"To Pass with Flying Colours"
Posted by James Briggs on January 09, 2001
In Reply to: "To Pass with Flying Colours" posted by John Stoddart on January 09, 2001
: Can anyone help me with the the following question? Where might the original flying colours have been seen?
To come through with flying colours is to successfully achieve a difficult objective, such as passing an exam with distinction. The origin here is clearly military, but which service? Lancers charging? A victory parade through a captured town? In reality it is a victorious fleet sailing into harbour with their flags still flying at their mastheads.
- "To Pass with Flying Colours" ESC 01/09/01