# nail one's colours to the mast

> English word · Verb

## Definitions
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.

## Etymology
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.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-09-03.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/nail-one-s-colours-to-the-mast