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Raise The White Flag

Idiomatic Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An idiomatic phrase meaning to signal surrender or yield to an opponent; used in dramatic or war verse to mark defeat.

Detailed Definition
The white flag is a visible signal asking for a halt to conflict. In poetry, it may rise over a battlefield, a marriage, or the inner struggle between pride and exhaustion. Surrender can carry shame, relief, or wisdom; the image allows defeat to become a deliberate gesture, a piece of cloth that speaks when the weary mouth has no strength left.
Example
Example in poetry:
At the battle’s end, the exhausted army raises the white flag and asks for peace; In the poem, the white sail becomes a symbol of raising the white flag after years of anger; The speaker refuses to raise the white flag, showing that the conflict is not finished; A character may raise the white flag literally or use the phrase to mean surrender.
Additional Notes
“Raise the white flag” means to surrender, stop resisting, or admit defeat. It comes from the use of a white flag as a signal of truce or surrender. In everyday speech, it can be serious or playful, as when someone gives up on a difficult task.
Also Known As
Surrender Throw In The Towel
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