foreign flagn.
/ˌfɒrᵻn ˈflaɡ/, /ˌfɒrn̩ ˈflaɡ/, U.S. /ˌfɔrən ˈflæɡ/, /ˌfɑrən ˈflæɡ/ 1. The flag of another country, esp. as flown by a ship or other vessel; now spec. the flag of a foreign country under which a ship or other vessel is registered in order to avoid certain duties, charges, etc. (cf. flag of convenience n. at flag n.4 1f).
ΚΠ
1695 J. Crull tr. S. Puffendorf Introd. Hist. Principal Kingdoms Europe vi. §10. 269 The Trade of the Hollanders with Spain and Portugal, whither they used to send their Ships under Foreign Flags [Ger. unter frembden Flaggen], had been quite cut off.
1815 Times 12 Oct. Though we do not directly pay tribute, we are subject to it indirectly, if we must trade in the Mediterranean under a foreign flag.
1909 V. Cornish Panama Canal & its Makers vi. 167 There would be hardly any United States ships to use it, except in transport between home ports from which ships flying foreign flags are debarred.
2003 Star Phoenix (Saskatoon, Sask.) (Nexis) 2 Dec. (Final ed.) a6 A loophole has allowed..[the]..shipping company to avoid paying Canadian taxes and avoid hiring Canadian workers for years by sailing under foreign flags.
2. By metonymy: a ship or other vessel bearing the flag of a foreign country; now spec. a vessel registered under the laws of a country other than that of its owner in order to avoid certain duties, charges, etc. Chiefly in plural.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessels from specific country or region > [noun] > foreign
foreign1509
foreign flag1796
foreigner1823
1796 East India Shipping (East India Company) i. 1 Unless English Ships are obtained for the Indian Trade, on nearly as moderate terms as foreign Flags can furnish freight.
1807 Ann. Rev. & Hist. Lit. 6 84/1 Every foreign flag is repulsed from the port by cannonry.
1954 West Coast Sailors 1 Oct. 4/1 Why has Mr. Rothschild started this program to assist operations of runaway foreign flags?
2018 Mint (Nexis) 11 July Regarding competition, 92% of all Indian freight is already carried by foreign flags.
Compounds
As a modifier, designating a ship or other vessel registered under the laws of a country other than that of its owner, as in foreign-flag ship, foreign-flag vessel, etc.
ΚΠ
1900 London & China Tel. 18 July (Suppl.) 1/1 No cargo goes in foreign flag vessels between Wuchow and Samshui and Canton.
1927 Barron's 25 July 5/2 Our coastal shipping..lies within a wall of protection... Foreign flag ships cannot engage in coastal trade, either freight or passenger.
1992 Sunday Times of India 19 Apr. 22/4 (advt.) Required for our foreign principal on their most modern foreign flag reefer vessels.
2015 Pittsburgh (Pa.) Post-Gaz. (Nexis) 30 Jan. (Sooner ed.) a7 The price for moving crude oil from the Gulf Coast to the Northeastern United States on Jones Act tankers is $5 to $6 dollars per barrel, while moving it to eastern Canada on foreign-flag tankers is $2.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2022).
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n.1695