show your colors
Display true loyalties
To show your colors is to reveal your true nature, allegiances, or intentions—especially after a period of concealment or ambiguity.
The phrase comes from naval warfare, where ships would fly false flags to approach enemies before raising their true colors to attack.
Someone who finally showed their colors has dropped pretense: He showed his true colors when the money was on the table.
The expression often implies the revealed character is negative, though not always.
- revealMake something visible
- true selfOne's genuine identity
- flagCloth symbol or signal
- loyaltyFaithful commitment to another
- allegianceLoyalty owed to authority
expose · unmasked · come out · out in the open · intentions · stand · declare · bold · pride · banner · fly the flag · display · authentic · identity · commitment · patriotic · stripes · honest
show your colorssit on the fence
Avoid committing either way
hedge your bets · equivocate · fence-sit · waffle · prevaricate
show your colorswear a mask
show, shows, showed, shown, showing, showy, showier, showiest, showily