at half-mast meaning

• [American idiom]
  halfway up or down. (Primarily referring to flags. Can be used for things other than flags as a joke.)
  • The flag was flying at half-mast because the general had died.
  • Americans fly flags at half-mast on Memorial Day.
  • The little boy ran out of the house with his pants at half-mast.
  
• 
  [American slang]
  [of a flag] halfway up or down its flagpole.
    The f lag was f lying at half-mast because the general had died.
    Americans f ly f lags at halfstaff on Memorial Day.

• at half mast:    [American slang]pr ...
• half mast:    n. [only singular] ...
• half-mast:    Noun: half-mast&nb ...