American Slang Words and Phrases:
Jack up An abrupt increase, typically in
1. Bail Intransitive verb for leaving
abruptly.
2. Feeling blue; have the blues A feeling
of depression or sadness.
3. A buck Slang term for a the American
dollar.
4. By the skin of (my/your/his/her) teeth
just barely.
5. Creep (n.) An unpleasantly
weird/strange person.
6. Couch Potato A lazy person who spends
the bulk of their time engaged in things that
can be done while sitting on a couch.
7. Cram To study feverishly before an
exam typically done after neglecting to
study consistently.
8. Crash To abruptly fall asleep, or to
show up without invitation.
9. Down to earth And adjective for
practicality and lack of pretense.
10. Drive up the wall To irritate.
11. For Real A proclamation of honesty.
12. Going Dutch When each person, usually
in a dating scenario, pays for his/her own
meal.
13. The cold shoulder A metaphor for
deliberately ignoring someone.
14. Give a ring To call someone on the
telephone.
15. Hyped (adj.) A very excited state.
16. Hang out To casually gather together or
spend time with someone in a social manner.
British Slang Words and Phrases:
17.
the price of something.
18. Knock To speak negatively, to disparage,
to badmouth.
19. Lighten up To relax and take things too
seriously. Typically stated as an appeal to
someone who is acting uptight.
20. Pass the buck To deflect responsibility
onto someone else.
21. Piece of cake A metaphor to describe
something that is easy or effortless.
22. Pig out A metaphor for binge eating.
23. Plead the fifth References the fifth
amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which
allows a witness in court to refuse questions
on the grounds that they risk self-
incrimination.
24. Screw up To make a mistake, i.e. mess
up.
25. Sweet An adjective that describes
something that is good, or nice.
26. Tight An adjective that describes
closeness between competitors, i.e. a tight
competition.
27. Trash Can be used as an intransitive verb
for destruction. e.g. He trashed the car.
28. Uptight Stuffy, persnickety, the opposite
of relaxed.
29. Wrap (something) up To finish or
complete something.
30. Zonked Completely exhausted. Our next
post will cover British slang terms that
Americans find confusing. Until then, here
are some of our favorite American slang
words:
1. All mouth and no trousers All talk, no
action, i.e. Braggadocio.
Dont listen to him. Hes all mouth and no
trousers.
2. Argy-bargy An argument or heated
confrontation.
Im not interested in getting into an argy-
bargy over it.
3. Bang to rights Equivalent of dead to
rights. Caught in the act. Caught red-
handed.
Police caught Jim Bang to rights outside
the bookies.
4. Bent as a nine-bob note Metaphor for
dishonesty or corruption that references the
nine-schilling (bob) note, which does not
exist and must therefore be counterfeit.
That street vendor selling watches is bent
as a nine-bob note.
5. Blinding An adjective for excellence.
The Prime Minister gave a blinding
inauguration speech.
6. Chuffed To be very pleased about
something.
Reginald was chuffed about the football
match.
7. Conk A blow to the head or nose.
He conked his head on the doorframe on
his way out.
8. Corker Someone or something that/who
is outstanding. A standout.
Great job, Jim. Youre a real corker.
9. Do ones nut To become enraged.
Presumably a reference to doing an
impression of a madman (nut). I gave him
the news, and a he did his nut.)
When I gave Reginald the news, he did his
nut, and went home.
10. Damp Squib Something that fails on all
counts. Reference to small explosive charges
that fail when wet.
It looks like the new midfielder is a damp
squib.
11. Doofer An unnamed object. Thing,
thingamajig, whatchamacallit.
What is that doofer?
12. Earwig To eavesdrop.
Dont earwig on my personal phone calls.
13. Eating Irons Cutlery, eating utensils.
Do we have any clean eating irons?
14. Fortnight Very common British slang
term for a period of two weeks.
Ill be back in a fortnight to check on you.
15. Fence n. A person who deals in stolen
property. v. To pawn off stolen property to a
buyer.
Take this watch to the fence and see what
you can get.
16. The Fuzz The Police.
Dont let the fuzz catch you.
17. Gaffer Boss, foreman, or employer.
Lets ask the gaffer if we can go on break.
18. Gutted A state of extreme despair.
John was gutted that his girlfriend dumped
him.
19. Go to Spare To become angry,
frustrated, distressed, or enraged.
If his mood is off, he might go to spare.
20. Hard Cheese An expression of bad luck.
Hard cheese if he does. Were entitled to
our break.
21. Honk To vomit.
Reginald coughed so hard he honked all
over the pub.
22. Idiot box A television set.
I think Ill spend the night in front of the
idiot box.
23. Ivories Teeth, piano keys, or dice.
He sure knows how to tickle the ivories.
24. Jock A nickname for John in Scotland
but widely used as a Scottish everyman term
 like, dude, or mack, or buddy. It can be
pejorative depending on context.
Listen Jock, I need your group gone in the
next five minutes.
25. Joe Bloggs Equivalent to Joe Blow. A
typical, average, or unremarkable man.
I dont know who he was. Just some Joe
Bloggs.
26. Kerfuffle A skirmish or fight caused by
differing views.
He and I got into a kerfuffle over politics.
27. Knees up Adjective for liveliness.
This party is knees up.
31. Marbles Wit, intelligence, or good sense.
Have you lost your marbles?
32. Miffed Upset or offended.
He got all miffed about the football match.
33. Nob Person of high social status, snob.
Some nob in a fancy car splashed me.
34. Numpty An incompetent or unwise
person.
You and your numpty friend should
apologize.
35. Odds and Sods Equivalent to odds and
ends. Miscellaneous.
You lot got first picks and left with nothing
but odds and sods.

28. Know Ones Onions To be well versed

on a subject.
Go ask John. He know his onions about
cars.

29. Lag A convict, especially one who

served or is serving a long prison sentence.
The old lag cant find a job so he sits at the
pub and drinks.

30. Laughing Gear A metaphor for ones

mouth.
Shut your laughing gear, Reginald.
 BRITISH TO AMERICAN
Accumulator (automotive) = battery, car
battery
Alsatian (dog) = German shepherd
Articulated lorry = tractor-trailer (truck), a
"semi"
Ass = donkey; U.S. ass = G.B. "arse," i.e.
one's backside (in addition to normal
"donkey")
Athletics (an ... meet) = track and field
Backlog = log-jam, pile-up (of business
orders, for example). U.S. backlog =
comfortable reserve of orders -- difference
between the two is in opposite
interpretation or connotation of same basic
situation.
Bank holiday = holiday
Bap = bun, hamburger bun, hamburger roll
Mrs. Beeton = Fanny Farmer (standard
cooking, household reference book)
Bespoke = custom-tailored, tailor-made
Big Dipper = roller coaster (at a "Fun-Fair"
= "Amusement Park"
Bilberry = blueberry
"Bird" = "chick"
Biro = Papermate (ball-point pen trade
name which equals "generic" name)
Biscuit = cookie (U.S. "biscuit" is a baked
bread, "bap," "scone"
Blancmange = vanilla pudding
Block, block of flats = apartment building
(U.S. term "block" [city block] unknown as
such in British English, though usually
understandable.
"Bomb" (theater terminology) = a "hit," a
great success. U.S. "bomb" = G.B. failure,
critical disaster, i.e. the two are exact
opposites in sentences like "The play was a
bomb!"
Lip balm = chapstick
Logic-chopping = splitting hairs, hair-
splitting
Long jump (in athletics) = broad jump (in
track and field)
Lorry = truck
Loud-hailer = bullhorn, amplified
megaphone
Lucky dip = grab bag (children's party
game or activity ...)
Lumber room = spare room, storage room
(in a home)
Mackintosh = raincoat, overcoat, trenchcoat
Mains = ordinary built-in home electrical
network (no special word as equivalent in
U.S.)
Market garden = truck farm
Marrow (vegetable) = squash, gourd
Mason = stoneworker; U.S. mason can be
stone- or brickworker
Marriage lines = marriage certificate
Mean = stingy, tight with money; U.S.
"mean" normally means nasty, spiteful, ill-
meaning in action toward another
Mess kit = formal military dress for
ceremonial dining; U.S. mess kit = army or
boy scout utensils for cooking or eating a
meal on the trail.
Minced meat = hamburger meat, ground
beef; U.S. mincemeat = sweet, spicy ground
meat/fruit/nut combination used for making
pies, especially around
Thanksgiving/Christmas
Mineral water = any carbonated soft drink;
U.S. mineral water = bottled natural water
(containing normal minerals) from spring
or health spa, Perrier water, etc.
Mistress = teacher in girls' school; U.S.
mistress = lover (extramarital)
 Boiler suit = overalls
Bonnet (automotive) = hood (of a car...)
Boot (automotive) = trunk (of a car...)
Bottom drawer = hope chest
Bowler (hat) = derby (special connotations
& different pronunc.)
Braces = suspenders; U.S. suspenders =
G.B. garters, stocking fasteners
Brambleberry = blackberry
Bottom of the street = end of the street
Box (TV) = Tube (both slang, colloquial
terms)
Bull = "mickey mouse" (unnecessary
military drill); U.S. bull = G.B. cock
Bum = ass, rectum; U.S. bum = G.B. tramp,
derelict
Bun in the oven = pregnant, eating for two
Call box = (tele)phone booth
Camp bed = cot; U.S. cot = G.B. baby bed
Car park = parking lot
Caretaker (for a building) = janitor (not
same as "vahtimestari")
Carriage (railway) = railroad car, subway
car
Carrier bag = shopping bag
Caucus = permanent group in a political
party; U.S. caucus = G.B. ad hoc planning
meeting of a group in a political party
Central reservation = median strip
(between halves of a divided highway)
Charge sheet = police record
Chemist (drugstore) = druggist
Chips = french fries; U.S. chips often =
dried buffalo, cow dung (other cases, i.e.
poker chips, wood chips, the same)
Chucker-out = bouncer (doorman or
Mob = gang, group (neutral); U.S. mob =
angry crowd; "the mob" = Mafia
Motorist, motoring = driver, driving
Music Hall = vaudeville (generic
entertainment type/place name)
Nappy = diaper (for infants not toilet-
trained)
A Neat drink = a straight drink, i.e. "give
me a straight whiskey" = whiskey without
water or other additives
Nervy = nervous, jumpy; U.S. nervy = bold,
impertinent, i.e. nearly the opposite of the
British usage
Night club = private membership club; U.S.
nightclubs are public (commercial)
entertainment places
Number plate = license plate (on
automobiles)
Off-license = liquor store
Old boy (girl) = alumni, alumnus, alumna
[of a school]
Pantechnicon = moving van
Panda car = police patrol car, police cruiser
Patience (card game) = Solitaire
Pecker (keep your pecker up) = keep your
chin up; U.S. pecker = penis
Pram (peramulator) = baby carriage, baby
buggy, stroller, walker
Petrol = gasoline, gas (to go in automobiles,
airplane, etc.)
Pie = meat pie; U.S. pie is always a fruit or
fruit-derived pie, unless "a meat pie" is
specifically indicated
Pillar-box = mailbox, post office box, letter
box, letter drop
Pissed (he was really...) = drunk; U.S.
"pissed = angry, upset
Pitch (soccer) = field (football) [GB
"football" = US "soccer"]
Plimsolls = sneakers, tennis shoes, gym
 "enforcer" in a bar/restaurant
"In the City" = "on Wall Street" (in main
financial district)
City editor = financial editor; U.S. city
editor = G.B. "community news editor"
Cloakroom = toilet; U.S. cloakroom =
clothes closet, garment storage area
Coach = intercity bus
Combinations = union suit (colloquial for
long underwear)
Comforter = scarf; U.S. comforter = heavy
quilt, blanket
Compre = Master of ceremonies, M.C. (of
TV game show, etc.)
Constable = (police) officer
"To cop" = "to get" something unpleasant,
i.e. "to cop a 15-pound fine." U.S. "to cop"
= to plead guilty to a lesser charge in order
to avoid prosecution & probable conviction
on a more serious charge ("to cop a plea" =
"plea-bargaining")
Corn = all grain crops; U.S. corn = G.B.
"maize" only.
Costermonger = pushcart seller
(Sent to) Coventry = ostracized
Crisps = potato chips
Cupboard = closet; U.S. closet = G.B. w.c.,
or toilet
Davenport = antique folding writing desk;
U.S. davenport = large sofa, often which
folds out into a bed at night.
Deposit account = savings account
Dinner jacket = tuxedo ("black tie" formal
dress)
Dormitory = bedroom; U.S. dormitory =
G.B. residence hall
Dresser = kitchen sideboard; U.S. dresser =
bedroom drawers, vanity
"Duck" = "goose egg" (a zero on the
shoes
Point = electric outlet, railroad switch
(depending on context)
Polka dots = chocolate chips (food product
for baking)
Prawn = shrimp
Prom, prom concert = music concerts where
most of the audience is standing; U.S. prom
= dance, semi-formal, especially at end of
year in high schools, colleges
Rates = local, municipal property taxes
Redundant = laid off (from a job); U.S.
redundant = superfluous (no connotation of
connection with jobs at all)
Return ticket = round-trip ticket
Ringway = circular road (around a city),
bypass
Rise = raise in salary
To Roger = to "screw," have sex with; to
exploit, take advantage of, to use
Roll neck (pullover) = turtleneck (sweater).
Roundabout = traffic circle
Rubber = eraser; U.S. rubber = condom,
prophylactic device
Saloon = "sedan" car (automobile); US
saloon = western-style bar
Saloon bar = one section of an English pub
Sanitary towel = sanitary napkin, feminine
hygienic item
A good screw = a good salary; U.S. "good
screw" equals good "fuck" or good sexual
experience
To Screw = to cajole, persuade, extract
money from; U.S. "to screw" = to have sex
with, fornicate
Season ticket = commuter (train, bus)
ticket; U.S. season ticket is card or ticket of
paid admission to all home games in one
season of a particular sports team
To Second to = to temporarily loan staff to
 scoreboard of a sports match)
Dumb = mute; U.S. dumb usually means
"stupid" rather than "mute," which is a
secondary meaning in U.S. usage.
Dustbin = garbage can, ashcan (exterior
waste-disposal unit)
Dynamo (automotive) = generator (within
automobile engine)
Earth wire = ground wire (in electricity,
electronics)
Elastic band = rubber band
To Enjoin = to compel, to legally force; U.S.
enjoin = to legally forbid -- i.e. same term in
same general contextual usage has precisely
the opposite meaning
Ex-serviceman = veteran; U.S. veteran =
G.B. old ex-serviceman; (U.S. term has no
special age connotation, only that the
person have had prior military experience
sometime)
Fag = (a) cigarette; (b) public-school
underclass "servant"; U.S. fag = low-slang
term for male homosexual.
Fanny = vagina (vulgar usage); U.S. fanny =
light euphemism for "backside," either
male or female.
First floor = second floor, etc. (Britain walks
in ground floor, goes up 1 set of stairs to
first floor; U.S. ground floor and first floor
are the same.
Fish slice = pancake turner, spatula (kitchen
tool); U.S. spatula = G.B. tongue depressor
(medical instrument)
Fitted carpet = wall-to-wall carpeting
Flan = pie, fruit pie
Flannel = washcloth; U.S. flannel = heavy
warm cotton fabric; "flannels" would be
long underwear made from such heavy
warm fabric.
Flat = apartment; U.S. flat = tenement flat
= poor-standard slum apartment.
Flick knife = switch-blade knife, a
switchblade
another job or unit
Sellotape = Scotch tape (both brand names
now used as "generics"
"Semi" = duplex, duplex house; U.S.
"semi" = tractor-trailer truck rig
Seminary = Roman Catholic seminary only;
U.S. Seminary can be ANY religion, i.e.
Lutheran, Methodist seminaries
Sherbet = powdered, fruit-flavored candy;
U.S. sherbet = G.B. sorbet (pronounced
"soorbay")
Shorthand-typist = stenographer
To shy = to throw something (he shied a
rock at the stray dog...)
Sideboards = sideburns (in a hairstyle)
Single = one-way ticket; U.S. "single" in
context would mean "only one" as opposed
to "several" tickets
To Snog = to neck (i.e. kissing, hugging, etc.,
esp teenagers)
Spinster = any unmarried woman; U.S.
spinster is always OLD unmarried woman
Standard lamp = floor lamp (as opposed to
table or wall lamp)
S.T.D. (subscriber trunk dialling) = direct
distance dialling [on the telephone, as
opposed to dialling through operator]
Steps = ladder; U.S. "steps" always would
mean staircase, built- in stairway or
staircase
To stream (pupils in a school) = to track
(streaming = tracking)
Stroke (punctuation) = diagonal, slash
To Stuff = to fornicate, have sex with; U.S.
"I'm stuffed..." = to be comfortably,
pleasantly full of
Superannuation scheme = retirement
pension plan
Supply teacher = substitute teacher
Supertax = surtax
 Flyover = overpass (as in a bridge over a
road); U.S. flyover = airplane passing over a
certain place, as in military parade
"flyovers"; verb is "to overfly."
Form (school) = grade [i.e. first form = first
grade in school]
Garden = yard; U.S. garden = vegetable
garden, fljower garden, i.e. area of special
cultivation. U.S. yard = G.B. paved area
(lorry yards)
Goods (car, train) = freight; U.S. goods =
supplies, commercial stock
Grind = sexual intercourse; U.S. grind =
slang for "hard (routine) work."
Haberdasher = notions seller; U.S.
haberdasher = men's clothing seller
To Hack = to (deliberately) kick; U.S. to
hack = to chop, cut viciously.
High street = Main street
To Hire = to rent (in most cases); U.S. to
hire = to employ Hire-purchase = (the
"never-never") = installment plan
Hoarding = billboard (large advertising
sign alongside road)
Hold up = traffic jam; U.S. holdup =
robbery at gunpoint.
Homely = home-loving, domestic, pleasant;
U.S. homely = plain- looking (female),
therefore often "left" at home.
To Hoover = to vacuum (carpets, etc.)
"Hoover" in the U.S. is a brand name only,
never used as a verb.
Inland = internal, domestic (Inland
Revenue = Internal Revenue)
Inverted commas = quotation marks (GB =
'xx'; USA = "xx")
Inquiry agent = private detective
Jelly = Jello (deriving from brand name
Jell-O, gelatin dessert)
"On the job" = having sexual intercourse;
U.s. "on the job" = while working, learning,
i.e. "on the job training."
Surgery = a doctor's office, office hours,
reception time; U.S. "surgery" refers to
"surgeon" operating on a patient
Suspenders = garters, for socks or stockings
only; U.S. suspenders = G.B. braces, for
holding up trousers
Sweet = dessert, or piece of candy
Sweetshop = candy store
To Table (parliamentary procedure,
conference terminology) = to put on agenda
for immediate handling; U.S. "to table" = to
put aside [indefinitely], to delay further
handling
Tannoy = public address (p.a.) amplification
system
Teat = baby bottle nipple; US teat = GB
nipple = breast nipple
Terrace house = row house, garden
apartment, town house
Are you Through? (telephone) = are you
connected; U.S. "are you through"? = are
you finished, completed, with your call
To tick = to check, place check mark beside
Tights = hose, panty hoseh, nylons, nylon
stockings; U.S. tights = leotards, skin-tight
exercise suit, knit stocking pants
Tinkle = telephone call [give me a tinkle
sometime]; U.S. "tinkle" = children's talk
for "to urinate"
Tip = garbage dump; U.S. tip = hint, advice,
clue
Torch = flashlight; U.S. torch = burning,
flaming light or weapon
Touchline = sideline (in sports, such as on
soccer pitch, etc.)
Tower block = high-rise apartment building
Trade union = labor union (but usually
organized by "trades" in England, by
"industry" in the U.S. -- US "Auto
Workers' Union" would be represented by
different "trades" in GB)
Tram = streetcar, trolley car
 Joint = pot roast; U.S. "joint" = marijuana
cigarette
Juggernaut lorry = a very large truck, an
overlong truck, a "double semi" truck
Jumble sale = rummage sale
Jumper = light pullover (sweater); U.S.
jumber = type of knee- length woman's
dress worn over blouse or sweater
Kirby grips = bobby pins (to fasten long
hair ...)
A Knock-up = (tennis) to warm up, to volley
a few, to practice-volley
To Knock up = to awaken, call early in the
morning; U.S. "to knock up" is colloquial
for "to impregnate"
Lacquer = hairspray; U.S. lacquer = wood
varnish, shellac (high-gloss), i.e. protective
decorative wood coating
Ladder = (in women's stockings" = a
runner, a run
Lay-by = (beside a road) = a pull-off, a rest
area.
Left-luggage office = check room, baggage
check (room)
Level crossing = railroad crossing.
Lift = elevator
food, satiated
Sub-editor = copy reader or rewrite person,
in journalism
Subs = dues, as in union dues, etc.
Subway = underground walking passage,
underpass, pedestrian tunnel; U.S. subway
= G.B. "underground," i.e. underground
railway system for public transportation
Superannuation scheme = retirement
pension plan
Supply teacher = substitute teacher
Supertax = surtax
Surgery = a doctor's office, office hours,
reception time; U.S. "surgery" refers to
Transport cafe = truck stop (roadside
cafeteria, restaurant, popular with truck
[lorry] drivers
Traveller = travelling salesman
Treacle = molasses
Trousers = pants; U.S. pants = G.B.
underwear shorts
Trunk call = long-distance call (on a
telephone)
Turn it up (colloquial) = stop it, cut it out!
U.S. "turn it up" = increase the volume
Undercarrige = landing gear (aircraft)
Underdone = rare (extent to which you wish
your meat cooked)
Underground= subway (cf "subway")
Vest = undershirt; U.S. Vest = G.B.
waistcoat
Windscreen (automotive) = windshield
Wing (automotive) = fender, bumper (pre-
70s designs...)
White spirit = turpentine, paint thinner;
U.S. "white lightning" (spirits) = potent
home-distilled backwoods alcohol!
Wholemeal = whole-wheat (bread, flour,
etc.)
Yankee/Yank = any American in general,
U.S. Yankee = Northeast erner ONLY, i.e.
specific regional, historical definition
Zebra crossing = crosswalk, pedestrian
crossing (Ped Xing)
"Zed" = "Zee" (pronunciation of last letter
in alphabet)
Grandstand play = done to impress the
audience in the grandstands rather than as
a requirement of the game, "showy" action
Ground rules= specific local rules for
particular event or action, sports or
otherwise
Half & Half = dairy mixture of half cream,
half milk (to put in coffee, for use in baking,
 "surgeon" operating on a patient
Bathroom = toilet, w.c. (G.B. bathroom will
have bath, washbasin or shower only)
Billboard = hoarding
Biscuit = scone; G.B. biscuit = U.S. cookie
Billy club = truncheon
Blank = empty form, i.e. telegraph blank
Block (city block) = city block bounded by
streets on 4 sides, distance between 2 streets
or crossings in same direction
Block-busting = "penetration" of a
residential area by an ethnic or minority
group unwelcome by original residents, who
often then sell and leave
Blotter = police official daily record of
happenings in local precinct office
Blowout = puncture (flat tire on car, bicycle,
etc.)
Blue book = local social register of high-
status families
Blue Cross/Blue Shield = two different large
health-insurance companies
Blue laws = restrictive community "moral"
laws dating from Puritan times, such as
prohibition of liquor sales on Sunday, limits
on public entertainment on Sundays, etc.
Bomb (theater) = a failure; G.B. bomb
(theatre) = great success
Boner = gaffe, mistake, faux pas
Boot camp = military basic training
period/location
Boondocks = backwoods
Bourbon = corn- (maize-) derived whiskey
Box car = good waggon (U.S. spelling
"wagon")
Bronx cheer = raspberry (critical noise ...)
Brownie = small, "heavy," rich-chocolate
baked biscuit; also young Girl scout
etc.)
Half & Half = dairy mixture of half cream,
half milk (to put in coffee, for use in baking,
etc.)
Handball = game played by hitting a small,
hard ball with bare hand against a wall in
room similar to a squash court -- European
"handball" is not 'known' in the U.S.
Hard-on = male sexual erection
High school = secondary school, senior
(upper) secondary school
Home free (colloquial) = home & dry
Homely = plain-featured, -looking; GB
homely = domestic, pleasant
Horny = randy
Housing project = housing development,
housing estate
Huddle = planning, tactics conference,
especially in American football, but also
metaphorically in other situations
Hung jury = jury that is divided, cannot
reach a verdict
Jello = jelly; U.S. "jelly" = G.B. "jam"; U.S.
"jam" = G.B. "thick [GB] jelly with fruit
embedded"
Kerosene = paraffin, U.S. paraffin = GB
paraffin wax
Longshoreman = docker, dock worker
Lox = smoked salmon, especially American
Jewish usage
Martini = gin & vermouth (combined)
cocktail (does not refer to "Vermouth"
brand name)
Mean = nasty
Mobile home = (trailer) house on wheels,
can be moved behind truck, auto
Mononucleosis, "Mono" = glandular fever
Nervy = impudent, impertinent, with a lot
of nerve (cf. GB Nervy)
 Brunch = mid-morning meal (combination
of "breakfast & lunch")
Bush league = baseball "minor" training
leagues; also general connotations of
"amateurism," unprofessionalism, etc.
Caboose = last waggon on a goods train
Candy = sweets
Car fare = money for transportation fares
Carry-out (food) = take-away (food)
Catch (to play catch [baseball]) = "playing
tag" (US "playing tag" is children's game
where one tries to run and "catch" or touch
("tag") one of the other children playing)
"Catch up with him" = "Catch him up"
Checkers = draughts (the game, played on
checker/chess board)
Checking account = current account
(banking)
Comfort station = public convenience
Cone = cornet ("ice cream" cones--British
"ice cream" also quite a different
commodity)
Cord (electrical) = flex, lead, wire
Corn = maize; G.B. corn = all types of
grain, unless specified
Cotton candy = candy floss
Certified Public Accountant (CPA) =
Chartered Pub. Account. (CPA)
Cube sugar = lump sugar
Diaper = nappy
Dishpan = washing-up bowl
Distaff = female
Double header = two sports games played as
a single event; also used metaphorically
Draft (military) = conscription into the
armed forces
Druggist = chemist (in commercial
Night crawler = fishing worm
Oatmeal = porridge
Ordinance = by-law (law at local city,
municipal level)
Overpass = flyover
Pacifier = dummy (what baby uses to suck
on when not eating)
Parakeet = budgerigar
Parka = anorak
Patrol wagon, Paddy wagon = black maria
Pegged pants = tapered trousers
To pinch-hit for = to substitute for in a
particular tactical situation (batting in Am
baseball, or metaphorically)
Plexiglass = Perspex glass (brand names
used as generics)
Potato chips = potato crisps
Quarterback = Am. football team leader,
also to direct, manage, in other situations
Railroad = railway; U.S. railway = tracks,
roadbed which trains run ON; U.S.
"railroad" refers to the enterprise, i.e. the
Union Pacific Railroad
Raise = rise; U.S. "rise" is slang for male
erection, or, "to get a sensation from ..."
Realtor = estate (real estate) agent
Retroactive = retrospective
Roomer = lodger
Roster = rota
Rubber = condom; GB rubber = US eraser
Rube Goldberg = Heath Robinson
(stereotyped creators of wacky, bizarre
"inventions" in USA, GB)
Sedan = saloon car
Shellac = high-gloss varnish
Slingshot = catapult; U.S. "catapult" = G.B.
 drugstore or pharmacy) "sling"

Editorial = leading article (in a newspaper,
periodical)
Eggnog = egg flip (special Christmas drink
in U.S. only)
Engineer = railroad engine-driver
Enjoin = to forbid from doing; GB enjoin =
to compel to do
Special Delivery = Express (postal) Mail
Station wagon = estate car
Thumbtack = drawing pin (small, flat-
headed tack used on bulletin boards or to
attach papers to wooden surfaces; U.S.
"drawing pin" a long, narrow, sharp pin
used in sewing, clothing design, always with
soft fabrics or paper)

Eraser = rubber; G.B. rubber is U.S. Thread = cotton; U.S. cotton = plant, fiber,
condom material only

"Fairy" = male homosexual, or highly Trash = rubbish

effiminate-acting male
Trashcan = dustbin; trashman = dustman
Field hockey = hockey; U.S. hockey (by
itself) = ice hockey Turtleneck = polo neck (sweaters or
pullovers)
Filling station = petrol station
Vaudeville = Music hall (type of
Flashlight = torch entertainment, style of theater)

Football = U.S. (American) football, not Wash up = to wash oneSELF, not the
"soccer" dishes; G.B. to wash up = to do the dishes

Formula = baby's prepared liquid food, Wax paper = greaseproof paper

replaces breast milk
Yard = garden; U.S. garden = vegetable or
"Freebee" = anything given away free flower garden (culti vated area); GB yard =
US paved area, not grassy lawn)
Freeway = motorway
ZIP code = postal code
Freight car = goods waggon (on a train)
Zucchini (squash) = courgette (marrow)
Gangway! = exclamation to "clear a path!";
G.B. gangway = U.S. aisle (in a theater,
etc.), U.S. gangway [naval term] = entrance
"bridge" from shore onto a ship

Glee club = club or group for choral singing

Glue factory = knacker's yard

"Gofer" [to GO out FOR something ... ] =

"dogsbody"

Goldbrick(er) = loaf(er)

Good Humor Man = ice cream peddler in

residential areas

Graham cracker = wholemeal biscuit

God Save The Queen by
Thomas Arne
God save our gracious Queen
Long live our noble Queen
God save the Queen
Send her victorious
Happy and glorious
Long to reign over us
God save the Queen
O Lord our God arise
Scatter her enemies
And make them fall
Confound their politics
Frustrate their knavish tricks
On Thee our hopes we fix
God save us all
Thy choicest gifts in store
On her be pleased to pour
Long may she reign
May she defend our laws
And ever give us cause
To sing with heart and voice
God save the Queen
Not in this land alone
But be God's mercies known
From shore to shore
Lord make the nations see
That men should brothers be
And form one family
The wide world over
From every latent foe
From the assassins blow
God save the Queen
O'er her thine arm extend
For Britain's sake defend
Our mother, prince, and friend
God save the Queen
Lord grant that Marshal Wade
May by thy mighty aid
Victory bring
May he sedition hush
And like a torrent rush
Rebellious Scots to crush
God save the King