Passed with flying colours

[loobie]

Where does the saying passed with flying colours come from? I said it the other day and it made me wonder what the logic behind it was.

[shaneystar2]

Passed with flying colours" comes from sailing ships that, when passing other ships at sea, would fly their colours (flags) if they wanted to be identified.

Alternative: A metaphor drawn from parades, which do not merely pass, but rather do so with flags raised, "with flying colours."

[loobie]

Thanks Shaneystar2. Now it makes sense!!

[Grunty]

As shaneystar said, this is from the colours displayed on ships. When there had been a notable success in battle, news would probably not reach home before the ships. They would then display their success by entering port with flying colours.

Land armies used their colours as rallying points when the soldiers were disorganised. They became items of pride to the regiment, and it became a matter of pride to capture the enemy's colours.