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List of words having different meanings in British and American English
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Cite This SourceThis is a list of words and phrases having differing meanings in British and American English.
- Asterisked (*) meanings, though found chiefly in the specified region, have also some currency in the other dialect; other definitions may be recognised by the other as Briticisms or Americanisms respectively. Additional usage notes are provided when useful.
- Certain words are limited to regional or specific dialect use in either usage. They will, however, be recognised and understood by most native English speakers in the country concerned. These are marked with their usual area of use.
A
| Word | British English meanings | Meanings common to British and American English | American English meanings |
|---|---|---|---|
| accommodation | housing ("residential accommodation") | something supplied; a compromise; a loan see also accommodation (eye); lodging (as for travellers) | (esp. in the past) a local public conveyance, esp. a train see also accommodation (law) |
| accumulator | rechargeable battery (archaic) (US: storage battery) a type of bet (US: parlay) | one that accumulates, as a type of computer processor register or a hydraulic accumulator | |
| ace | good, excellent (1980s slang) | a one in a suit of playing cards someone who is very good at something fighter pilot who has shot down a certain number of enemy aircraft | (v.) to perform outstandingly *; esp., to achieve an "A" on (a school exam) the best starting pitcher in a rotation on a baseball team |
| advocate (n.) | Scottish lawyer who appears in higher courts (rest of UK: barrister) | someone who supports and/or speaks for a particular position generic term for a lawyer | |
| air marshal | a senior air force officer (equivalent to an Army general or Navy admiral) | an undercover law enforcement officer on board a commercial aircraft, also known as a sky marshal | |
| à la mode | fashionable | with ice cream | |
| alternate | (adj.) done or occurring by turns; every second, every other ("on alternate weeks") (n.) one that alternates with another | (adj.) constituting an alternative, offering a choice (UK usu. & US also alternative) ("use alternate routes") "alternative", unconventional ("alternate lifestyles") (n.) an alternative *; a substitute | |
| amber | traffic light of this colour (US: yellow light) | orange-yellow colour fossilised resin | (see AMBER Alert) |
| anaesthetist (UK), anesthetist (US) | physician trained to administer anaesthesia (US: anesthesiologist) | nurse or technician trained to administer anaesthesia | |
| anchor | (1) a position in a tug-of-war team (2) device for mooring ships by providing a firm fix to the seabed anchorman/anchorwoman, the last member of a relay team to compete | a type of radio or TV presenter ("a news anchor"). See news presenter for a description of the different roles of a newscaster, an American news anchor, and a British newsreader. | |
| anorak | a parka (slang) a socially awkward person obsessively interested in something (syn.: US & UK also geek, nerd; US: dweeb; etc.)
| hooded, rainproof outerwear that lacks a full-length zipper in the front (UK: cagoule) | |
| apartment | suite of rooms set aside for a particular person (rare) | a set of rooms in a building constituting a usu. rented housing unit (implies luxury in UK; UK usu. flat) -- cf. s.v. condominium | |
| appropriate (v.), appropriation (n.) | to take (money) to oneself, to filch or misappropriate | to take and assign (money) (there is considerable overlap but difference of emphasis) | to dispense (money), to budget |
| Asian | originating from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka (South Asian) | originating from the continent of Asia | originating from East Asia or continental Southeast Asia |
| ass | donkey slow-witted or stupid person, often in combination (smart-ass) | (often vulgar) buttocks (UK: arse); also, by synecdoche, the person ("your ass is dead"); also (vulgar) anus (short for asshole) (vulgar) sex ("get some ass") (note: the American usage of ass is becoming more common in British English) also used as a suffix to add emphasis to an adjective ("He drove a big-ass truck") kick-ass: to beat up or beat, e.g. "I am going to kick his ass" or, more positively, something that beat (did better) than everything else, e.g. "The opening band was kick-ass". | |
| athlete | one who participates in track and field events | one who participates in sport in general | |
| athletics | running, throwing, and jumping competitions (US: track and field) | sport in general | |
| attorney | an agent or representative authorised to act on someone else's behalf ("attorney-in-fact", "power of attorney") (Attorney General) main legal advisor to the government | (or attorney-at-law) a lawyer (UK: barrister or solicitor, depending on the actual profession) (District attorney, prosecuting attorney) local public official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminals (archaic in Br. Eng. for lawyer) | |
| aubergine | the plant Solanum melongena (US: eggplant) | an eggplant-like colour (US also eggplant) | |
| awesome | spectacular | inspiring awe | great, "cool" * (largely used in the 1980s, recently revived; can have various connotations depending on context -- compare UK brilliant) |
B
| Word | British English meanings | Meanings common to British and American English | American English meanings |
|---|---|---|---|
| banger(n.) | a sausage, as in "bangers and mash" an old motorcar in a state of disrepair (US: beater) | a type of firework | a particularly club-friendly beat or song |
| bang(s) | small explosions or reports; (v.) have sexual intercourse with (vulgar slang) (eg. "bang some chick" or "he's banging her") | locks of hair on forehead (UK: fringe) | |
| base | foundation, starting point; many meanings in sciences, architecture, politics, military instilation, etc.; see base | in baseball, one of the three places a runner can stand in safety; hence in many fig. senses, off one's base (crazy), to get to first base (esp. in neg. constr., to get a first important result); more recently (slang), a metaphor for one of three different stages in making out (q.v.) -- see baseball euphemism; more s.v. home run | |
| bash | masturbate (vulgar slang) (usu.Bash one out or Have a bash) (but Have a bash more often means the same as Have a go - to try to achieve something, as in "have a bash at this crossword") | to strike physically a party (usu. a large one) | to attack verbally |
| bath | (n.) plumbing fixture for bathing * (US: bathtub) (usu. pl.) swimming pool (v.) to bathe, or give a bath to | (n.) the act of bathing a (financial) loss | (n.) a bathroom (esp. a half bath which has a sink and toilet but no shower stall or bathtub, or a 3/4 bath which has a sink, toilet, and shower stall, but no bathtub) |
| bathroom | room containing a bath (US: bathtub) or shower, other washing facilities, and usu. (but not necessarily) a toilet | room, in a home or hotel room, containing a toilet, related washing facilities, and often, but not necessarily, a shower and/or bathtub (Hence "Going to the bathroom" is a euphemism for going to the toilet even in a setting where one would not expect to find a bath, e.g. a restaurant or shop *) (a room without shower or bathtub may also be known as a powder room, but this usage may be considered dated) | |
| beater | person who flushes game from concealment so it can be shot at by 'the guns' something or someone that beats | used car in very poor condition (UK: banger) (slang) wifebeater (q.v.) a sleeveless undershirt (from the stereotype that poor men who wear them beat their wives, perhaps from Jackie Gleason in "The Honeymooners" TV series (50s/60s U.S.) or more likely from the costume of the character Stanley in the play "A Streetcar Named Desire (play)") | |
| beaver | beard; a bearded man (archaic slang) | aquatic rodent known for building dams woman's undepilated external genitalia (obscene slang) | female pubic hair (slang) |
| bespoke | (esp. of apparel) made to the customer's specification (US: custom-made, tailor-made) | pret. of bespeak | |
| bill | The bill = the police (slang, poss. from Old Bill) | invoice; request for payment (also UK/US: cheque/check, tab) | a piece of paper money (UK: note/banknote) |
| billion | (traditionally) a million millions (1012) (US: trillion) | thousand million (109) (now most common in both UK and US) (traditional UK: milliard) (see also Long and short scales) | 109 |
| bin | (v.) to throw away. (bread bin) container for storing bread (US: breadbox) | (1) a waste container (2) a usu. large receptacle or container for storage ("a grain bin"; "Scrooge McDuck's money bin") | |
| bird(n.) | one's girlfriend or any young female (slang; getting rarer and considered derogatory by some) prison sentence (slang) | avian creature an aircraft | insulting hand gesture involving shaking one's fist towards someone with knuckles pointing towards the person being insulted and the middle finger extended (as in “flipping someone the bird”) (slang) |
| biscuit(n.) | baked sweet or savoury cake-like item, usu. flat, which is hard when baked and softens over time (colloquially bikkies for sweet biscuits) (US: cookie (sweet biscuit), cracker savoury biscuit) (to take the biscuit) to be very surprising (US: take the cake) | type of quick bread served with savory foods (UK: similar to a savoury scone, or similar in consistency to a croissant) | |
| blinder(n.) | excellent performance in a game or race (slang) "e.g. he played a blinder" | either of two flaps on a horse's bridle to keep it from seeing objects at its sides (UK: blinker, also used in US) | |
| blinkers | leather flaps on a bridle used to restrict a horse's lateral vision* (US usu.: blinders) | lights on a car that indicate the direction about to be taken * (UK: indicators) | |
| block(n.) | a building (block of flats, office block) | a solid piece of something to obstruct | in a city, the portion of a street between adjacent intersections* or an informal rough unit of distance derived from the length of the same |
| bloody | expletive used to express anger ("bloody car") or shock ("bloody hell"), or for emphasis ("not bloody likely") (slang, today only mildly vulgar) * (similar US: damn ("damn car")) | having, covered with or accompanied by blood | considered a euphemism for more emphatic swear words |
| blow off | to break wind | to perform oral sex upon | to not turn up to meet somebody (UK: blow out ("I'm just too busy, I'll have to blow you out for this evening.") |
| bog(n.) | toilet (slightly vulgar slang) (bog off) go away (slightly vulgar slang, often jocular) | wetland that accumulates appreciable peat deposits | A plot of farmland used to grow cranberries (a cranberry bog) |
| bogey | dried mucus usu. after extraction from the nose (US: booger) (informal) | the score of one over par in golf | an unidentified aircraft, often assumed to be that of an enemy alternate spelling of "Bogie" (nickname of Humphrey Bogart) |
| boiler(n.) | 1.an old fowl best cooked by boiling; 2. (derogatory) an ugly woman (usually in the phrase "old boiler") | 1. device (usu. oil or gas-fired) for heating water for central heating or hot water *, "central heating boiler" (US furnace); vessel in which steam is generated | |
| bomb (slang) | a striking success; used in the phrases "go (like) a bomb" and "go down a bomb"; Go like a bomb also means, when used of a vehicle, to go very fast | (v.) to be a failure ("the show bombed"); also as n. (n., used with the) something outstanding ("that show was the bomb"); sometimes spelled da bomb | |
| bombardier | corporal in the Royal Artillery - see Bombardier (rank) | crew member of a bomber responsible for assisting the navigator in guiding the plane to a bombing target and releasing the aircraft's bomb load - see Bombardier (air force) (UK: bomb aimer) | |
| bonk | act of sexual intercourse, or to have sexual intercourse (slightly vulgar slang) (US: boink) bonking off to masturbate. | blow to the head (n. and v.) to suffer glycogen depletion in an endurance sporting event; see bonk (condition) | |
| bonnet | hinged cover over the engine in a car (US: hood) various types of Scottish or Irish soft hat | hat tied under chin worn by a baby or (archaically) a woman | |
| boob(n.) | a mistake (slang); (v.) to make a mistake | woman's breast (slightly vulgar slang) | stupid person |
| boob tube | woman's shoulderless, strapless top (US: tube top) | (the boob tube) television (slang) | |
| boost | to (figuratively) lift up; to improve, increase, revitalize. | to (literally) lift up, especially a person. to steal, especially from a retail establishment (i.e., shoplift) | |
| boot | storage compartment of a car (US: trunk) | footwear covering lower leg to kick something hard to start up a computer | (Denver boot, car boot) device used to render cars immobile (UK: wheel clamp) to expel (UK: give someone the boot) to vomit (slang) |
| bottle | courage ("he's got some bottle") (slang) (US: moxie) to fail to do something through fear ("he's bottled out", "he bottled it") (slang, from Cockney rhyming slang "bottle of beer" = "fear") to attack somebody with a broken bottle (slang) Give it some bottle = put some effort into it | container for liquids (the bottle) alcohol, heavy drinking (metaphorical slang) | |
| box | a gift in a box, hence Boxing Day genital protector used in cricket (US similar: cup) (the box) television set (slang) (US: idiot box, boob tube) a box stall in a barn any of various box-like structures, such as: signal box (US: switch/signal/interlocking tower) telephone box (US & UK also: telephone booth), more at call box witness box (US: witness stand) either one of the two marked areas adjacent to the goalmouth on a football (soccer) pitch (see Football_pitch_imperial.svg) see also box junction | (n.) rigid container (v.) to attack using one's fists, as in boxing female genital area - vagina | any of various areas on a baseball diamond (as for the batter, or the pitcher, the catcher, etc.) female genitalia (obscene slang) * (box canyon) a canyon with vertical walls (box car) a type of enclosed railroad freight car (UK: goods van) |
| braces | over-the-shoulder straps to support trousers * (US usu. suspenders) | devices for straightening teeth support that steadies or strengthens something else | leg supports (UK: callipers) tertiary enclosing punctuation: { } (UK: curly brackets) |
| brackets | enclosing punctuation: () (US & UK also: parentheses); more at braces | supports for shelves, etc. attached to a wall | secondary enclosing punctuation: [] (UK: square brackets) |
| brew (n.) | tea | beer | |
| brilliant | excellent, of the highest quality (rarely sarcastic) | very bright (of a light or a brain) very intelligent | stupid (sarcastic use) |
| bud | undeveloped shoot which normally occurs in the axil of a leaf or at the tip of a plant stem | marijuana (slang) hand-rolled marijuana cigarette (slang), compare joint shortening of 'buddy', used to address strangers assuming a non-existent familiarity (UK: similar: mate) | |
| buffet | railway carriage containing a refreshment counter selling snacks and drinks, esp. on a train on which a full restaurant car (US: dining car) service is not provided | 1.refreshment counter or bar; 2.a meal set out on a table, etc. for diners to serve themselves | a type of sideboard |
| bug | insect of the order Hemiptera pathogen, bacteria, germ covert listening device (orig. US) defect in software (orig. in a machine) (orig. US) an enthusiast of something (orig. US) Volkswagen Beetle (v.) to apply a covert listening device (orig. US) | any of various insects * (nontechnical usage) an important person ("a big bug"); also, someone crazy (as in "firebug", a pyromaniac) (v.) to annoy (colloquial) * to go away, depart, also from a responsibility (used with out) (bug off) to go away (often as a command) (from UK bugger, q.v.) | |
| bugger | to engage in or someone who engages in anal sex a form of address for either a person or item, either jocular ("he's a generous bugger") or less so ("he's a mean bugger") (slang) (buggered) 1. broken, not working (typically of mechanical devices, e.g. "the engine's buggered") (slang); 2. syn. for bothered (e.g. "I didn't do it. I couldn't be buggered.") (slang) (bugger up) to make a mess of something (slang) (bugger off) (imperative) go away, leave me alone (slang) | term of endearment, often used for children (slang) (in spoken English, the British "bugger" is sometimes misheard by Americans as "booger") | |
| buggy | 2-wheeled horse-drawn lightweight carriage baby transport vehicle also called (UK) pushchair (US: stroller) any of various light cart or cars ("a golf buggy") | (slang) an automobile (orig. US) see baby transport for details see also dune buggy, beach buggy | 4-wheeled horse-drawn lightweight carriage baby transport vehicle also called (US) baby carriage (UK: pram) regional (esp. South) for shopping cart (UK: trolley) (marsh/swamp buggy) a type of motor vehicle for marshland (slang) caboose (horse and buggy) something obsolete (as from before the invention of the automobile) |
| bum | (1) to engage in anal sex (vulgar slang) (2) buttocks (slang) (US: butt); hence bum bag (US: fanny pack) | to cadge ("can I bum a cigarette off you?") (slang) | hobo, homeless person poor quality (slang) to sadden (often used with "out") |
| bumps | a type of rowing racea method of marking someone's birthday (see The bumps) | a set of small protuberances | |
| bureau | a type of writing table | a public office or government agency | a type of chest of drawers |
| burn (n.) | (Scotland and Northern England) narrow river, stream -- more s.v. creek | wound caused by heat, or chemical agents, etc. | clearing (as in a forest) made by burning vegetation |
| bus (v.) | to travel by bus | to transport via bus to clear (as tables) in a restaurant; to work as a busboy | |
| butcher | (have a butcher's) to have a look (Cockney rhyming slang: butcher's hook = look) | to kill and cut up an animal for meat to kill messily, or someone who does so one who cuts and sells meat | to make a big mess of things; botch ("butcher it up"; "I butchered the spelling") |
| butchery(n.)(v.) | slaughterhouse, abattoir | a cruel massacre a butcher's trade | a botch |
| butt(n.) | (n.) the (larger) end of anything, a stub; also, a cigarette a sudden blow given by the head of an animal a large wooden cask a person mocked by a joke (v.) to strike bluntly (as with the head) (butt in) to interfere when uncalled for (orig. US) | (colloquial) buttocks (UK usu. bum); hence butthead * (n.) (butt-in) one who butts in (v.) to cut off the end (of a log) (butt out) to stop interfering | |
| buzzard | a hawk of the genus Buteo | a slang term for vulture |
C
| Word | British English meanings | Meanings common to British and American English | American English meanings |
|---|---|---|---|
| call box(n.) | telephone booth (UK also telephone box) | roadside emergency telephone | |
| call for(v.) | to require | to predict or anticipate ("The forecast calls for rain") | |
| campsite(n.) | area or park for people to camp in (US: campground) | spot for a particular person or group to camp, often within a campground (UK: pitch) | |
| candy(n.) | (candy floss) heated sugar spun into thin threads and collected into a mass, usually on a stick; something pleasing but having little worth (US: cotton candy for both senses) | (v.) to sugarcoat, or boil with sugar (as fruit) to sweeten | edible, sweet-tasting confection containing sugar, or sometimes artificial sweeteners, and often flavored with fruit, chocolate, nuts or artificial flavours; a piece of candy * (cotton candy) (UK: sweets, confectionery) (eye candy) someone particular attractive in a sexy way. |
| canfield(n.) | a patience (solitaire) card game (US: Klondike) | a patience (solitaire) card game (UK: Demon) | |
| car(n.) | railway vehicle, only in combination (e.g. "restaurant car") (archaic) street tramway vehicle | motorcar(n.) (UK, q.v.) /automobile (US) | nonpowered unit in a railroad or railway train ("railroad car"; "a passenger/freight/parlor/dining/baggage etc. car") (see s.v. motor car, trolley; UK: cf. s.v. carriage, coach, wagon) elevator (q.v.) cage |
| caravan | towed recreational vehicle containing accommodation (US: travel trailer) to take such a vehicle on holiday | overland trading convoy | |
| caretaker(n.) | one who takes care of a building, usu. a state-owned building, i.e. school (US: janitor; cf. s.v. custodian) one put in charge of a farm after eviction of tenant | one who takes care of someone or something stopgap government or provisional government | one who takes care of real estate in exchange for rent-free living accommodations * |
| carnival(v.) | the days just preceding Lent comic good times marked by special events | a travelling circus or fair (UK: funfair) comprising amusement rides | |
| carriage(n.) | railway coach (q.v.) designed for the conveyance of passengers the conveying of goods or the price paid for it ("carriage-paid"); "handling" | 4-wheeled horse-drawn private passenger vehicle | (baby carriage) baby transport vehicle featuring the infant laying down facing the pusher (UK: perambulator, pram) -- more s.v. buggy a shopping cart (primarily in North Atlantic states) |
| carry-on, carryon | (colloquial) carrying-on, unruly behaviour | luggage that can be carried aboard an aircraft, bus, or train (UK: cabin baggage) | |
| cart | a difficult or embarrassing state ("he was put in the cart") | usu. 2-wheeled one-horse vehicle (as that used in farming) | a lightweight wheeled vehicle, as for shopping, serving, carrying baggage, etc. (UK: trolley) cartridge (primarily related to video games) |
| casket(n.) | a small box, as for jewels (perhaps dated) | The type of coffin with upholstery and a half-open lid. | |
| casualty (person) | often, someone who has been wounded; hence casualty department (US: emergency room) | generally, someone who has been injured or killed | often, someone who has been killed; see also casualty insurance |
| catapult | small Y-shaped handheld projectile weapon often used by children (US: slingshot) | a type of medieval siege engine an aircraft catapult | (v.) rise quickly |
| chaps [?] | men and/or boys (but increasingly used for people of either sex; in the singular it still almost exclusively refers to a male, "Guys" has now become a more popular phrase in the UK) (US & UK: guys) one's friends ("the chaps") (US & UK: the guys) cheeks - as in Bath Chaps - stewed pigs' cheeks, a delicacy | leather leggings worn by cowboys and designed to protect the legs against thorns (sometimes pronounced shaps), short for "chaparajos" | |
| check | examine for a particular purpose a pattern of coloured squares a warning given in chess | leave items in the care of someone else (e.g. at a cloakroom; hence checkroom) (also check mark) mark used to denote 'correct' or indicate one's choice (UK: tick, q.v.) request for payment, especially at a restaurant; bill check is also the US spelling of UK cheque | |
| checker | one that checks (e.g. an inspector) | a store or shop cashier (almost always a grocery store) (checkers) a popular board game (UK: draughts) checker is also the US spelling of UK chequer "pattern of alternating colored squares" | |
| cheers (interjection) | said to express gratitude in England, or on parting (slang). Also cheerio. | used as a toast or valediction | |
| chemist | pharmacist, pharmacy (US similar: druggist, drugstore) | student or researcher of chemistry | |
| chip in | to express one's opinion (as in a conversation); to "chime in" | to contribute (as money) (orig. US) | |
| chips (food) | French fries, although usu. thicker cut than American fries closer to American steak fries | French fries, in (orig. UK) phrase fish and chips; computer chips | thin slices of fried potato* (UK: crisps) |
| chippie, chippy | carpenter (slang); fish-and-chip shop (slang) (Scot, Ire: chipper) | loose woman (dated slang); the N. American bird Chipping Sparrow | |
| chum | A popular brand of canned dog food (officially Pedigree Chum) | friend (sometimes sarcastic) | (n.) waste products from fish processing (heads, tails, blood etc.) often used for shark fishing (v.) to spread fish entrails etc. in the hope of luring sharks. "We chummed the water all morning, but never spotted any dorsal fins." Has some cross-over usage metaphorically in non-fishing situations. |
| cider | an alcoholic drink derived from apples (US: hard cider) | a nonalcoholic drink derived from apples | |
| Cinderella | a team which underachieves, or is overshadowed by successful neighbouring rivals | fairy tale character | a lowly sports team or individual which enjoys an unexpectedly good run in a tournament |
| city | a large town, in particular a town created a city by charter and containing a cathedral | a usually large or important municipality governed under a charter granted by the state (however most smaller towns in the US are cities); an element of a standard mailing address (UK "postal town") | |
| clerk (see also pronunciation differences) | administrative worker | (or salesclerk) store or shop worker (UK: shop assistant) hotel employee at the reservation desk (UK: receptionist) | |
| closet | any small room (esp. Northern England, Scotland, & Ireland); hence water closet, a room containing a flush toilet, later the toilet itself | a private chamber for retirement in secret; (come out of the closet) to reveal what was secret (especially in relation to homosexuality) | a cabinet or wardrobe, as for utensils or apparel; in the latter case oftenest built-in; hence e.g. walk-in closet, linen closet, and skeleton in the closet * (UK also: in the cupboard) * |
| coach | bus with of higher standard of comfort, usually chartered or used for longer journeys* tutor, usu. private, who prepares pupils for examinations * railway carriage * | enclosed horse-drawn passenger carriage sports trainer | extracurricular sports teacher at a school (UK: PE teacher) lowest class on a passenger aircraft (UK: economy) |
| cob | (mainly Northern & Central Eng.) a type of bread roll ("Chip cob", "ham cob", "pack of six cobs please") (pl.) large globules of sweat ("I'm sweating cobs") | corncob a building material a type of horse a male swan | The portion of a corn plant around which the kernels grow. |
| cock | (n.) form of address to a man to gain attention or greet e.g. "Wotcha cock!" (n.) a popular personage e.g. Cock o' the North in cock up, to make a mess of things; cock-up is the act or the resulting state of affairs | (n.) a male bird; esp., an adult male chicken (US oftenest rooster) (n.) vulgar slang for a penis (v.) to set the hammer or firing pin of a loaded firearm ready for firing; likewise, to "cock the shutter" of an old, spring-activated camera (n.) A type of tap, faucet, or valve (e.g., a stopcock). | |
| collect | To win a bet (from the idea of picking up the winnings) | (v.) to gather together, to pick up; (orig. US) to pick up a person or thing(n.) short prayer read during the first part of a church service as practised by certain parts of the Christian faith; mainly Anglican and Roman Catholic. | (adj., adv.) charged to the receiver ("to call collect", to reverse the charges) ("a collect call") [from collect on delivery] |
| college | part of the name of some state secondary schools (US approx.: high school) and many independent schools (US approx.: prep school) educational institution between school and university (e.g. sixth form college, technical college, college of further education) vocational training institution professional association which usu. grants some form of professional qualifications, mostly in the medical field (e.g. Royal College of Surgeons) | constituent part of some larger universities, especially ancient universities | an independent institution of higher education (as a small university or a division of a university) granting bachelor's degrees generic term for higher education, but only at the undergraduate level |
| comforter | a baby's dummy (q.v.) | one who comforts | quilted bedspread |
| commissioner | professional head of the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police (US: chief of police) | political head of a police department member of any commission | |
| commode | portable toilet for use in a room without plumbing | normal toilet, in a bathroom (q.v.) | |
| compensation | the act of compensating damages awarded for a legal wrong (workers' compensation) payment to injured workers | remuneration received by employees (unemployment compensation) compensation paid to an unemployed person (as a laid-off worker), arising from government resources | |
| concession | reduction in price (discount) for a certain category of person | the action of conceding in politics, the action of a candidate yielding to another an area within one country that is administered by another | a lease or grant of premises or land for a particular use, or the so contracted-out service, as in concession stand, i.e. a counter, stand or area at public entertainment venues where snacks and/or drinks are sold, often at inflated prices a concession stand |
| condominium | a political territory (state or border area) in or over which two sovereign powers formally agree to share equally dominium (in the sense of sovereignty) and exercise their rights jointly | (also condo) a type of joint ownership of real property (as an apartment building) in which portions of the property are commonly owned and other portions are individually owned; an apartment in a condominium | |
| constable | technically, a police officer of any rank, but usu. understood to mean a police officer of the lowest rank (one who holds no other more specific rank) (US: officer or patrolman) | peace officer in a township without an organised police department official who serves summonses (UK: bailiff or sheriff's officer) | |
| construction | the act or process of building or constructing; a structure; the construction industry from construe: the assigning of meaning to ambiguous terms | road construction and maintenance work; roadwork ("a construction area/zone") (UK: roadworks) | |
| cooker | an appliance for cooking food (US: cookstove, stove, range); see also AGA cooker a cooking apple, a large sour apple used in cooking | a pot or utensil for cooking in ("pressure cooker", "rice cooker", "slow cooker") | a person who cooks (UK always cook) |
| cookie | a bun (Scotland) a biscuit of a particular variety, usually containing chocolate chips (often referred to as a "chocolate chip cookie") | cookie>small packet of information] stored on users' computers by websites | a small, flat baked cake * (UK usu. biscuit, q.v.) fellow, guy * ("a tough cookie"); also, an attractive girl * (that's the way the cookie crumbles) that's how things go (to toss one's cookies) to vomit (cookie-cutter) trite, banal in army slang, a cook. |
| cop | to take ("cop a look at this", "cop one of these") (slang) to be blamed for, be caught ("he'll cop it!") (slang) | police officer (short for "copper") (slang) (cop a feel) to grope (slang) | (cop a plea) (law, orig. slang) to plead guilty to a lesser offence to not be tried for a graver charge; compare plea bargain (cop a squat) to take a seat (slang) |
| copper | low value coin, brown or 'copper' coloured (currently 1p and 2p coins) large copper vessel used for heating water and washing clothes (archaic) | the metallic element Cu police officer (slang, orig. UK) | |
| coriander | the leaves of the coriander plant, used as a herb (US: cilantro or Chinese parsley) | the plant Coriandrum sativum dried seeds of this plant | |
| corn | wheat in England, oats in Scotland and Ireland any of various cereal plants or grains (US usu.: grain), also in combination (e.g. cornfield, a field of any cereal) (see also US) | in both dialects, the principal crop cultivated in a particular region Indian Corn, in corn on the cob, corn flakes, popcorn horny swelling on the foot | Zea mays; originally known as Indian corn (q.v.; UK usu.: maize or sweetcorn); hence cornfield, cornstarch (UK: corn flour), corn bread, cornball, cornblade, etc. something corny *, hence cornball |
| cot | infant bed; hence cot death (US: crib) | camp bed | |
| coulee | a (solidified) stream of lava | (chiefly Western, orig. Canadian) a deep steep-sided ravine formed by erosion, or a small valley or stream | |
| court shoe | a women's dress shoe with a heel (US: pump) | a type of athletic shoe used for sports played on an indoor court, such as volleyball or squash; confusingly, athletic shoes such as this are known as a 'pumps' in some British regional dialects. The Reebok Pump, a line of athletic shoes, further adds to the confusion. | |
| cowboy | an unscrupulous or unqualified tradesman | a cowhand working with livestock, a legendary archetype found in wild west genre works (UK: drover) | |
| cracker | small parcel that makes an explosive report when pulled from both ends, traditionally pulled at Christmas attractive woman (slang) anything good ("the new product is a cracker") (slang) | thin, hard, unsweetened biscuit (formerly chiefly US, now common everywhere) | an unsophisticated, typically rural white person (also white cracker; derogatory slang, southeastern US); also, someone from Georgia or Florida |
| crèche | day care, day nursery | nativity scene, manger scene, crib (q.v.) * | |
| creek | tidal channel through a coastal marsh (orig. sense) | any inland stream of water smaller than a river (other terms: UK: rill; No. Eng. & Scot.: burn; Eng. & New Eng.: brook; Midland US: run) | |
| crew | body of people manning a vehicle of any kind gang of manual workers (e.g. road crew) group of friends or colleagues ("I saw him and his crew at the bar") | rowing as a sport | |
| crib (n.) | nativity scene, crèche (q.v.) * | a manger or rack, or stall for cattle a plagiarism, as of a student ("crib sheet") cribbage | small enclosed bedstead for a child; hence crib death (UK: cot) (informal) one's house or apartment a bin for storing Indian corn a structure of logs to be anchored with stones; used for docks, dams, etc. (orig. Canada) a small raft of timber |
| cubicle | A compartment in a bathroom with low walls that contains a toilet. (US: stall) | A compartment in a larger area separated from similar adjoining compartments by low walls, such as in an office area. | |
| cuffs | The ends of a garment's sleeves, furthest from the wearer short for handcuffs | An arrangement at the bottom of trouser-legs, in which the material is folded back upon itself to form a trough externally around the bottom of the leg. (UK: turn-ups) | |
| cunt | offensive (or sometimes indulgent) term often applied to men | vagina (usu. obscene) | offensive, obscene term usu. applied to women |
| custodian | a football (soccer) goalkeeper | a keeper or guardian of a person or thing | one who cleans and maintains a building; a building superintendent, a janitor |
D
| Word | British English meanings | Meanings common to British and American English | American English meanings |
|---|---|---|---|
| daddy longlegs, daddy-long-legs | crane fly | daddy long-legs spider | harvestman |
| davenport | a type of writing table * | [both prob. from the names of their resp. manufacturers; both old-fashioned] | a type of couch, often convertible into a bed |
| dead | (of a cup, glass, or bottle) empty, finished with very, extremely ("dead good", "dead heavy", "dead rich") | deceased completely, perfectly ("dead straight", "dead on", "dead right") extremely quiet (e.g. business or nightlife) (dismissive usage) boring | |
| dead beat, deadbeat | exhausted (slang) (US: dead tired) | an idler; someone who does not pay their debts, often in construction ("deadbeat dad") (slang) | |
| DC | Detective Constable, a police officer who works in or with a branch of CID. | direct current other expansions | District of Columbia |
| deck | (n.) the floor or level of a ship or other types of vehicles the roadway of a bridge a recording device (v.) to decorate for a festivity ("deck the halls with boughs of holly", "decked out with flags") to hit a person hard enough such that they fall to the floor (orig. US) | a pack of cards a wooden, raised platform adjoining a house, usu. enclosed by a railing a packet of narcotics (slang) (v.) to pile up (logs) on a deck of logs or a skidway (on deck) in baseball, the hitter due up next ("Albert is on deck, so they must be careful to not walk this batter."). A general usage connotes availability, e.g. "Who's on deck?" (Who is available to do this?). Occasionally used to indicate who is next in line. | |
| depot | a location (large building or piece of land) where buses, trams or trains are stored when not in use and maintained | a storehouse or depository; a location for the storage of military or naval supplies. A slow-release drug injection (usu. psychiatric) | a railroad station or bus terminal or station; also, an air terminal |
| DI | Detective inspector (police) | Drill instructor (military) | |
| diary | personal calendar * (US: appointment book, appointment calendar, datebook) | personal journal | |
| digital radio | a radio that receives a DAB signal. | a radio with a digital display | |
| dim (trans. v.), dimmer (switch) | to reduce the intensity of a domestic, industrial or other light; hence dimmer (switch) | to lower a vehicle headlight's beam, typically when approaching vehicles travelling in the opposite direction at night (UK: dip); hence dimmer switch (UK: dip switch) | |
| diner | one who dines ("a picky diner") | railroad dining car (UK: restaurant car) a type of restaurant (especially prevalent in New Jersey), traditionally but not necessarily often resembling a dining car | |
| dip (trans. v.), dip switch | to lower a vehicle headlight's beam, typically when approaching vehicles travelling in the opposite direction at night (US: dim); hence dip switch (distinguished from DIP switch) (US: dimmer switch) (n.) a slang term for a pickpocket | to lower into a liquid; esp., a sheep or dog in chemical solution; to lower and then raise | |
| dirt | substance(s) rendering something unclean incriminating evidence ("we've got the dirt on him now") | earth, soil * | |
| diversion | circuitous route to avoid roadworks (US: detour) | deviation; recreation; tactic used to draw attention away from the action | |
| dock | water between or next to a pier or wharf (US: berth, also used in UK, or slip) section of a courtroom where the accused sits during a trial * | (v.) to reduce an employee's wages, usu. as discipline | constructed place to moor a boat or engage in water sports (largely interchangeable with pier or wharf, although often with a modifier, such as "ferry dock", "swimming dock", etc.) |
| docker | dockworker, stevedore * (US: longshoreman) | one that docks (as tails of animals) | |
| dogging | various kinds of public sexual activity | pursuing diligently as a dog would | insulting in a persistent fashion, often referring to the dozens |
| dollar | 5 shilling coin or equivalent amount (obsolete; used in slang until late 1960s/early 1970s, but some re-stamped Spanish dollar coins were used in the UK in the late 18th/early 19th century) | major unit of currency of the USA | |
| dormitory, dorm | (n. or usu. adj.) (part of) a town where commuters live, usually dormitory town (US: bedroom or bedroom community) | (n.) large sleeping-room with many beds,* typically in a boarding school ("a sleeping dormitory"; usu. abbreviated to dorm) | building with many small private rooms, as for housing the students of a college (UK: hall(s) of residence, hostel) dormitory car — railway sleeping car |
| drape | (v.) to hang limply | (n., usu. pl.) curtain | |
| draw (n.) | cannabis (slang) | an act of drawing, or something drawn a game result in which no player/team wins (also tie) | a ditch that draws water off an area of land a shallow valley or gully |
| dresser (furniture) | a type of cupboard or sideboard esp. for kitchen utensils * | a chest of drawers, usu. with a looking glass (UK: dressing-table) | |
| drop (of liquid) | several (fluid) ounces ("just a drop of tea, please") (meiotic usage) | droplet (less than a milliliter) | |
| duck | a score of zero by a batsman in cricket a term of endearment | (n.) a bird of the family Anatidae (v.) to lower the head or body suddenly, to dodge (v.) to plunge under the surface of water (n.) a heavy cotton fabric | |
| duff | of poor quality non-functional (up the duff) pregnant (slang, originally Australian) | a type of pudding coal dust | vegetable matter on the forest floor * (also in Scotland) buttocks (colloquial) |
| dummy | rubber teat for babies (US: pacifier) | mannequin, especially for automobile crash tests fake, usu. legal idiot (slang) the contract bridge player who faces his hand after the bidding/auction | |
| dungarees | sturdy protective bib trousers (cf. s.v. overall) | (slightly dated) jeans (blue denim jeans) | |
| duplex | composed of two parts two direction (electronical signalling) | (or duplex house) an often vertically divided two-family dwelling * (or duplex apartment) an apartment on two levels * (duplex locomotive) a large steam locomotive with two sets of driving wheels |
E
| Word | British English meanings | Meanings common to British and American English | American English meanings |
|---|---|---|---|
| earth | safety connection of an electrical circuit, or to connect (an electrical device) to this (US: ground) | the planet Earth soil the burrow of some animals | |
| efficiency | the quality of being efficient | (or efficiency apartment) a minimal often furnished apartment, similar to a studio apartment (UK: compare bedsit) | |
| el | (L) letter identifying a learner driver; see L-plate | the letter L | an elevated railway (as that of Chicago or the now-defunct Third Avenue El in New York City) |
| elevator | flap on the back of an aeroplane used to control pitch moving belt to transport grain, hay bales, etc. | platform or cage moved vertically in a shaft to transport people and goods to various floors in a building (UK: lift) building for grain storage (in full grain elevator) | |
| engaged (adj.) | in use -- of a toilet/bathroom stall (US: occupied; but the opposite is vacant in both); of a telephone line (US & UK also: busy), hence engaged tone (US: busy signal) | committed; involved in something betrothed | |
| engineer | a technician or a person that mends and operates machinery | one employed to design, build or repair equipment practitioner of engineering | one who operates an engine, esp. a locomotive (UK: engine driver) |
| entrée | starter (q.v.) of a meal (traditionally, the course served between the fish and the joint, but now used for any starter) | (usu. "the entrée") right of entry, insider-type access | main course of a meal |
| estate | any defined area of real property, as in housing estate (US: subdivision), council estate (US: housing project) or trading estate (US: industrial park) car with van-shaped body (US: station wagon) | grounds of a large piece of real property which features a mansion and beautiful landscaping property left by a deceased person | |
| evergreen | non-deciduous, a non-deciduous plant eternally youthful, new etc. | (n.) branchlets or sprigs of an evergreen tree, usually a conifer such as pine, spruce or fir, often used as a Christmas decoration wrapped around human-made structures |
F
| Word | British English meanings | Meanings common to British and American English | American English meanings |
|---|---|---|---|
| faculty | division of a university, dealing with a specific group of disciplines (e.g. faculty of arts) | academic staff of a school, college or university | |
| fag | cigarette (slang) * (in England; obs.) young public schoolboy who acted as a servant for older pupils drudgery, chore ("it is such a fag -- I come back tired to death" -- J. Austen) | (v.) to tire, exhaust ("the fagged whale abated his speed" -- H. Melville) (obs. usage in US) | male homosexual (short for faggot) (insulting slang) * |
| faggot | kind of meatball (see faggot (food)), bundle of sticks, usu. for use as firewood (old-fashioned; often spelled fagot). | Male homosexual (insulting slang) (see faggot (slang)). | |
| fall | to become pregnant. (Either as in 'I fell pregnant' or as in 'She fell for a baby.'); | descend or tumble | autumn become sick, come down with an illness ("he fell ill") (uncommon) |
| fancy (v.) | (v.) exhibit a fondness or preference for something; exhibit an interest in or willingness to: date/court someone, commit some act, or accept some item of trade | US colloq. equiv. of "to fancy" is "to like" something or someone (or regarding tastes and preferences, "to love"); "fancy" as a verb is now used in the US almost solely by UK ex-pats, but was once oft-used by Southern gentility (landed gentry) | |
| fanny | vagina (slang), vulva (vulgar slang) (fanny about or fanny around, very mildly vulgar slang) to mess about or prevaricate ("Stop fannying about and hit it with the hammer") | buttocks (colloquial); hence fanny pack (UK: bum bag) | |
| filth | (the filth) the police (derogatory slang) | dirt, disgusting substance obscene material | |
| first degree | the least serious category of burn (see article) | the most serious category of a crime; of murder, carries a lifetime prison- or death-sentence (also informal murder one; see article) | |
| first floor (of a building) | the floor above ground level (US: second floor) | the floor at ground level (often, but not always, the same floor as a building's lobby) (UK: ground floor) | |
| fit (adj.) | (of a person) attractive, sexy (slang) | (of a person) in good physical condition suitable for some purpose (usu. followed by for or to) | |
| fix (v.) | to make firm, fasten, or attach * (the original sense, no longer very common in US) to set or arrange (as a date) * ("A time has been fixed") | to repair (orig. US) to sterilise (an animal) to manipulate usually underhandedly ("To fix a fight by paying a boxer to take a dive.") | to adjust or prepare, esp. food or beverage * ("I'll fix you a sandwich") (esp. South) to get ready ("I'm fixing to retire") to get even with (someone)  (fix up) to provide |
| flapjack | flat oat cake (US: granola bar) | pancake | |
| flannel | a cloth for washing the face or body (US: washcloth) | particular type of fabric/material used for the manufacture of trousers or suits, but more commonly recognised in America as a fabric used in warm winter night clothes and sheets | |
| flat | (n.) self-contained housing unit (US: apartment) (adj., of a battery) discharged, exhausted, dead(n.) a flat tyre | (adj.) level and smooth structured at a single level, not hierarchical | an apartment that occupies the entire floor of a small building (upstate New York); used also in phrases such as railroad flat |
| flip-flop | a type of footwear (see article for synonyms) a type of electronic circuit | an about-face or U-turn (UK also: about-turn), as in politics | |
| fluid ounce (fl. oz.) | liquid measure equal to 28.41 millilitres | liquid measure equal to 29.57 milliliters | |
| flyover | elevated road section (i.e. long road bridge, US: overpass) | ceremonial aircraft flight (UK: flypast) higher-level road bridge that goes above both a lower bridge and a road below the lower bridge the flyover is a term for middle America, as distinct from the 'coasts'. | |
| football | (usually) Association football (US: soccer). Less frequently applied to Rugby football (espec. Rugby Union in English private schools) and in Hiberno-English Gaelic football. | American football | |
| forward | an area to the front an outgoing disposition a position in soccer in front of midfielders | a position in basketball, usually played under the net. | |
fourth
| next after third (e.g. the fourth person, fourth floor) A musical interval | one of four equal parts into which something is divided (UK & US sometimes also quarter, q.v.) | |
| fringe | arrangement of locks of hair on the forehead (US: bangs) | the outer area of something a decorative border e.g. on clothing holding an extreme political position ("lunatic fringe") | |
| frock | (or smock-frock) outer garment formerly common in rural Europe, see also overall (also short frock) indoor garment for children and young girls * a woman's dress or gown (dated) * | habit of monks and friars (also frock coat) a style of gentleman's jacket or coat, cut at knee length, usually worn as an outer garment. | |
| full stop | punctuation mark used at the end of a sentence, sometimes used in speech for emphasis ("Whom does he support? Arsenal, full stop!") (US: period, q.v.) | complete stop (as of traffic) | |
| furnace | large hearth or container for heating or melting metal, usually for an industrial process | principal domestic heat source in central heating based on water or steam (UK: boiler) |
G
| Word | British English meanings | Meanings common to British and American English | American English meanings |
|---|---|---|---|
| gagging | (especially as in gagging for it) desperate, especially for sex | choking fighting the urge to vomit ("that was so disgusting, I was gagging") | |
| gallon | 4.54609 litres (about 6/5 of US gallon) | 3.78541 litres (about 5/6 of UK gallon) | |
| garage (see also pronunciation differences) | fuel filling station, e.g. "a Texaco garage" (also petrol station, US: gas station) a genre of music | place where vehicles are repaired building attached to or in the grounds of a residence for storing a car | (parking garage) building serving as a public parking facility (UK: multistorey car park or just multistorey) |
| garnish | (n. (v.)) (to add) decorative or savory touches to (food or drink) (v.)to furnish | (v.) to take (as a debtor's wages) by legal authority | |
| gas | state of matter (see gas) natural gas | gasoline, hence gas station (UK: petrol) gas pedal (UK: accelerator) air trapped in the stomach (UK: wind) | |
| geezer | gangster, man (esp. Cockney) | old person (derogatory; UK: old geezer [not derog.]) | |
| general | The second highest rank in the British army (second to field marshal). | The basics of a subject. | The Highest rank in the US army. |
| give way | to give the right of way (to vehicles, pedestrians, etc.); hence give way sign (US: yield [the right of way]) | to retreat; to break down | |
| glaze | general term for thin shiny coatings applied to food, painted surfaces, clayware, etc.; a glossy surface | a slippery coating of ice (also known as sleet, q.v.); a stretch of ice | |
| gob | (n.) mouth; (v., slang) to spit | lump | a large amount ("gobs of") (slang) a sailor |
| go down (fig.) | to leave a university (as Oxford) to come down (with an illness) | to be accepted or remembered | to go on, happen (often a major event, e.g. a drug bust "it's going down right now!" or "it went down last week". But also used as a greeting, "What's going down?"); oral sex |
| goods | items to be transported (as by railway) ("a goods train") (US & UK also: freight) | useful objects or services; products; merchandising; personal property incriminating evidence ("we have the goods on him") | |
| gooseberry | supernumerary third person preventing a couple from courting (US: third wheel) | a green hairy summer fruit (Ribes hirtellum in the USA), (Ribes grossularia in Europe) | |
| government | the cabinet or executive branch (US: the administration) the political party supporting the cabinet in parliament | the act or office of governing | the collective agency through which government is exercised (UK: the state) all such individual agencies (UK: the public sector) |
| grade (education) | a level of music examination ("Guitar grade 4". Usually refers to ABRSM. | (n. & v.) teacher's assessment of a student's work (UK also mark) | level or year of a student in elementary, middle, or high school ("in 10th grade") (UK equiv.: year); hence grader, a student in a specified grade ("a 10th grader") (grade school, the grades) elementary school see also Grade Point Average |
| grade (other) | (n.) a rating, degree, or level; (v.) to lay out in grades [US meaning generated grade separation and the idiom make the grade] | (n.) slope, gradient, or elevation; also ground level ("at grade", "over grade"); hence grade crossing (UK: level crossing) (v.) to level (as a roadbed), hence grader, construction machine for doing this * | |
| graduate (v.) (education) | to finish university with a degree | to move from a lower to higher stage; to effect change in steps; to mark with units of measurement or other divisions. | to finish studying at any educational institution by passing relevant examinations |
| graft | hard work | to join or connect two separate but similar items (typically in biology, especially medicine and horticulture) a form of political-economic corruption | |
| grass | an informant (often to the police) (to grass on) to tell on somebody (US: to squeal) | green ground cover marijuana | grazing; to feed (livestock) with grass (UK: at grass, to put out to grass) |
| grammar school | a type of secondary school, normally a selective state funded school | elementary school (less common today) | |
| grill | to cook directly under a dry heat source (US: broil) | to question intensely | to cook over a gas or coal fire (UK: barbecue) |
| ground floor (of a building) | the floor at ground level (US usu.: first floor) | lower of two floors that are each at a different ground level due to sloping terrain (UK: lower ground floor) | |
| guard | the official in charge of a railway train (US & now UK also: conductor) | to watch over for security one who guards a protective device | military division used to help the country after a disaster in football, one of two offensive positions on either side of the center or a defensive position across from the center (nose-guard) one of two positions in basketball, usually players who are the best ball-handlers and shooters. Usually smaller than the forwards or center. Sometimes split between the defensive-guard and the play-making guard. |
| gutted | disappointed and upset (informal) | past tense of gut: eviscerated; plundered; despoiled; made powerless and/or ineffectual (of a building) stripped of interior structure, leaving only frame and exterior walls (e.g.by fire) | |
| gyro | (see also giro) | gyroscope | a sandwich, the Greek gyro, more familiar to Americans than the similar Turkish Döner kebab, which is more common in Britain |
H
| Word | British English meanings | Meanings common to British and American English | American English meanings |
|---|---|---|---|
| haberdasher | a dealer in small items and accessories, as for sewing; hence haberdashery (US: notions) | a dealer in men's apparel and accessories; hence haberdashery | |
| half | half pint of beer, cider or lager | fifty percent/0.5 times. | |
| halfway house | a place where victims of child abuse, orphans or teenage runaways can stay, a shelter | drug rehabilitation or sex offender centre | |
| hamper | large basket for food (especially picnic hamper, Christmas hamper) | to impede or hinder | basket for clothes that need washing (UK: Linen basket or laundry basket) |
| hash | number sign, octothorpe (#) (US: pound sign) | hashish Hash (food), beef and other ingredients mashed together into a coarse paste | |
| highway | (chiefly in official use) public road; see Highway Code | (highway robbery) something too expensive; see also highwayman | main road (as between cities) (divided or dual highway) a road with two roadways and at least four lanes (UK: dual carriageway) (highway post office) in the past, a bus transporting mail that was sorted en route |
| hike | a usu. recreational walk | an increase in amount (as in wages) * (to take a hike) to go away (also used as a command) | |