nails 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. indicativepresentsingularthird personthird-person singular simple present indicative of nail one's colours to the mast
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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