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Selected Vocabulary Differences between British and American English
* 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 (ofbusiness 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 = rollercoaster (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, thoughusually 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!" * 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 politicalparty * 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 "enforcer" in a bar/restaurant * "In the City" = "on Wall Street" (in mainfinancial 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 * Compére = 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 * Level crossing =railroad crossing. * Lift = elevator * 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,...