What does spit-spot mean when said by British people?

My grandfather reckoned it was a reference to good military discipline, spit-and-polish and staying on your spot. But I have no other source for that, though people of his generation used 'chop-chop' and 'jildi-hai' to mean the same thing, also in the context of subordinates or children. read more

Old time British nannies would use rhyming phrases when giving orders to the children. The idea: the rhyme captured the child’s attention. For example, they would say, ‘Apples and pears, up the stairs’ to tell the child to go upstairs. Over time, the phrase was shortened and the rhyme dropped. read more