haul down

Bring forcibly down

To haul down is to pull something down forcibly, especially a flag or sail: They hauled down the colors in surrender.

The phrase implies deliberate lowering by hand rather than mechanical means.

Hauling down a flag traditionally signals defeat, submission, or the end of a ship's service.

nautical

flag

Cloth symbol or signal

  • sailShip's wind-catching fabric
  • ensignFlag or junior officer
  • mastVessel's sail support

yardarm · halyard · rigging · pennant · colors · jack · burgee · canvas · jib · mainsail

ceremonial

flag

Cloth symbol or signal

  • colorsVisual spectrum variations
  • ensignFlag or junior officer
  • sunsetDay yielding to darkness

retreat · ceremony · lowering · honors · salute · taps · dusk · protocol · reveille · striking

surrender

capitulate

Yield under pressure

  • yieldProduce or relinquish
  • submitPresent for consideration
  • concedeAdmit something reluctantly

relinquish · give up · wave white flag · defeat · forfeit · cede · abandon · acquiesce · succumb

capture

seize

Take suddenly, forcibly

collar · arrest · detain · pursue · chase · tackle · corner · intercept · overtake · grab

Opposites
vertical direction of movement

haul downhoist

Raise with tackle

haul up · raise · pull up · lift · run up

flag/sail status

haul downhoist

Raise with tackle

raise · run up · fly · unfurl · set

Family

haul, down, hauled, hauling, hauler, haulers, haulage, overhaul, overhauled

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G