Half-mast and half-staff refer to a flag flying below the summit of a ship mast, a pole on land, or a pole on a building. In many countries this is seen as a symbol of respect, mourning, distress, or, in some cases, a salute.[1] Flags are said to be "half-mast" if flown from ships and "half-staff" if on land, although this distinction is mainly observed in the United States – places such as Canada and the United Kingdom do not have half-staff in their vocabulary and rely solely on using the term half-mast when ordering flags to fly lowered.[2]