Meanings
verbfly the flag (third-person singular simple present flies the flag, present participle flying the flag, simple past flew the flag, past participle flown the flag)
present singular third person flies the flag · participle present flying the flag · past flew the flag · participle past flown the flag
- To be registered in a particular country and display that country's flag as a result. (of a ship, airline etc)
- idiomaticTo support one's country enthusiastically.
Now they are the English champions, flying the flag for their country in Europe’s premier club competition and managed by a 53‑year‑old who only got the job on Sunday night.
2017 March 14, Stuart James, “Leicester stun Sevilla to reach last eight after Kasper Schmeichel save”, in the Guardian
Cite this entry
APA
fly the flag. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fly%20the%20flag
MLA
“fly the flag.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fly%20the%20flag. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fly the flag,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fly%20the%20flag.
Source: fly the flag on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.