nail one's colours to the mast

动词 v.
中文释义

英文释义

动词 v.
  1. 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.
    — Stood for his country’s glory fast, And nail’d her colours to the mast!

词形变化

nails one's colours to the mast present,singular,third-person 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

词源

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.
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