Flying colours
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Marlene at Poppy Patchwork, or rather, her little cat, Lilly, ‘passed with flying colours’ at her recent visit to the vet. That’s always an excellent appraisal, but Lilly wasn’t wearing any colours, other than her home-grown fur, so what did the vet mean?
The phrase is a maritime expression from the Age of Exploration, (early 15th to early seventeenth centuries) when much of the globe was explored by European sailors. The ‘colours’ were the flags that ships flew to indicate their nationality and to communicate with other ships.
Ships would not legally fight unless their national flags were flying.
After battle, ships would return to port with flags flying to show that they had been victorious. If their flags had been lowered, it was a signal that they had been defeated. To pass (the harbour bar) with flying colours was a way of saying they had been triumphant, and was adopted by landlubbers as a phrase to declare success.
Sometimes, unfortunately, a ship would sink with colours flying, the crew having continued to fight valiantly despite clear defeat. Often, colours would be nailed to the mast, indicating a determination to fight until the bitter end.
To ‘nail your colours to the mast’ or ‘show your true colours’ means to show your true intent, your alliance.
Pirates and other malefactors frequently sailed ‘under false colours.’ They would hoist the sail of a friendly nation and thus be able to approach closely a ship in which they were interested, probably one carrying valuable cargo. The notorious pirate, Blackbeard, used such a ploy, but as the ships closed, he would then reveal the ‘Jolly Roger,’ (the skull and crossbones flag), and the crew would surrender the ship.
As Lilly and her family live near Portsmouth, it is appropriate that she ‘passed with flying colours.’
I think I did know this in a vague kind of way, as my father was Navy, but this is an excellent summary and much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteNaval expressions hang around from childhood, I find.
DeleteIt's always interesting when you take a word and give it's origin.
ReplyDeleteIt often seems that public speakers - the not very good ones! - use words without really thinking about them. That cheapens language.
DeleteThanks for the explanation
ReplyDeleteWell....I'm getting better?? I was familiar with all the phrases and their origins except "nail your colours to the mast"... Counting it as a win. ;-)
ReplyDeleteHooray or Hurrah or Huzzah (old one, that!)
DeleteThank you for this, I never knew the origin of "passed with flying colours"
ReplyDelete😊
DeleteIn German, instead of "sailing under false colours" it is "under a false flag" - of course literally meaning the same thing.
ReplyDeleteQuite so.
DeleteIt seems many common English language expressions owe a lot to English maritime history.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it's to be expected, as we are an island nation.
DeleteWhat a delightful way to describe Lilly’s check-up—truly a victorious visit worthy of a sailor’s praise!
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteThanks for the education. I always wonder about commercial ships named one thing on their hull, and flying "under the flag" of a different country. Guess it's not a big problem in Kansas. Linda
ReplyDeleteFar from the sea for you!
DeleteThank you, I did know the meanings, but you have explained it as usual in your very informed and amusing way. I had been to Windsor castle with hubby (ex Welsh Guard) for the Queen's ceremony of changing the colours, she inspected their new flags. Military ways are interwound into all parts of our lives.
ReplyDeleteI love to see tradition being honoured. Sadly, it may be the only thing in which we excel now . . .
DeleteI did know this, but I appreciate the reminder and the succinct summary, laced with a touch of whimsy.
ReplyDeleteThank you, David.
DeleteInteresting origins of the saying. I had no idea
ReplyDeleteThe English language is laden with maritime sayings, particularly in UK.
DeleteAs others have said, it was something I vaguely knew but this post has explained it all very clearly and succinctly. Thank you once again!
ReplyDeleteI just enjoy going off at a tangent!
ReplyDeleteI've always heard the phrase "passed with flying colors" and now I know how it came about.
ReplyDeleteBlackbeard, with his flag tricks, was quite the scoundrel.
Blackbeard and his ilk were a class apart.
DeleteGreat information in this lesson today. I have heard this phrase so many times and have spoken it myself, not really knowing how it came about. Great info to know.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what the equivalent would be today, in an age of instant communication.
DeleteI always enjoy learning the etymology of the expressions we use. Thank you for this one. Very interesting!
ReplyDeleteIt's not so long ago that boy scouts and girl guides were taught semaphore. Can you imagine that now?
ReplyDeleteI learnt semaphore as a guide,, we signaled each others groups on sandhills, but we were always near enough to shout the letters to the other group!
ReplyDeleteVery wise!
Deletethis one is something I had knowledge of. I have read enought historical novels, and pirate novels to have learned about the flying colors. I have used the saying Passed with flying colors many times myself without really thinking what I was saying or of any of these details.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing what you can pick up from novels.
DeleteThank you for the education.
ReplyDelete😊
DeleteNice bit of trivia
ReplyDeleteI'm full of rubbish!
DeleteWow that was interesting!
ReplyDelete😊
DeleteI've heard that saying so many times, but never knew its origins. Really fascinating . Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteWell I've copied JayCee's words, because I couldn't agree more :)
ReplyDelete"As others have said, it was something I vaguely knew but this post has explained it all very clearly and succinctly. Thank you once again!"
All the best Jan
Thank you.
DeleteVery interesting.
ReplyDeleteMaritime law and etiquette are interesting.
DeleteThanks, Teach. :)
ReplyDelete😀
DeleteLearn something new every day. Nautical usage is embued in British language and culture
ReplyDeleteCan't escape it!
ReplyDelete