FLAG, an ensign or colors; a piece of cloth, either plain or colored, and hav ing certain figures, lines, or marks painted or worked on it; a banner indi cating nationality, occupation, or intelli gence. Flags of nationality are stand ards, ensigns, pennants (pendants), jacks. Flags of occupation indicate serv ice, as war, merchant, dispatch, pilot, yacht-squadron, liners, etc. Flags of intelligence are of various colors and of three shapes: square, pointed, and bur gee. They are used in various combina tions to transmit messages according to a printed or secret code. The standard (military or naval) is a war flag. The ensign is national. The idea of stand ards originated with the Egyptians, at an early age. The Crusaders added the cross to their banners. The union of the three crosses of St. George, St. An drew, and St. Patrick, marks, first the union of England and Scotland into the kingdom of Great Britain; and, then, this kingdom with Ireland. This is termed the Great Union Flag of Great Britain, and was brought by the colo nists to America. When the 13 colonies began to feel the pressure of British rule they placed upon their banners a rattlesnake, cut in 13 pieces, represent ing the 13 colonies, with the motto: "Join or die." When these colonies be came more united in their purpose of resistance to British tyranny, they placed upon their flag a well-formed rattlesnake in the attitude of about to strike, with the motto, "Don't tread on me."
The next form of the United States flag was our present standard, the Stars and Stripes. On June 14, 1777, the Con tinental Congress resolved that the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alter nate red and white, and that the union be 13 white stars on a blue field, repre senting "a new constellation." On Jan. 13, 1794, by an act of Congress, the flag was altered to 15 red and white stripes, and 15 stars. On April 4, 1818, Con gress again altered the flag by returning to the original 13 stripes and 15 stars, as the adding of a new stripe for each additional State would soon make the flag too unwieldy. The new star is added to the flag on July 4, following the admission of each State into the Union.
Also, the uneven end of an uncut tuft of hair on a brush. To strike or lower the flag: To pull the flag down in token of respect, surrender, or submission. To dip the flag: To lower it for a brief space as a salute or mark of respect. To hang the flag half-mast high: To raise it only halfway up the staff as a token of mourning.