half-mast

See also: half mast

English

Alternative forms

• half mast

Noun

half-mast (uncountable)

1. The lowered position, half the height of a mast, at which a flag is flown when mourning, especially expressing respect for the dead.
   • 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:

     Any other UK national flags flown alongside the Union Flag when it is at half-mast should also be at half-mast.

2. (by extension) The lowered position of any thing.
3. (euphemistic, of a man) The state of being partially erect
   • 2009, Stephen Cannell, At First Sight: A Novel of Obsession, Vanguard Press →ISBN, page 227

     Finally, he was at half-mast, hanging out over the toilet seat, barely erect.

Synonyms

• (flag) half-staff
• (erection) semi

Translations

lowered position of a flag

• Catalan: mig pal
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Dutch: halfstok (nl)
• Finnish: puolitanko (fi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• French: en berne (fr)
• German: halbmast (de)
• Russian: please add this translation if you can
• Swedish: halv stång

lowered position of any thing

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Finnish: puolitanko (fi)
• Russian: please add this translation if you can

state of being partially erect

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Finnish: puolitanko (fi)
• Russian: please add this translation if you can