half-mastadv.n.adj.
/ˌhɑːfˈmɑːst/, /ˌhɑːfˈmast/, U.S. /ˌhæfˈmæst/ Originally Nautical.
A. adv.
1.
a. Esp. with reference to the position of sails on a ship: at a point at or near the middle of a mast. Frequently in half-mast high.
Π
1588 R. Parke tr. J. G. de Mendoza Hist. Kingdome of China 301 They sponed before the winde with their foresayle halfe mast hie [Sp. a medio arbol].
1625 S. Purchas Pilgrimes I. v. vii. 637 They in a carelesse fashion plyed it to and againe with their top sailes halfe mast downe.
1695 Tryal Capt. H. Wickham 8 I made no Sail but our Top-sail half-mast.
1712 W. Rogers Cruising Voy. App. 41 Have..your Foretop-sail half-mast, and all your Anchors ready.
1835 J. Smith Catal. Raisonné Wks. Most Eminent Dutch, Flemish, & French Painters VI. 446 A small vessel, with her main-sail half-mast high, is close to the shore in front.
1872 Good Words for Young 197/1 He continued his way with his sail half mast-high.
1916 Daily Colonist (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 1 July 11/2 The time ball..will be raised half-mast high at 12.45 p.m., to the top at 12.55 p.m., and will be dropped at 1 p.m. daily.
2004 C. Lloyd Enchanting Eye 165 On the right a hoeker-rigged Rhine aak (barge) with her mainsail half-mast high and another pont with her sprit-sail set.
b. With reference to the position of a flag on a ship or (later) a building, lowered as a mark of respect for the dead: at or to a point some way below the top of its staff. In early use frequently in half-mast high.In the United States half-staff is now the more usual term (see half-staff adv.). Both terms are common in Canadian English.
ΘΠ
the world > life > death > obsequies > formal or ceremonial mourning > [adverb] > at half-mast (of flags)
half-staff1708
1671 J. Baltharpe Straights Voy. iv. 83 Each Ship his Colours bears, But half mast up, in mournful ways.
1715 London Gaz. No. 5333/1 The Flag was hoisted half-Mast high.
1761 Public Ledger 17 Jan. 58/1 The ships in the Sound and harbour have their colours half-mast high.
1806 A. Duncan Nelson's Funeral 17 The St. George's jack..was lowered half-mast high.
1891 Daily News 8 Oct. 3/1 At Dover the flags on the public buildings and in the harbour are half-mast.
1949 C. Benham Diver's Luck 59 She'll be goin' in with her flag half-mast.
2012 K. Marton Paris (2013) iv. 22 General Petraeus will present you the flag which flew half-mast over NATO headquarters.
2. colloquial. Esp. with reference to clothing: in a position lower, or with a length shorter, than is considered normal. Frequently with reference to trousers worn with the legs rolled or hitched up, or sitting on the body below the waistline, or with the top down pulled down to knee level.
Π
1831 Metropolitan Aug. 375 His jacket was short and succinct, and though his tail, half-mast down his back, brought him up now and then with a round-turn, he had no useless coat-skirts to be caught in the sheeve of a block.
1862 J. R. Lowell Biglow Papers 2nd Ser. 9 Mis'ble as roosters in a rain, heads down an' tails half-mast.
1883 R. Broughton Belinda I. i. v. 76 The pug has arisen from the cold parquet..with her tail still half-mast high in the enervation of slumber.
1893 Adelaide Observer 15 Apr. 41/4 The days when you wore your trousers half-mast.
1942 C. Barrett On Wallaby v. 90 I had fifteen-inch trouser cuffs, while my coat sleeves were about half-mast high.
1967 N. Mailer Why are we in Vietnam? (1988) 43 His pants half-mast and laughing his ass off.
2010 Times 21 Sept. 56/2 I wouldn't expect girls to be distracted by boys wearing their trousers half-mast.
B. n.
1. A position at or near the middle of a mast or staff; esp. the position of a flag lowered to a point some way below the top of its staff as a mark of respect for the dead. Frequently in at half mast.In the United States half-staff is now the more usual term (see half-staff n. 2). Both terms are common in Canadian English.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > vertical extent > lack of height > low or level with the ground [phrase] > at half usual height
at half-mast1626
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > masts, rigging, or sails > spar > [noun] > mast > half or half height of
half-mast1626
1800 Washingtoniana 167 The vessels in the harbor hoisted colors at half mast.
1843 Kendall's Expositor 3 463/2 The procession went on board the steamer, the colors being lowered to half mast.
1917 R. J. Snell Eskimo Robinson Crusoe xviii. 137 Furling his sail to half-mast, he drifted leisurely along.
1968 J. Fetterman in J. E. Lewis Mammoth Bk. War Correspondents (2001) 518 The postmistress..lowered the flag of the tiny fourth-class post office to half mast.
2010 R. Morris Lighting Out for Territory v. 146 Thirty thousand mourners filed past his coffin while flags across the city flew at half-mast.
2. colloquial. Esp. with reference to clothing: a position lower, or a length shorter, than is considered normal. Frequently with reference to trousers worn with the legs rolled or hitched up, or sitting on the body below the waistline. Chiefly in at half mast.
ΚΠ
1882 Westville (Indiana) Indicator 20 May Tryagain..hung his trousers at half-mast, and proceeded (carefully) to explore the unknown depths before him.
1940 L. A. G. Strong Sun on Water 139 With his trousers at half-mast.
1966 Listener 10 Feb. 210/1 Its [sc. a dog's] tail at half-mast.
1989 ‘C. Roman’ Foreplay xxii. 259 With dirt under his fingernails, the zipper on his fly always riding at half-mast, he's..irascible.
2006 Financial Times 16 Nov. 19/2 Shirts had come untucked. Tie knots were at half-mast.
3. colloquial. With reference to the penis: the state of being partially erect. Chiefly in at half mast.
ΘΠ
the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > [noun] > erection
elevation1543
erection1594
tentigoa1603
Jack1604
stand1608
surgation1688
cockstandc1890
hard-on1898
hard1927
boner1936
hard up1937
bone-on1969
morning-glory1985
1971 R. Rex Big Screen, Little Screen 105 As MacLaine goes to bed with the pilot to escape being raped by the sultan, whom she thought was impotent, she yells, ‘I thought you said he was at half-mast!’
1982 C. Bukowski Ham on Rye xxvii. 120 He only had half a hard...‘You're chicken! All that meat and it's only at half-mast!’
1986 C. Steiner When Man loves Woman v. 46 Men tend to feel that such a ‘half mast’ isn't worthy of a woman's attention, but they are mistaken.
2006 J. Travis Dust of Autumn iii. 26 He noticed he was at half-mast and slowly rising.
C. adj.
1. Of a flag: positioned some way below the top of its staff, esp. as a mark of respect for the dead.
Π
1818 Savannah (Georgia) Republican 21 July The American half-mast flags spread wide open by a westerly breeze..produced an effect solemn and impressive.
1888 N. Wales Chron. 1 Sept. 5/6 The ‘Miranda’ was flying a half-mast ensign.
1945 Tamworth Herald 11 Aug. 5/3 Half-mast colours were flying, in every notable town of England.
2020 Monitor (McAllen, Texas) (Nexis) 13 Mar. Another half-mast flag stands at the center of the cemetery, where the names of more than 7,000 fallen Valley heroes are displayed.
2. colloquial. Esp. of an item of clothing: worn or positioned at a lower height, or with a length shorter, than is considered normal. Frequently with reference to trousers worn with the legs rolled or hitched up, or sitting on the body below the waistline.
Π
1852 Classic Union (Union Univ., Tennessee) 1 June 273/1 Chanticleer, whose efforts to look brave and wise are in comical opposition to his ruffled plumage and half-mast tail.
1895 Clipper (Hobart, Tasmania) 2 Nov. 4/3 I saw one of our Hobart beauties..deeply engrossed in the attentions of a youth with half-mast pants.
1978 R. Snailham Sangay Survived iv. 62 Between his half-mast trousers and a pair of thin, laceless shoes were bare ankles and feet.
1995 Independent (Nexis) 14 May 52 Snotty-nosed schoolboys in short trousers and half-mast socks.
2009 Age (Melbourne) (Nexis) 26 Feb. 40 Gusts of wind repeatedly lift his untucked shirt, showing his undies coming out of his half-mast jeans. Pull your pants up, man!
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2022).
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adv.n.adj.1588