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white flag

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white flag

A signal of surrender or defeat; a sign that one going to yield or give up. (From the literal white flag originating in military use, which signaled a protective truce or ceasefire so that negotiations could be arranged.) The president's speech today was seen by many as a white flag regarding his controversial stance on the immigration debate. We've been in negotiations for weeks, but it looks like the other company might finally be ready to wave a white flag.

See also: flag, white