think of England

present singular third person thinks of England · participle present thinking of England · participle past thought of England · past thought of England

1. abbreviationclippingeuphemisticidiomaticClipping of close one's eyes and think of England, and its variants.

   Do I have to have sex? All right, I'll do it for Britain. I'll think of England.

   2005, A. Housemate, quoting Abi Titmuss, The Wit and Wisdom of Reality TV, London: Orion, →ISBN, page 101

   3 more examples

   He inspected the ridged tips, spotted a piece of dirt, and spat on the instrument, wiping it dry on his sleeve. ‘Right! Hold still, think of England!’ He pushed the forceps into the wound, following the track of the probe, […]

   1982, Bernard Cornwell, chapter 19, in Sharpe's Company, London: HarperCollins, published 1994, →ISBN, pages 187–188

   A strange white-faced man with wild eyes, toupee at a rakish tilt, twisted by cramp, armed with a Lee Enfield. I sloped arms stiffly and marched out of his life; shouting as I left, ‘Don't do it, whatever it is! Lie down, and think of England!’

   1987, William Rushton, Spy Thatcher, London: Pavilion, →ISBN, page 119

   But Robert had been cheeriness itself, had told them to buck up and think of England, reminding them that moaning wasn’t going to beat the Jerries.

   2012, Margaret James, The Penny Bangle, Harpenden: Choc Lit, →ISBN, page 43