for England

English

Etymology

Suggests that if there was a world championship for the given action, the person under discussion could compete on the national team.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Prepositional phrase

for England

1. (UK, idiomatic) Very well or for a long time.
   • 2011, Bernardine Kennedy, Past Chances, Hachette UK, →ISBN:

     Before Venita, who could chatter for England, had a chance to hand over too much more information, Marty jumped in defensively.

   • 2014, David Menon, Fireflies: Detective Superintendent Jeff Barton #2, David Menon:

     She always wore the most disgustingly old-fashioned clothes and she could moan and complain for England but the thing that really bugged Sharon about Anne was that, despite having the disposition of a wet weekend in Scarborough, she always signed her departmental notes 'Annie' and she always turned the dot on the 'i' into a flower.

   • 2014, Janis Winehouse, Loving Amy: A Mother's Story, Random House, →ISBN:

     She could sleep for England. It's not unusual for teenagers to sleep for England, I know, but I believe Amy experienced depressions in her early teens.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see for,‎ England.