half-mast

== English == === Alternative forms === half mast === Pronunciation === === Noun === half-mast (uncountable) The lowered position, half the height of a mast, at which a flag is flown when mourning, especially expressing respect for the deceased. 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: (by extension) The lowered position of anything. (clothing, colloquial) An unfashionably short length of a pair of trousers. 2016, Jeff Payne, Rider (page 142) I looked around. Ari in a green jacket with four inches of fore arm showing and trousers at half mast, Penny and I in mismatched padded jackets and ski trousers which were way too long; and all wearing the silver moon boots that had been the rage in the early eighties. (euphemistic) The state of having a partially erect penis. === Verb === half-mast (third-person singular simple present half-masts, present participle half-masting, simple past and past participle half-masted) (transitive) To fly a flag in this position. ==== Synonyms ==== (flag) half-staff (erection) semi ==== Translations ==== ==== References ==== (short trousers): Tony Thorne (2014), “half-mast”, in Dictionary of Contemporary Slang, 4th edition, London; […]: Bloomsbury