one-finger salute

plural one-finger salutes · alternative one-fingered salute · alternative one finger salute · alternative one fingered salute

1. The obscene gesture made by holding only the middle finger of a hand erect while the rest of the fingers are in a fist.

   They honk, point and whistle. You swear and give them the old one-finger salute.

   1997, Gene Amole, "Put Water Bag On Front Bumper", in Rocky Mountain News, 24 June 1997, reprinted in Amole One More Time, Big Earth Publishing (1998), page 236

   4 more examples

   The troops […] gave them back the old one-finger salute of the clenched fist jabbing the stiff middle finger into the air.

   1951, James Jones, From Here to Eternity, Scribner(1951), page 761; also Delta (1998), page 754

   When the inning ended, Ted leaped into the air and delivered the classic one-finger salute to the booing crowd.

   1985, Bruce Nash, Allan Zullo, The Baseball Hall of Shame, Simon and Schuster, published 1989, →ISBN, page 160

   I think most truckers realize this MAY be 4 wheelers thinking and not resort to one finger salute.

   2002 September 11, Say!What?, “Re: What Would You Do?”, in misc.transport.trucking (Usenet)

   Painted on one: destroy this memory. ¶ On another, a homeowner has painted a one-finger salute to Allstate.

   2005, Chris Rose, 1 Dead in Attic: After Katrina, Simon and Schuster, published 2007, →ISBN, page 185

   Synonyms: single-digit salute, single-fingered salute, Jersey salute

present singular third person one-finger salutes · participle present one-finger saluting · participle past one-finger saluted · past one-finger saluted · alternative one-fingered salute · alternative one finger salute · alternative one fingered salute

1. rareTo give a one-finger salute.

   I've one finger saluted life before.

   2004 February 19, Brent Wiescamp, 'Re: Things That Make You Go "Hmmm"', alt.sports.football.pro.denver-broncos, Usenet

   Synonyms: give the finger, flick off, flip the bird