the British are coming

phrase

A warning that enemies are about and a battle is about to begin.

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Meanings

phrase
  1. A warning that enemies are about and a battle is about to begin.
  2. A statement of impending doom.

Origin

From a famous line supposedly uttered by the American Paul Revere.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

the British are coming. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20British%20are%20coming

MLA

“the British are coming.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20British%20are%20coming. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “the British are coming,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20British%20are%20coming.

Source: the British are coming on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.