sail under false colors

sail under false colors
sail under false colors
1. Lit. to sail with false identification. (Pirates often sailed under the national flag of the ship they planned on attacking.) •

The ship, sailing under false colors, suddenly started to pursue our ship.

•

Bluebeard the pirate was known for sailing under false colors.

2. Fig. to function deceptively. •

You are not who you seem to be. You are sailing under false colors.

•

Tom was sailing under false colors and finally got found out.

* * *
{v. phr.} 1. To sail a ship, often pirate, under the flag of another country. * /The pirate ship flew the American flag until it got near, then raised the black flag./ 1. To pretend to be what you are not; masquerade. * /The garage hired Jones as a mechanic, but fired him when they found he was sailing under false colors./ * /They found out that Smith was an escaped convict who had been sailing under false colors as a lawyer./

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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  • sail under false colors — {v. phr.} 1. To sail a ship, often pirate, under the flag of another country. * /The pirate ship flew the American flag until it got near, then raised the black flag./ 1. To pretend to be what you are not; masquerade. * /The garage hired Jones as …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • sail\ under\ false\ colors — v. phr. 1. To sail a ship, often pirate, under the flag of another country. The pirate ship flew the American flag until it got near, then raised the black flag. 1. To pretend to be what you are not; masquerade. The garage hired Jones as a… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • under false colors — See: SAIL UNDER FALSE COLORS …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • under false colors — See: SAIL UNDER FALSE COLORS …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • under\ false\ colors — See: sail under false colors …   Словарь американских идиом

  • sail under false colors — (Roget s IV) v. Syn. misrepresent, feign, sham; see deceive …   English dictionary for students

  • sail under false colors — act hypocritically; deceive, pretend, cheat …   English contemporary dictionary

  • sail under false colours — Someone who sails under false colours (colors) is hypocritical or pretends to be something they aren t in order to deceive people …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • sail under false colours —    Someone who sails under false colours (colors) is hypocritical or pretends to be something they aren t in order to deceive people.   (Dorking School Dictionary) …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • Sail under false colours —   Someone who sails under false colours (colors) is hypocritical or pretends to be something they aren t in order to deceive people …   Dictionary of English idioms

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