‘Close your eyes and think of England’ is a reference to unwanted sexual intercourse – specifically advice to an unwilling wife when sexually approached by her husband.
Where does the term think of England come from?
Supposedly derived from the 1912 journal of Alice Marion Mills, Lady Hillingdon, now lost. Later apocryphally connected to Lucy Baldwin, wife of Prime Minister Baldwin, and Queen Victoria or described as advice given to Victorian era brides-to-be.
What does it mean to lay back and think of England?
1. Typically of a woman (specifically a wife), to endure unwanted or unpleasant sexual intercourse—as out of a sense of duty or obligation—by distracting oneself with more pleasant thoughts.
Why do they say close your eyes and think of England?
The phrase close your eyes and think of England and variants are—purportedly—the advice that was given to English brides-to-be on how to cope with unwanted but inevitable sexual intercourse.
What does the word England actually mean?
The name “England” is derived from the Old English name Englaland, which means “land of the Angles“. The Angles were one of the Germanic tribes that settled in Great Britain during the Early Middle Ages.
What’s it called when you’re obsessed with England?
An Anglophile is a person who admires or loves England, its people, its culture, its language, and/or its various accents.
Why do Londoners say innit?
‘ is a contraction of the tag question ‘Isn’t it? ‘ and people use it to prompt a response from the listener. So if someone says ‘Nice weather, innit? ‘, they are expecting you to agree and say ‘Yes’.
How can you lie there and think of England?
“How can you lie back and think of England when you don’t even know who’s in the team?” – Billy Bragg’s ‘Shirley’.
How can you lie back and think of England when you dont know whos in the team?
When you don’t even know who’s in the team? – Greetings to the New Brunette”
What is a lie low in England?
to try not to be noticed: I’d lie low if I were you till the trouble passes.
Is the UK polite?
The British take pride in being courteous. In a 2015 research on politeness in cultures, the UK ranked top in European cultures to express appreciation. You’ll hear sorry and thank you everywhere you go – the Brits may be famed for being polite, but why so?
What does talking for England mean?
Definition. The phrase talk for England describes someone who is talkative (i.e. talks a lot). This idiom is primarily used in the UK.
Do British people say what they think?
This article about what Brits say vs what they actually mean was updated by the Great British Mag team on 27 January 2021. Brits take etiquette seriously. They often don’t say what they are thinking because they don’t want to be rude. Instead, they say something which sounds a bit more positive.
What are people from England called?
A native of England is an Englishman or Englishwoman, and usually a British citizen by nationality. The adjective English means “relating to England”. Somebody born in England may describe himself as English but he is a “British citizen” by nationality (as are his counterparts in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).
When did England become known as England?
The kingdom of England – with roughly the same borders as exist today – originated in the 10th century. It was created when the West Saxon kings extended their power over southern Britain.
Who lived in England first?
The oldest human remains so far found in England date from about 500,000 years ago, and belonged to a six-foot tall man of the species Homo heidelbergensis. Shorter, stockier Neanderthals visited Britain between 300,000 and 35,000 years ago, followed by the direct ancestors of modern humans.
What is the British word for a crazy person?
Not necessarily intended in a bad way, “bonkers” means “mad” or “crazy.” Used to mean if something is a bit stupid. It’s not particularly offensive, just a mildly silly or foolish piece of UK slang.
What do you call a London person?
A person from London is known as a Londoner.
How do you say OK in British slang?
Hunky-dory: Use this to describe when something is OK, cool, normal or “all good.” (“Everything is hunky-dory over here!”)
What do British guys call their girlfriends?
‘Dear’ is the only real addition to the standard ‘darling’ that most couples will need, with perhaps a ‘love’ and a standard ‘darling’ thrown in here and there. Come the 60-year anniversary, many British couples are content with a few grunts over the breakfast tea and toast.
Do British people say love?
Love/luv. The term love in Britain is often written as luv, and it gets used simply as a title most of the time.