From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishstand to attentionstand to attentionBritish English, stand at attention American English if soldiers stand to attention, they stand very straight and stiff to show respect → stand
Examples from the Corpus
stand to attention• The colonel gave the order for the men to stand to attention.• Even the few pots of make-up on the blue-flowered dressing table seemed to be standing to attention.• Farrar knew what he had got into now, and stood to attention.• The guide should have made us all stand to attention and salute.• The Major stood to attention and saluted.• The older one put his hand to his mouth and coughed and stood to attention and the younger one shot his cuffs.• One man in the crowd removed his hat and stood to attention, head bowed in prayer.• An hour later he was standing to attention in a depleted square of those who had survived the battle.• It stands to attention, striking the air with a knowing finger.• We stood at attention until we were given permission to leave. 