stripe

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(one's) (true) stripes

One's true or honest beliefs, thoughts, convictions, biases, desires, etc.; one's real personality, character, or disposition. (A less common variant of "one's (true) colors.") Dave said all along that he only wanted this deal because it was in the company's best interest, but he showed his true stripes once he realized that he wouldn't get any special commission for his efforts. You will really see your friends' true stripes when you call upon them in a time of crisis.

a change in (one's) stripes

A radical, fundamental shift in one's opinion, ideology, or allegiance, especially in relation to politics. Derived from the phrase "a tiger cannot change its stripes," meaning that people are incapable of changing their essential nature. The former president has shown a change in stripes regarding social welfare since leaving office.

change (one's) stripes

To radically or fundamentally shift one's opinion, ideology, or allegiance, especially in relation to politics. Often used in negative constructions. Derived from the phrase "a tiger cannot change its stripes," meaning that people are incapable of changing their essential nature. The former governor has changed her stripes regarding social welfare since leaving office. You're never going to convince Tom about this. A guy so set in his beliefs like Tom can't change his stripes.

earn (one's) spurs

To prove one's skill in a particular area. Once you've watched the triplets for an entire day, then you'll have earned your spurs as a caretaker, as far as I'm concerned. After getting my bachelor's degree, I earned my spurs as a teacher by working in underfunded urban schools.

earn (one's) stripes

To prove that one is deserving of a particular position or designation. I told the recruiter that I earned my stripes as a teacher before moving into administration.

of the same stripe

Of the same or similar kind; in the same vein; along the same lines. You'll often get arguments of the same stripe from undergraduate students full of undigested learning, who think they know how to fix all of society's ills. He identifies himself as a socialist, but not of the same stripe as the Marxists and Leninists of the mid-20th century.

reveal (one's) (true) stripes

To reveal what one really believes, thinks, or wants; to act in accordance with one's real personality, character, or disposition. (A less common variant of "show one's (true) colors.") Dave said all along that he only wanted this deal because it was in the company's best interest, but he revealed his true stripes once he realized that he wouldn't get any special commission for his efforts. It's only in times of crisis that your friends will really reveal their stripes.

show (one's) (true) stripes

To reveal what one really believes, thinks, or wants; to act in accordance with one's real personality, character, or disposition. (A less common variant of "show one's (true) colors/colours.") Dave said all along that he only wanted this deal because it was in the company's best interest, but he showed his true stripes once he realized that he wouldn't get any special commission for his efforts. It's only in times of crisis that your friends will really show their stripes.

the Stars and Stripes

The American flag. You can always count on Dad to hang up the ol' Stars and Stripes for the Fourth of July.

change one's stripes

see under leopard cannot change its spots.

earn one's stripes

Gain a position through hard work and accumulated experience. For example, She'd earned her stripes by serving for years as the governor's secretary and personal aide . This expression alludes to a military promotion or award, indicated by strips of chevron or braid added to the recipient's uniform and known as stripes since the early 1800s.

leopard cannot change its spots, a

Also, the tiger cannot change its stripes. One can't change one's essential nature. For example, He's a conservative, no matter what he says; the leopard cannot change its spots. These metaphoric expressions both originated in an ancient Greek proverb that appears in the Bible (Jeremiah 13:23): "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?" It was first recorded in English in 1546.

earn your stripes

If you earn your stripes, you gain enough experience to deserve a particular job or position. Mr. Thaddeus earned his stripes playing for such foreign bands as the London-based Pitiful Souls and Singapore's X-Periments. He has worked hard to earn his stripes as a skilled debater in the House of Assembly.

change one's stripes/spots, cannot

One cannot alter one’s essential nature. The cliché refers to the tiger, who obviously cannot change its stripes. This in turn is an alteration of a much older saying, an ancient Greek proverb also found in the Bible (“Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?” Jeremiah 13:23). The phrase appears in numerous places until the end of the seventeenth century.