false flag

== English == === Alternative forms === false-flag === Pronunciation === === Noun === false flag (plural false flags) (nautical) A ruse, in the days of sail, in which an attacking ship would fly the colours of its enemy until close enough to open fire. (espionage, military, politics) A diversionary or propaganda tactic of deceiving an adversary into thinking that an operation was carried out by another party. ==== Translations ==== === Verb === false flag (third-person singular simple present false flags, present participle false flagging, simple past and past participle false flagged) (informal, transitive) To target someone or something with a false flag or ruse. === Derived terms === false flagger === See also === agent provocateur