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The Daily Insight

Is it flick the bird or flip the bird?

Author

Robert Guerrero

Updated on February 27, 2026

In Western culture, "the finger", the middle finger (as in giving someone the (middle) finger, the bird or flipping someone off) or the rude finger is an obscene hand gesture.

Likewise, people ask, what does it mean to flick the bird?

Definition of flip (someone) the bird

US slang. : to make an offensive gesture at (someone) by pointing the middle finger upward while keeping the other fingers folded down angry drivers flipping each other the bird.

Likewise, how do the English flip the bird? The extra special factor, as we learned from Rewrite producer/resident Anglophile Nick Ramsey, stems from the fact people in England often use two fingers instead of one. The two-fingered gesture, to be executed correctly, also requires the outside of the hand face out with your palm turned back toward your body.Feb 22, 2012

Beside this, what's another word for flipping the bird?

flick off flip off
give the finger one finger salute
give the middle finger give the one finger salute
Trudeau salute

Is it legal to flip the bird?

Flipping the bird is within your 1st amendment right to free speech and expression. However, if you flip off a law enforcement officer, you will probably get arrested.

Related Question Answers

What is the middle finger in Japan?

It might seem like a rude gesture to us - but giving someone 'the finger' simply means 'brother' when you put it into the context of Japanese Sign Language. Sticking up one middle finger is translated as 'ani' or å…„ which means 'older brother'.May 11, 2015

Where did flip the bird come from?

Otherwise known as “giving the finger†or the “one-finger salute,†flipping the bird has its origins in ancient Greece, becoming the obscene hand gesture it's known for today.

How would you describe flipping the bird?

To raise the middle finger (a rude gesture of anger or displeasure) at one. What are you flipping me the bird for, I didn't even say anything insulting! I flipped my brother the bird after he said that he'd never seen a worse basketball player than me.

What is the two finger salute called?

The two-fingered salute, or backwards victory or V-sign, made with the middle and index fingers, is said to have originated with English archers at Agincourt in 1415.Jan 31, 2020

What does 2 fingers up mean in England?

Definition of put/stick two fingers up at someone

British, informal. : to make an obscene gesture by holding up the index finger and the middle finger of one hand in the shape of a V while keeping the palm turned inward.

What does 2 fingers mean in Britain?

Meaning of two fingers in English

in Britain, a sign that is considered rude, made by holding your hand up with your palm facing toward you and your first and second fingers held in a V shape: She drove past and stuck two fingers up at him.

Oct 13, 2021

Is pointing middle finger illegal?

Is giving the middle finger illegal here? A: No, but it is highly offensive. However, other actions are, such as spitting on the street.Dec 20, 2020

Is it illegal to stick up your middle finger?

A raised middle finger is a form of free speech, a court has ruled, allowing a lawsuit by a driver who made the vulgar gesture at a police officer.Mar 18, 2019

Can you flip the bird on TV?

The FCC doesn't explicitly prohibit the gesture, and broadcasters generally allow references or allusions to it. (In the 1994 Seinfeld episode “The Pledge Drive,†for example, George complains that a waitress subtly flipped him off while pointing to a check.) To play it safe, however, broadcasters usually self-censor.Jan 13, 2009

Is it illegal to give a cop the finger in Australia?

Police allege the Queensland man, from Mt Isa, was walking along Camooweal Street on Monday afternoon when he gave passing officers the finger. It is illegal to swear in public in Queensland. In the most extreme cases a guilty verdict for offensive language can still result in up to six months imprisonment.Apr 14, 2020

Is it illegal to give a cop the finger in Canada?

There's no rule against giving police the finger, although they could charge you with causing a disturbance – but only if other people are around.Dec 27, 2016

Is Flipping the bird protected speech?

As Professor Rachel Harmon explains, the Supreme Court has long recognized that protected speech may include symbolic and expressive conduct — like flipping the bird — when the speaker intends to convey a message or idea. Even when the target of the expressive conduct is a police officer, this protection still stands.