flag down a taxi

Meaning

To wave your hand or signal to a passing taxi driver to make them stop so you can get in. This expression is commonly used in cities where taxis cruise the streets looking for passengers, rather than being booked via an app.

Examples

• It was pouring rain, so I had to run to the curb to flag down a taxi.

  It was pouring rain, so I had to run to the curb to flag down a taxi.

• In New York, it's often faster to flag down a taxi than to wait for a rideshare.

  In New York, it's often faster to flag down a taxi than to wait for a rideshare.

• She managed to flag down a taxi just as it was turning the corner.

  She managed to flag down a taxi just as it was turning the corner.

• If the light on top of the cab is on, you can try to flag down a taxi.

  If the light on top of the cab is on, you can try to flag down a taxi.

• We stood outside the theater for ten minutes trying to flag down a taxi.

  We stood outside the theater for ten minutes trying to flag down a taxi.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I waved a taxi to stop.

  ✓ I flagged down a taxi.

  While 'waved to stop' is understandable, the phrasal verb 'flag down' is the natural idiomatic expression used specifically for signaling vehicles to stop.

• ✗ We flagged up a taxi on the street.

  ✓ We flagged down a taxi on the street.

  The correct particle is 'down', not 'up'. To 'flag down' is the standard phrasal verb.

Related Expressions

Practice

• It's getting late, so let's go out to the main street and ___.

  💡 Use the 4-word phrase for signaling a cab to stop.

  Show answer

  flag down a taxi

• You can't just ___ here; you have to use the designated taxi stand.

  💡 Signal a passing cab to stop.

  Show answer

  flag down a taxi