any other UK national flags flown alongside the Union Flag when it is at half-mast should also be at half-mast. 2016 October 13, Department for Culture, Media & Sport and Foreign & Commonwealth Office, "Flag-flying from UK government buildings for the death of the King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand", GOV.UK, Government Digital Service
    • He is to be cremated later Thursday at a ceremony likely to be attended by the country's top leadership. Flags were seen flying at half-mast in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. China's state news agency Xinhua reported that flags would be lowered at government buildings across mainland China, semi-autonomous regions of Hong Kong and Macau, and in consulates abroad. 2023 November 2, “China mourns late ex-Premier Li Keqiang”, in Deutsche Welle, archived from the original on 02 Nov 2023, China:
  2. (broadly, uncountable) The lowered position of anything.
  3. (colloquial, uncountable) An unfashionably short length of a pair of trousers.
    • I looked around. Ari in a green jacket with four inches of fore arm showing and trousers at half mast, Penny and I in mismatched padded jackets and ski trousers which were way too long; and all wearing the silver moon boots that had been the rage in the early eighties. 2016, Jeff Payne, Rider (page 142)
  4. (euphemistic, uncountable) The state of having a partially erect penis.
    • Finally, he was at half-mast, hanging out over the toilet seat, barely erect. 2009, Stephen Cannell, At First Sight: A Novel of Obsession, Vanguard Press, →ISBN, page 227:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
half mast alternative lexicographic

half-mast en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To fly a flag in this position.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
half-masted Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
half-masted Tense=Past lexicographic
half mast alternative lexicographic
half-masts Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
half-masting Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Synonyms

semi (erection) · half-staff (flag)

Translations (15)

fi puolitanko (lowered position of any thing) · ro în bernă (lowered position of a flag) · fi puolitanko (lowered position of a flag) · fr en berne (lowered position of a flag) · pt a meio-mastro (lowered position of a flag) · fi puolitanko (state of being partially erect) · sv halv stång (lowered position of a flag) · cmn 半旗 (lowered position of a flag) · nl halfstok (lowered position of a flag) · de halbmast (lowered position of a flag) · ca mig pal (lowered position of a flag) · ko 반기 (lowered position of a flag) · es a media asta (lowered position of a flag) · he בחצי התורן (lowered position of a flag) · ja 半旗 (lowered position of a flag)