To signal a moving vehicle to stop, usually by waving one's arms or hand.
To wave your hand at a car or bus to make it stop for you.
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To signal a driver or vehicle to stop, usually by waving one's hand or arm.
"She ran to the edge of the road and managed to flag down a passing taxi."
He flagged down a cab on Fifth Avenue.
— Common narrative construction in American film and literature; widely used in journalistic style
To attract someone's attention and signal them to come to you or stop.
"I flagged down the waiter to ask for the bill."
To wave something downward — as if waving a flag down to signal 'stop'.
To wave your hand at a car or bus to make it stop for you.
Very common in everyday speech. Used for taxis, passing cars, buses, and other vehicles. Often seen in news reports describing police stopping vehicles. 'Flag down a cab' is a very common collocation.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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