ProbableNamed from the place
lie back and think of England
verb · first attested 20th century
The famous Victorian diary behind the phrase has never been produced.
To endure something unpleasant passively, said originally of unwanted sex.
53.0000°N -1.0000°W · Q21
Record
- Relationship
- Named from the place
- Confidence
- ProbableThe conventional story is likely, with caveats.
- Attested
- 20th century
- Part of speech
- verb
Explanations here are written for this atlas. Dictionary text is not copied; the sources are linked so the claim can be checked.
- Step 1
England
- In English
lie back and think of England
The advice is attributed to a 1912 journal entry by Lady Alice Hillingdon, quoted endlessly but never traced to any actual manuscript. It circulates in several forms, including close your eyes and think of England, and now covers any grim duty.
Also pinned to England
13 more from the same place
English muffinThe muffin is only English outside England.EnglandEnglish CarrierThe pigeon called Carrier is the one that no longer carries anything.EnglandEnglish cocker spanielIn England it is just a cocker spaniel; Americans added the country.EnglandEnglish hornNeither English nor a horn.EnglandEnglish setter"Setter" is no temperament: the dog sat so a net could be thrown over the birds.EnglandEnglish ShepherdThe English Shepherd is an American breed named for its ancestors' homeland.EnglandEnglish sparrowNative across Eurasia; Americans named it for the country that shipped it.Englandshut one's eyes and think of EnglandThe Victorian diary everyone cites for this line has never once been produced.Englandthink of EnglandThe famous quotation has no verified source and may never have been said.Englandclose one's eyes and think of EnglandThe journal everyone quotes for this phrase has never been produced.EnglandEnglish breakfastOne phrase names both the fry-up and the tea you drink with it.EnglandEnglish-cutTwo butchers can hand you the same rib in shapes that have nothing in common.EnglandEnglish saddleThe name exists only because Americans needed a word for the saddle that was not theirs.England
United Kingdom
All 108 entries 94 more words from United Kingdom
badmintonThe sport is named for an English country house.BadmintoncheddarThe cheese is named for a gorge village, not a brand.CheddarsandwichThe meal is named for an earl. The earl is named for a town in Kent.SandwichpaisleyThe pattern is from Kashmir. The English name is a Scottish mill town.PaisleybedlamChaos is a worn-down pronunciation of Bethlehem.Bethlem HospitalrugbyThe game is named for the school that played it.RugbytweedThe cloth may be a river, or a misread word for twill.River TweedascotThe tie is named for a Berkshire racecourse.Ascot