flying colors

Please   Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:06 pm GMT
"I enrolled in a course, passed with flying colors and took off for Sin City."
What's the implication of 'flying colors'?
Leasnam   Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:17 pm GMT
It means that he/she passed with exemplary marks
Uriel   Wed Aug 12, 2009 2:19 am GMT
A ship's identifying flag is known as its "colors", especially back in the old days. These were not commonly displayed when a ship was just sailing along minding its own business, and so you might not be able to tell what country a strange ship was from if you encountered it at sea, unless you were familiar with different styles and models. And that ship might not be inclined to reveal its political leanings, and might prefer to sail anonymously to avoid trouble. However, when a ship wanted to identify itself, it would run its flag up the mast to show its particular allegiance, and then it was said to be "flying its colors". It might be flying the colors of Spain, or France, or the Netherlands, or whoever else had sponsored it (not always the actual country of its origins, or its crew's homeland, just whoever was bankrolling its voyage). Depending on the political situation, it might take some serious balls to sail by with flying colors, and so the phrase is associated with confidence, assurance, and there being no contest to your success.

I suspect this is the ultimate origin of the phrase "to pass with flying colors". And I bet the first users were making a pun on the word "pass', which is used here to mean pass versus fail, but can also mean to overtake.

A little corroboration from the Phrase Finder at http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/6/messages/572.html :

FLYING COLORS, WITH - " 'We came off with flying colours.' George Farquar, 'The Beaux's Stratagem (1706). Victorious; extremely successful. The term comes from the practice of a victorious fleet sailing into port with flags flying from all the mastheads. By 1700 or so it was being used figuratively, signifying any kind of triumph." From "Fighting Words: From War, Rebellion, and other Combative Capers" by Christine Ammer (NTC Publishing Group, Chicago, Ill., 1989, 1999).
Please   Wed Aug 12, 2009 6:42 pm GMT
Thanks.
Another Guest   Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:49 am GMT
I find some details of your explanation difficult to believe. I may be mistaken, but my understanding is that ships did not fly their colors "sometimes", but were legally required to always fly them. To not fly any colors was considered a declaration of piracy (akin to an military unit walking around out of uniform), and any ship not flying colors could be fired upon at will, especially during times of war. I do agree that the expression evokes images of flags/pennants, although I'm not sure if it's necessarily maritime.
Uriel   Thu Aug 13, 2009 10:14 pm GMT
You are correct -- ships were supposed to fly their colors at all times. But rules don't become law, enforceable by dire punishment, unless it's also common to flout them. If everybody just does something, there aren't any transgressors to worry about penalizing.
Please   Sun Aug 16, 2009 4:40 am GMT
Do you just always find it quite challenging to fight the urge to disagree with Uriel?