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show one's true colors

show one's true colors

Reveal oneself as one really is, as in We always thought he was completely honest, but he showed his true colors when he tried to use a stolen credit card . This expression alludes to the antonym, false colors, that is, sailing under a flag other than one's own. [Late 1700s]
See also: color, show, true

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Aucamanaw-oo-kaw-MAWNNative American, Mapuche
Kristjan-Estonian, Slovene
AdrianAY-dree-ən (English), AHD-ryahn (Polish), AH-dree-ahn (German), ah-dree-AHN (Russian)English, Romanian, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Russian
Yankel-Yiddish
Davis['devis]
Katharinakah-tah-REE-nah (German, Swedish)German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
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