Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

nail one's colours to the mast

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.32 in modern English

Syllables: nail one's -colours -to the -mast
IPA

31

Scrabble Score

24

Letters

4

Syllables

13

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To clearly show one's support for a side or opinion in a dispute, often indicating an intention to defend that side to the end.

Example Sentences

"Stood for his country’s glory fast, And nail’d her colours to the mast!"
"He eventually nails his colours to the mast of strict determinism: every human action is inescapably caused by preceding events in the world, including events in the brain."
"Changes are coming down the line - from GBR, Green Book, devolution, and how regions are funded and governed. These changes are all convincing SYMCA [South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority] to pin its colours to a mast and show its vision for its region."

Etymology

From the naval military practice of displaying one's colours (signal flags or insignia) from the mast of a ship during battle to show loyalty. To surrender, one would strike one's colours, i.e. take down one's flag. If a ship nailed its colours to the mast, it would fight to the death and not surrender.

Inflected Forms

nails one's colours to the mast (present, singular) nailing one's colours to the mast (participle, present) nailed one's colours to the mast (participle, past) nailed one's colours to the mast (past) pin one's colours to the mast (alternative)

Phrases

raise the flag and see who salutes show one's true colors stand up and be counted

Frequently Paired Words

raise the flag and see who salutes show one's true colors stand up and be counted

Questions

What does nail one's colours to the mast mean?: To clearly show one's support for a side or opinion in a dispute, often indicating an intention to defend that side to the end.
Where does nail one's colours to the mast come from?: From the naval military practice of displaying one's colours (signal flags or insignia) from the mast of a ship during battle to show loyalty. To surrender, one would strike one's colours, i.e. take down one's flag. If a ship nailed its colours to the mast, it would fight to the death and not surrender.

How to pronounce nail one's colours to the mast

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