What does a red flag (idiom) mean?
The Idiom “Red flag” is often used to signify danger. “Red flag,” as a Noun, is a warning of danger. For example, “His actions raised a red flag”. By saying this, the speaker is telling the listener that the man in question was doing something suspicious, troubles could arise from his actions.
As a Verb, the phrase also signals danger. When used in Verb form, you may encounter the gerund or past tense of the word, such as:
- Red-flagging
- Red-flagged
Examples of the idiom “red flag”
- Fever is the body’s red flag.
- Teachers always check for red flags such as tardiness and absences.
- Feeling of anxiety, depression is often considered as the mind’s Red flag.
- Employers consider a constant shift in jobs as a red flag.
- She saw a red flag when the boss asked her for personal favors.
Color Idiom
Often, the English language uses idioms that invoke color imagery, like, I feel blue, in the pink, red flag, etc. These figures of speech are used because colors have a strong association with emotions. For example, “Bulls (male cows) are color blind, but a matador (bullfighter), uses a red flag to provoke the animal”. Why use a red rag to anger a colorblind bull?
The color red, symbolically, always represents love, anger, urgency, or a warning, among English-speaking nations. Originally, during the 1600s, red flags were used to signify that an army was on the verge of war. History and symbology aside, “red flag, ” the idiom, can be either a Noun or a Verb.
Additionally, when the phrase is a Verb, a hyphen is used. Here is an example, “The foreman red-flagged building the ship”. By saying this, the speaker is telling the listener that there’s some kind of danger in building the ship, the plans are unsound.
Let’s practice
Q1: Try and make your own sentence using the idiom “red flag”.
Q2: What should you do if someone raised a red flag while you were at school/work?
Q3: What are some common red flags to be aware of when shopping online?
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What is an idiom?
Many languages have idioms. Chinese and English are well known for these colorful phrases. So, what is an idiom? An idiom is a group of words for which the meaning can’t be deduced through logic.
Few Idioms Examples
Again, idioms are imaginative but not necessarily logical. Moreover, they can be amusing and demonstrate a culture’s view of an idea or behavior. Here are a couple of examples:
Can you guess what the below idioms mean? They have nothing to do with the direct meaning of the words used in them.
- In a pickle: This is an idiom that signifies being in trouble. Example: Bob was in a pickle, he accidentally scheduled two important meetings at the same hour.
- In the dark: This is means to stay in ignorance. Example: The employers were still in the dark about the company’s increment policies.
- Raining Cats and Dogs: Raining cats and dogs doesn’t mean it is raining cats or dogs. It only means raining hard or raining very heavily. Example: I am worried about how to reach the meeting venue on time, it is raining cats and dogs.
- Pulling your leg: This is an idiom that’s used to mean to joke or tease someone. Example: As an elder sister, she always liked pulling her younger brother’s, but is always there by his side when he needs her.
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