show one's true colors

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

To reveal how one really is, as opposed to how one has been portrayed or after having been deceptively and deliberately misleading.

Pronunciation

En-au-show one's true colors.ogg

Word forms

show one's true colors shows one's true colors showing one's true colors showed one's true colors shown one's true colors show one's true colours

Etymology

Nautical origin. The word colors (or colours) refers to the flag or ensign which every ship is obliged to fly at sea. It was once a common deception of pirates to “sail under false colours” and fly a friendly flag in order to get within close range of potential targets (other ships) without exciting suspicion. Only when the pirate ship reached close quarters would it unfurl its true colours.

Synonyms

break cover show one's true stripes

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