hoist the white flag
Signal your capitulation
To hoist the white flag is to surrender or admit defeat.
The white flag has signaled truce or capitulation in warfare for centuries, and the phrase extends to any situation where someone gives up a fight: After months of negotiations, the company hoisted the white flag and accepted the union's terms.
Sometimes shortened to raise the white flag.
- ceasefireAgreed halt to fighting
- acquiesceSubmit without protest
- capitulateYield under pressure
- give upStop attempting something
- admit defeatAccept that you've lost
surrender · eat crow · resignation · submit · back down · peace · cry uncle · call it quits · truce · yield · relinquish · lay down arms · armistice · negotiation · concede · bow out · treaty · defer
hoist the white flagfight on
Continue resisting or struggling
stand one's ground · hold the line · dig in · soldier on · resist
hoist the white flagdeclare war
Formally announce military action
take up arms · open fire · escalate · counterattack · come out swinging
hoist the white flagtriumph
Resounding, celebrated victory
conquer · prevail · vanquish · win the day · carry the day
hoist, hoisted, hoisting, hoists, white, whiter, whitest, whiten, whitened