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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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jingoism
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Term for aggressive imperialism which has a precise historical origin. 'By jingo' had been in use since the 17C as a phrase of emphasis (deriving from the conjuror's 'hey jingo', akin to 'hey presto'). It happened to feature in the chorus of a music hall song of 1878, supporting *Disraeli's controversial decision to send a British fleet into Turkish waters to deter Russian expansionism: We don't want to fight, but by jingo if we do, We've got the ships, we've got the men, we've got the money too. We've fought the Bear before, and while Britons shall be true, The Russians shall not have Constantinople. Supporters of Disraeli immediately became known as jingoes, and their policy as jingoism.
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