stand at attention

verb

To stand straight with eyes forward and feet together.

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Meanings

verbstand at attention (third-person singular simple present stands at attention, present participle standing at attention, simple past and past participle stood at attention)

present singular third person stands at attention · participle present standing at attention · participle past stood at attention · past stood at attention · alternative stand to attention

  1. governmentTo stand straight with eyes forward and feet together.

    It is a strange fact, but it is unquestionably true that almost any English intellectual would feel more ashamed of standing to attention during “God save the King” than of stealing from a poor box.

    1941, George Orwell, The Lion and the Unicorn
  2. humorousTo have an erection.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
snap to attention

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 立正
  • 立正 (lìzhèng)Translations
Finnish seisoa asennossa
  • seisoa asennossaTranslations
French garde à vous
  • garde à vousTranslations
Polish stawać na baczność, stać na baczność
  • stawać na bacznośćTranslations
  • stać na bacznośćTranslations
Spanish estar firme, estar en posición de firme
  • estar firmeTranslations
  • estar en posición de firmeTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

stand at attention. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stand%20at%20attention

MLA

“stand at attention.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stand%20at%20attention. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “stand at attention,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stand%20at%20attention.

Source: stand at attention on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.