nailed one's colours to the mast

A form of nail one's colours to the mast — 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.

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Meanings

verb
  1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of nail one's colours to the mast
Cite this entry
APA

nailed one's colours to the mast. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nailed%20one's%20colours%20to%20the%20mast

MLA

“nailed one's colours to the mast.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nailed%20one's%20colours%20to%20the%20mast. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nailed one's colours to the mast,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nailed%20one's%20colours%20to%20the%20mast.

Source: nailed one's colours to the mast on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.