Under the cosh – is used when you feel under pressures or restricted. For example: “She is under the cosh to deliver that project on time.” V Maypole Dancing: A dance around a maypole (a tall wooden pole assembled for European folk festivals). Daniel Day-Lewis: An actor famous for his dedication to method acting. Considered one of the best and most respected actors of his generation. One of three actors to have won three Oscars. British literature is particularly esteemed. The modern novel was developed in Britain, and playwrights, poets, and authors are among its most prominent cultural figures. [2] Britain has also made notable contributions to music, cinema, art, architecture and television. The UK is also the home of the Church of England, the state church and mother church of the Anglican Communion, the third-largest Christian denomination. Britain contains some of the world's oldest universities, has made many contributions to philosophy, science, technology and medicine, and is the birthplace of many prominent scientists and inventions. The Industrial Revolution began in the UK and had a profound effect on socio-economic and cultural conditions around the world. From the creation of the United Kingdom, the English school of painting is mainly notable for portraits and landscapes, and indeed portraits in landscapes. Among the artists of this period are Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792), George Stubbs (1724–1806), and Thomas Gainsborough (1727–1788).

One major advantage to having a weather system which can go from sunny to snowy in the same day is that it’s often accompanied by incredible cloud formations. You could cloud-watch all day and see everything from cumulus clouds to nimbus clouds all from the same spot. When former Paralympian John McFall was selected to be the European Space Agency’s (ESA) first disabled astronaut last November, he knew there would be testing times ahead. Jane Austen: A novelist known for the books Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park.

Charlotte Bronte: A novelist and poet and the eldest of the three Bronte sisters. Known for her classic novels. Donkey’s years – Apparently donkey’s live for a long time so when someone say’s “I haven’t seen you for donkey’s” they are saying they haven’t seen you in a long time. Dialects and regional accents vary heavily amongst the four countries of the United Kingdom, as well as within the countries themselves. This is partially the result of the long history of immigration to the UK, for example Northern English dialects contain many words with Old Norse roots. [18] Scottish English, Welsh English, and Hiberno-Irish are varieties of English distinct from both English English and the native languages of those countries. Received Pronunciation is the Standard English accent in England and Wales, while in Scotland Scottish Standard English is a distinct dialect. Although these accents have a high social prestige, since the 1960s a greater permissiveness toward regional English varieties has taken hold in education. [19] Up the spout – when you have wasted something such as money. For example, “Everything I earned over the summer has gone up the spout trying to keep this flat warm.” Statue of a tripod from The War of the Worlds in Woking, England, the hometown of author H. G. Wells. The book is a seminal depiction of a conflict between mankind and an extraterrestrial race. [102]

Stitched up – is when someone has taken advantage of you. For example, when a classmate nominates you to lead a presentation you can certainly claim to “have been stitched up.” At the beginning of the 20th century a new form of design, arts and crafts, became popular; the architectural form of this style, which had evolved from the 19th-century designs of such architects as George Devey, was championed by Edwin Lutyens. Arts and crafts in architecture is characterised by an informal, non-symmetrical form, often with mullioned or lattice windows, multiple gables and tall chimneys. This style continued to evolve until World War II. After that war, reconstruction went through a variety of phases, but was heavily influenced by Modernism, especially from the late 1950s to the early 1970s. Many bleak town centre redevelopments—criticised for featuring hostile, concrete-lined "windswept plazas"—were the fruit of this interest, as were many equally bleak public buildings, such as the Hayward Gallery. The Brit Awards statuette for the BPI's annual music awards, which depicts Britannia, the female personification of Britain, is regularly redesigned by some of the best known British designers, stylists and artists, including Dame Vivienne Westwood, Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, Sir Peter Blake, Zaha Hadid and Sir Anish Kapoor. [75] Performing arts, carnivals, parades [ edit ] The Proms are held annually at the Royal Albert Hall during the summer. Regular performers at the Albert Hall include Eric Clapton who has played at the venue over 200 times.

21. The Halifax Gibbet, the First Guillotine - Circa 1280

Astronauts don’t get a lot of choice in when or where they fly but I would absolutely love to go to the Moon.” Westminster Abbey: Previously known as the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter of Westminster. A large gothic church in London. Emma Watson: An actress and activist best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films. Currently working with HeForShe, an organisation working towards gender equality. Cited by Malala Yousafzai as an influence. We have a huge list of British things for you to look at split into categories of bands, brands, celebrities, tourist attractions and more. Whether you’re planning to travel, wanting to learn more about British culture, or are interested in trying out different foods, we hope you find what you’re looking for here! Faff around – If you’re faffing around you look busy, but you’re achieving very little. For example: “I told him to stop faffing around and wash the dishes.”