Word.ws English Dictionary

keeping the flag flying

keeping the flag flying is the present participle and gerund of keep the flag flying.

Meaning of keep the flag flying

Verb

keep the flag flying (third-person singular simple present keeps the flag flying, present participle keeping the flag flying, simple past and past participle kept the flag flying)

  1. To bid more or less rashly in order to liven up the game.
    • In spite of Y's double and in spite of the fact that the spade suit is not of the slightest use to him, as A cannot get any discards on it, A bids two hearts not only to keep the flag flying and prevent Z from going game but with high hopes that Y's double is a bluff.1911, Advanced Auction Bridge, page 158

Questions about keeping the flag flying

What is keeping the flag flying the present participle and gerund of?
Keeping the flag flying is the present participle and gerund of keep the flag flying.

Words near keeping the flag flying in the dictionary

  1. keeping tabs on
  2. keeping the baby
  3. keeping the ball rolling
  4. keeping the book
  5. keeping the field
  6. keeping the flag flying
  7. keeping the home fires burning
  8. keeping the lights on
  9. keeping the pace
  10. keeping the peace
  11. keeping the pot boiling

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: keeping the flag flying (page history and authors); keep the flag flying (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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