IdiomDaily Life
English
EnglishTo show your true colors
Meaning: To reveal your real character at last.
Example: “He seemed friendly until the deal fell through, and then he showed his true colors.”
Equivalents in other languages
Spanish: vérsele el plumero Literally: To see the feather for him
Origin: Nautical; warships once flew false flags to deceive, then raised their true colors before attacking.
More English idioms
- To butter someone up To flatter someone to win their favor.
- Russian roulette Any high-risk activity undertaken needlessly, where disaster may strike without warning.
- pull back the curtain To expose a hidden truth or reality behind an appearance.
- present company excepted These remarks do not apply to anyone currently present in this conversation.
- on sufferance Tolerated reluctantly and only because one has no better choice.
- set in stone Unchangeable and permanent, fixed beyond modification.
Explore another collection: False Friends
Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
- Sensible Actually means 'sensitive'. For sensible/level-headed, say raisonnable.
- Librairie Actually means 'bookshop'. A library is une bibliothèque.
- Constipado Actually means 'having a head cold'. Estoy constipado = I have a cold.
Keep exploring