Union down

(Naut.) a signal of distress at sea made by reversing the flag, or turning its union downward.

See also: Union

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, published 1913 by G. & C. Merriam Co.
References in periodicals archive ?
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was prepared to take Brexit talks with the European Union down to the very last minute before the Oct.
To this day, conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination continue to persist ndash from it being a Mafia hit to a plot by Cuba or the Soviet Union down to a federal government-backed takeover scheme.
"This attitude takes the Union down one particular road, where cash is the only 'king' and, as we all know, you can never have enough money in professional sport.
* A flag hanging with union down signals distress or a life-threatening event.
code (https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/4/8) dictates : "The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property."
And some are deemed traitors ranging from the Confederates seeking separation from the Union down to Edward Snowden and his revelations of abuse by agencies of the federal government.
Of note is the discussion of the recent controversy over the vote to not unionize a Tennessee Volkswagen plant in 2014; the example helps the reader understand why a low wage worker would vote the union down and what interests politicians and businessmen have in the mix.
"I will never let the Greek people down and I know that the Greek people don't want to let the European Union down. This is a family," Juncker added.
He has access to the Players' Union down south where his idea has been welcomed.
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