half-staff
1. A position halfway up a flagpole. After our former president died, flags were at half-staff all across the country. Flags on the campus are at half-staff after the headmaster's sudden death. We keep our flags at half-staff on that day every year, in remembrance of all those who died in the conflict.
2. By extension, a position that is lower than is normal or acceptable. I had been walking around the office all morning before realizing that my zipper was at half-staff. When my daughter came home from the park, she was covered in dirt, and her ponytail was at half-staff. Dude, check your fly—your zipper's at half-staff.
3. vulgar slang A partial erection (of the penis). Wow, just seeing my wife in that skimpy outfit was enough to get me to half-staff. Ugh, it was so embarrassing—the teacher asked me to go to the blackboard, but I couldn't hide that I was at half-staff at the time!
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.