"red-flag" - Word of the Day from the OED

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red-flag, v.

DRAFT ENTRY Sept. 2009

Brit. /rdflag/, U.S. /rdflæg/  [< RED FLAG n. Compare earlier FLAG v.⁴] 

    1. trans. Chiefly Motor Racing To use a red flag to signal (a vehicle) to stop, slow down, or withdraw from a course; to halt or suspend (a race) in this way. Freq. in pass.

1901 St. Nicholas Oct. 1063/1 A section-hand red-flagged the train and brought it to a dead stop from a 70-mile gait because he had found a broken rail. 1938 N.Y. Times 31 May 24/1 The remaining cars on the track were red-flagged off because of the risk of accidents. 1958 Los Angeles Times 19 Nov. IV. 6/7 Three cars piled up between Turns 2 and 3 and the race was red-flagged to a halt. 2004 Chicago Tribune (Midwest ed.) 14 Nov. XIII. 3B/4 The pack was red-flagged once or twice to gauge their knowledge. Invariably, they stopped, as they were taught. 2006 F1 Racing June 107/3 The race was red-flagged after a thunderstorm left half the field in a heap at Club.

    2. trans. Chiefly N. Amer. To identify as a cause for concern or as warranting special attention. Cf. RED FLAG n. 2a.

1962 Daily Leader (Pontiac, Illinois) 16 July 1/1 We'd like to set up a system to red-flag every important transaction which might tip us off to a possible fraud or evasion. 1975 Business Week (Nexis) 10 Mar., The best way to avoid being audited..is to have ample records to back up your return..and ample evidence to prove all your points if the IRS does ‘red flag’ your return. 1995 V. PARSONS Bad Blood xiv. 265 Surrogate tests might have red-flagged them several years earlier. 2004 Chicago Tribune (Midwest ed.) 27 Apr. IV. 10/2 He puts together information packets on players, highlighting key stats and red-flagging previous and potential injuries.

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