Chapter Flaccus to Flay a Fox of F by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Flaccus to Flay a Fox

Flaccus Horace, the Roman poet, whose full name was Quintus Horatius Flaccus.

Flag (Danish, flag.)
   A black flag is the emblem of piracy or of no quarter. (See Black Flags.)
   To unfurl the black flag. To declare war. The curtain which used to hang before the door of Ayeshah, Mahomet's favourite wife, was taken for a national flag, and is regarded by Mussulmans as the most precious of relics. It is black, and is never unfolded except as a declaration of war.
   A red flag. To display a red flag is to defy or dare to battle. Red is the emblem of blood. The Roman signal for battle.
   A yellow flag signals contagious disease on board ship.
   To get one's flag. To become an admiral. Formerly the captain of a flagship was called a "flag-officer."

"I do not believe that the bullet is cast that is to deprive you of life, Jack; you'll get your flag, as I hope to get mine"- Kingston: The Three Admirals, xiii.

   To hang the flag half-mast high is in token of mourning or distress.
   To hang out the white flag. To sue for quarter, to give in.
   To lower one's flag, to eat humble pie; to eat the leek, to confess oneself in the wrong; to eat one's own words.

"The ... Association ... after systematically opposing the views of the ... National Congress, had to lower the flag and pass a resolution in favour of simultaneous examinations." - Nineteenth Century (April, 1894, page 670).

   To strike the flag. To lower it or pull it down upon the cap, in token of respect or submission. In naval warfare it means to surrender.

Flag, Flags    Banners of Saints. Flags smaller than standards, and not slit at the extremity.
   Royal Banners contain the royal arms.
   Standards, much larger and longer than banners, and slit at the extremity. A standard has no armorial bearings.
   Burgee. A small flag with the loose end cleft like a <.
   Pennant. A small triangular flag.
   Pennons, much smaller than standards; rounded at the extremity, and charged with arms.
   Bannerols, banners of great width, representing alliances and descents.
   Pensils, small flags shaped like the vanes on pinnacles.

Flag Lieutenant (A). An admiral's aide-de-camp.

Flag-officer Either an admiral, vice-admiral, rear-admiral, or commodore. These officers alone are privileged to carry a flag denoting rank. Admirals carry their flag at the main, vice-admirals at the fore, and rear- admirals at the mizen. (See Admiral.)

Flag-ship A ship carrying a flag officer. (See Admiral.)

Flag Signals (on railroads).

"White is all right; Red is all wrong
Green is go cautiously bowling along."

Flag's Down (The). Indicative of distress. When the face is pale the "flag is down." Alluding to the ancient custom of taking down the flag of theatres during Lent, when the theatres were closed.

"'Tis Lent in your cheeks, the flag's down." -
Dodsley's Old Plays (vol v.p. 314, article, "Mad World.")

Flag of Distress A card at one's window announcing "lodgings" or "board and lodgings." The allusion is evident. A flag reversed, hoisted with the union downwards.

Flagellants A sect of enthusiasts in the middle of the thirteenth century, who went in procession about the streets inflicting on themselves daily flagellations, in order to merit thereby the favour of God. They were put down soon after their appearance, but revived in the fourteenth century. Also called "Brothers of the Cross."

Flam Flattery for an object; blarney; humbug. (Irish, flim, Anglo-Saxon, flæm, flight.)

"They told me what a fine thing it was to be an Englishman, and about liberty and property ... I find it was a flam." - Godwin: Caleb Williams. vol.ii. chap. v. p. 57.

Flamberge or Floberge. The sword which Maugis took from Anthénor, the Saracen admiral, when he came to attack the castle of Oriande la