List of American words not widely used in the United Kingdom

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List of American words not widely used in the United Kingdom List of British words not widely used in the United States Lists of words having different meanings in American and British English: (A–L M–Z)
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This is a list of American words not widely used in the United Kingdom. In Canada and Australia, some of the American terms listed are widespread, however in some cases another usage is preferred.

• Words with specific American meanings that have different meanings in British English and/or additional meanings common to both dialects (e.g., pants, crib) are to be found at List of words having different meanings in British and American English. When such words are herein used or referenced, they are marked with the flag [DM] (different meaning).

• Asterisks (*) denote words and meanings having appreciable (that is, not occasional) currency in British English, but nonetheless distinctive of American English for their relatively greater frequency in American speech and writing. Americanisms are increasingly common in British English, and many that were not widely used some decades ago, are now so (e.g., regular in the sense of "regular coffee").

• American spelling is consistently used throughout the article, except when explicitly referencing British terms.

0–9

101

(pronounced "one-oh-one") used to indicate basic knowledge; e.g., "Didn't you learn to sweep the floor in housework 101?" (from the numbering scheme of educational courses where 101 would be the first course in a sequence on the subject).

401(k)

(pronounced "four-oh-one K";) an employer-sponsored retirement plan in the United States. Derived from the section of the United States Internal Revenue Code authorizing such plans.

411

(pronounced "four-one-one"; colloquial) information about something (from 4-1-1, directory assistance number) (UK: 118xxx or 192)

5-0

(pronounced "five-oh", often "the five-oh"; colloquial) the police (from Hawaii Five-O, an American television series)^{[citation needed]}

501(c)

(pronounced "five-oh-one C";) a legally recognized non-profit organization in the United States, roughly equivalent to a Company Limited by Guarantee recognized by the Charity Commission as having charitable status in the United Kingdom. Derived from the relevant section of the Internal Revenue Code.

86

(pronounced "eighty six"; colloquial) to abandon or reject something; e.g., "Let's eighty six the whole thing." Similar to "Deep Six". "86ing" someone can also mean ordering them to leave, as a bartender or bouncer to a rowdy or intoxicated patron.

911

(pronounced "nine-one-one") the US emergency telephone number (UK: 999 or 112)

A

acclimate

(verb) (UK usually: acclimatise)

acetaminophen (or Tylenol) 

(UK: paracetamol)

affirmative action 

providing opportunities in education or work based on race or gender (UK: positive discrimination)

airplane

a powered fixed-wing aircraft. Alteration of UK aeroplane, probably influenced by aircraft

aluminum

(UK: aluminium)

amtrac

Landing Vehicle Tracked, military vehicle used in World War II (not to be confused with Amtrak, the passenger railroad corporation)

arroyo

a usually dry creek. Spanish in origin.

arugula, rugola

the herb also known as rocket or garden rocket. Borrowed from southern Italian dialect in the early 1960s ("Ask Italian greengrocers for arugula, rucola or ruccoli; ask other markets for rouquette, rocket salad or, simply, rocket." — The New York Times, May 24, 1960, in OED).

B

baby carriage

pushable vehicle for transporting babies, also called stroller, buggy or regionally baby coach (UK: perambulator (very old-fashioned or formal), pram, or, for the type that an older baby sits rather than lies in, pushchair or buggy)

baby shower (or just "shower") 

party with gifts to celebrate a birth (not common in the UK)

backhoe

a piece of excavating equipment (UK usually digger, mechanical digger, excavator, or JCB, genericized trademark)

ballpark 

a baseball stadium; although used as well to mean range of approximation or accuracy ("in the ballpark"; "a ballpark figure") *

Band-Aid *

(trademark) bandage for minor wounds, (UK: Elastoplast (trademark), plaster [DM]); also, a makeshift solution

bangs

front part of the hair cut to hang over the forehead (UK: a fringe)

barrette

hair slide

baseboard

skirting board

bayou

(from Louisiana French) an often marshy slow-moving minor watercourse, usually located in a low-lying area (as in the Mississippi River delta region of the southern United States)

bedroom community 

a commuter town or suburb (UK: dormitory town [DM])

Bear claw 

A kind of sweet pastry served throughout the United States, named for its large, clawlike shape.

bell pepper 

a mild (not spicy) red or green pepper or capsicum in Australian English and Indian English

bellhop 

a hotel porter

beltway 

a ring road, or orbital motorway found around or within many cities.

big-box store 

a large retail establishment built on one level, typically with few, if any, windows.

blacktop 

a road surface [DM] composed of asphalt concrete; also a verb ("to blacktop a parking lot") (UK: compare tarmac)

bleachers

are the raised open air tiered rows of seats (stands) found at sports fields or at other spectator events

blinders 

(on a horse) (UK: blinkers)

blood sausage 

black pudding

boardwalk 

a walkway usually made of planking, typically along a beach (as that of Atlantic City) (UK: promenade)

bobby pin 

hair grip, Kirby grip

bodega 

a Spanish term for a winery, used in some American cities such as Boston and New York as a term for a convenience store.

booger 

(slang) a piece of nasal mucus (UK: bogey)

bookmobile 

a large vehicle housing a mobile lending library (UK: mobile library)

boombox 

a large portable stereo, syn. with ghettoblaster, which is also American in origin but is common in the UK.

boondocks 

(also the boonies) rough country; a very rural location or town; backwoods; the "sticks". Sometimes refers to rough, poor neighborhoods in a city. From Tagalog.

boondoggle 

slang term for a scheme that wastes time and money; also scoubidou, a knotting and plaiting craft

Botts' dot 

see raised pavement marker (UK & US: cat's eye)

breadbox 

a box for keeping bread (UK: usually bread bin)

breastpin^{[citation needed]}

(UK & US: brooch)

broil 

to cook food with high heat with the heat applied directly to the food from above (UK: grill) [DM].

brownstone 

a type of residential building found in Boston, New York City, and other large cities

bullhorn 

a megaphone, sometimes used to refer to a portable airhorn

burglarize 

to carry out a burglary (UK: burgle; burgle is very rare in US, and burglarize virtually nonexistent in UK)

busboy 

junior restaurant worker assisting waiting staff, table clearer, water pourer etc.

busyness 

hustle and bustle

butte 

an isolated hill with steep sides and a small flat top

C

caboose 

a train car attached usually to the rear mainly for the crew's use (UK: guard's van' or brake van'); also (colloquial) the buttocks

Canadian bacon 

Back bacon (bacon made from center-cut boneless pork loin). Also ham, usually pressed and sliced like bacon.

candy apple*, candied apple 

toffee apple

canola 

a type of rapeseed which produces an edible oil (originally a trademark)

careen 

(of a vehicle) to travel fast and out of control, usually swerving or cornering (UK: career)

carhop 

someone serving food at a drive-in, often on rollerskates

catercorner 

(or catercornered, catacorner, kitty-corner, catty-corner, etc.) (adverb) diagonally, diagonally opposite ("The house looks catercorner to mine"). Cater corner is the original form (from the French quatre and English corner = four + corner), but the forms kitty corner and catty corner (folk etymology) are usual in speech, the latter especially in the North and West, while the former in the Midland and South. Sometimes (dialectal, regional) also kitty/catty wampus/wumpus (unclearly derived), which can also mean "awry".

catsup 

alternative spelling of ketchup that rarely sees use in the UK.

cell phone *

(short for cellular telephone) a portable telephone; UK: mobile phone, often abbreviated to mobile

central air 

central air conditioning

certified mail 

recorded delivery

ChapStick *

(trademark, sometimes used generically) a lip balm - trademark Lypsyl is common (UK: Lip Balm *)

checkers 

a popular board game (UK: draughts)

charge account 

in a store or shop (UK: credit account)

checking account 

the type of bank account used for drawing checks; distinguished from savings account. (UK: current account or cheque account)

cilantro 

coriander leaf, while in the US, coriander refers only to the seed^{[citation needed]}.

cleats

in the context of field sports, athletic shoes with studded soles used for football or soccer (UK: Football boots, rugby boots)

conniption (fit) 

(slang) temper tantrum.

cookout 

informal meal cooked and eaten outdoors, a cross between a picnic and a barbecue or a cooking competition taking place outdoors

co-ed, coed 

female student at a coeducational college (e.g., "He saw the party as an opportunity to meet co-eds."); any group of people with members from both genders (e.g., "My soccer team is co-ed.")

comfort station 

a public toilet

condo 

colloquially, any owned (as opposed to rented) apartment (UK: flat); more strictly such an apartment or house with common areas controlled by and charged for by a homeowner association; short for condominium (England and Wales: commonhold)

copacetic 

fine and dandy; good; well; A-OK; cool. Creole, perhaps from the French "Comme c'est sympathique"

cooties 

fictional disease, a term used by children (UK: germs, lurgy); also a term for lice

costume party 

party where costumes are worn (UK: fancy-dress party)

cotton candy 

spun sugar often sold at fairs (UK: candy floss)

counterclockwise 

(UK: anti-clockwise)

coveralls 

a one-piece outer protective garment (UK: overall, boiler suit)

cremains 

the remains of a dead body after cremation (UK: remains, ashes * )

critter 

(informal) a creature; an animal (as a horse in the South or a bull in the North); often used jocularly (as in "congresscritter", a congressperson); sometimes a term of endearment

crapshoot 

risky and uncertain venture; from craps, a dice game

D

deplane 

to disembark from an aeroplane

derby 

(pronounced as spelt) historically, a hat worn by men (UK: bowler)

diaper 

An absorbent undergarment (UK: nappy)

dime 

a 10-cent coin. Derived from the French word disme (the original spelling), meaning a tenth part or tithe, and ultimately from the Latin decima. Five-and-dime, dime store, a store selling cheap merchandise; a dime a dozen, so abundant as to be worth little; on a dime, (slang) ten dollars, in a small space ("turn on a dime") or immediately ("stop on a dime"); nickel-and-dime, originally an adjective meaning "involving small amounts of money" and then "insignificant", also a verb meaning "to rip-off by many seemingly insignificant charges". (The nickel [DM] is the 5-cent coin.) In Britain, the old sixpence, a small coin of a comparable size and value, was formerly used in similar expressions before a decimal currency was introduced in 1971.

direct deposit 

a method of payment by bank transfer, similar to European giro, almost exclusively used for deposits of pay checks or government benefits

discombobulated

to be confused or disconcerted; (UK and US: discomposed)

dishrag 

a cloth for washing dishes (UK and US: dishcloth)

dishwashing liquid 

a liquid soap used for washing dishes (dishsoap) (UK "washing-up liquid")

dish towel 

a towel for drying dishes (UK: tea towel)

district attorney

state or city public prosecutor (UK: Crown Prosecutor (England & Wales); Procurator Fiscal (Scotland) )

divided highway 

a road with a highway median/central reservation (UK) (UK: dual carriageway)

docent 

a university lecturer; also a volunteer guide in a museum or similar institution

doohickey 

word used for an unknown item. Also a slang term for a penis. (a thingamajig, thingamabob, or just a thingy) (UK: wotsit)

douche 

device for rinsing the vagina or anus; also douchebag* is used as an insult

downspout 

pipe for carrying rainwater from a gutter to the ground (UK & US: drainpipe)

downtown* 

(noun, adv., adj.) (in, to, toward, or related to) either the lower section or the business center of a city or town—(used in UK but more common expression would be city centre or CBD); (noun) in basketball, far from the basket (as outside the three-point line)—used of a shot; (adj., adv., noun) a euphemism to describe oral sex, the act of performing oral sex, or to refer to genitalia

drape 

(UK and US: curtain)

driver license, driver's license 

(UK: driving licence)

drugstore 

a pharmacy, or a store selling candy, magazines, etc. along with medicines (UK approx.: chemist or "corner shop" [DM])

druthers 

preference of one thing over another derived from a contraction of "I would rather" or "I'd rather" (e.g., "if I had my druthers, I'd...")

drywall 

gypsum board, plasterboard, or any process that builds interior walls without the use of water (UK: plasterboard)

dude 

A male or a farm hand at a horse ranch. Americans often use this as the combined equivalent of the British usage of "mate" and "bloke", or, even closer, as the equivalent of Caribbean "man/mon" from its use in California English.

Dumpster 

(trademark: might be becoming genericized) large trash receptacle (UK approx.: skip [DM]); to dumpster-dive, to rummage through a Dumpster

duplex 

(UK: semi-detached house)

dweeb 

a boring, studious or socially inept person (a nerd, a geek or a "drip" an old-fashioned mild pejorative for someone exceptionally eccentric or lacking in social skills)

E

eggplant 

the plant Solanum melongena (UK: aubergine); "eggplant" is common in the Commonwealth outside the United Kingdom.

Elephant ear 

Deep fried dough covered with cinnamon-sugar. Commonly found at fairs and carnivals. : (UK: "Beaver Tail")

elevator 

(UK: lift)

emergency brake 

brake in motor vehicle operated by a lever used to keep it stationary. Also referred to as an "E-brake". (UK and US: handbrake)

eminent domain 

the power of the government to take private property for public use (similar to UK compulsory purchase)

English muffin 

(UK: "muffin", "hot muffin") (for more, see article)

envision 

to Envisage

eraser 

(UK: rubber [DM])

expiration 

As in expiration date (UK: expiry)

expressway 

a type of limited-access road (UK "motorway")

exurb 

the ring of prosperous rural communities beyond the suburbs, see commuter town

F

fanny pack 

pouch-like bag that ties or snaps around the wearer's waist (UK: bum bag). In the UK 'fanny' is a term for vulva and thus this word could cause offence.

faucet 

water outlet (UK and US: tap [DM])

feedlot *

animal feeding operation used for finishing livestock, notably beef cattle, prior to slaughter

flack 

a publicist or press agent; sometimes also an alternate spelling of flak "negative commentary", which is used in the UK. Although flack "press agent" was first recorded just one year after flak "Flugabwehrkanone", the two are likely unrelated.

flashlight 

portable battery-powered electric lamp (UK: torch)

flatware 

knives, spoons, and forks (as opposed to holloware); (UK usually cutlery [DM], although flatware is used in the UK antiques trade as a specialist word)

freeway 

(see article) (UK motorway)

French press 

Device for making coffee (UK: cafetière)

freshman 

a first-year student in college or high school (fresher in UK)

French fries (or fries) 

pieces of potato that have been deep-fried. Originates from Belgian style of cooking potatoes (UK chips: e.g., fish and chips or pie and chips)

frosting 

A confection applied to cakes (US and UK: icing)

front desk 

(UK: Reception * )

G

garbage 

(UK: rubbish)

garbage can; waste basket 

(UK: rubbish bin or simply bin, as in "Put the rubbish in the bin.")

gasoline 

(esp. in the past also spelled gasolene; abbreviated gas) (UK: petrol)

gee-whiz 

as an interjection, a euphemism for "Jesus"; as an adjective, denotes something characterized by or meant to cause excitement or sensation ("gee-whiz technology"; "a gee-whiz attitude")

general delivery 

(UK: poste restante)

get-go (git-go) 

the very beginning (of something)

green thumb 

(UK: green fingers)

grifter *

a con artist, transient swindler, or professional gambler (US and UK: con man); also grift can mean an act of thievery or trickery

gotten 

Archaic form of "got" in most of the UK.

grits 

A maize (sweetcorn) porridge common in the southern U.S. and relatively unknown in the UK

ground beef 

(UK) minced beef, or just mince

grunt 

Slang for infantryman : (UK: squaddie)

H

half bath 

a bathroom [DM] that lacks a shower or bathtub (i.e., a bathroom which lacks a place to actually bathe.) Equivalent to a British W.C. or Cloakroom

hard candy 

(UK : Boiled Sweets)

heavy cream 

double cream (UK)

hickey 

a bruise on one's skin resulting from kissing or sucking; (UK: love bite * )

highball 

(see article)

ho 

The word "whore", synonymous with tramp (harlot) or slut and often used as an insult. The spelling is associated with African-American English, though it does no more than reflect a non-Rhotic pronunciation of the standard word, similar to what can be heard in Boston ("haw" or "ho-wuh") or Australia.

hobo 

tramp (BrE); subculture of wandering homeless people,[1] particularly those who make a habit of hopping freight trains. Becoming more popular in the UK

hominy 

processed maize, see also grits

hood 

engine compartment cover of front-engine automobile (UK: bonnet)

play hooky 

to play truant from school; to cut class (UK also: skive, bunk off or playing wag or wagging off or mooching)

horseback riding 

simply "riding" or horse riding in the UK

howdy 

(short for how do you do) casual greeting that originated in the Southern States. (UK How do?)

hush puppy

a deep-fried pellet of cornmeal mush commonly eaten in southern America. (Non-existent in the UK, where "Hush Puppies" denotes the international brand of shoes of that name * .)

HVAC 

Heating + Ventilating (or Ventilation) + Air Conditioning (used in technical circles in the UK)

I

intimate apparel 

lingerie; used mainly in advertisements.

J

jack off, jerk off * 

(slang) to masturbate; UK usage would be "to wank". If used as a disparaging noun, as in "that guy is such a jackoff [or jerkoff]", the UK equivalent would be "that bloke is such a wanker (or a "tosser")". In this sense, sometimes written "jagoff". (It is generally not considered as vulgar or insulting as "wanker" is, however.) Can also mean to delay, stymie, thwart, or cause confusion, sometimes with the intent to defraud ("I've waited an hour to be served; they're jerking me off,"; "They say I never returned the car- I left it in the lot. I'm getting jerked off here.") In the latter sense, may also be "jerked around".

jackhammer

(UK: pneumatic drill)

Jane Doe 

See John Doe.

jeez 

minced oath for "Jesus", sometimes spelled geez

Jell-o 

(trademark) gelatin dessert (UK: jelly [DM])

jock 

(slang) one who is athletic, or dresses primarily in athletic clothing.

john 

(slang) a toilet (UK: "loo"); also, the client of a prostitute

johnson 

(slang) penis ( UK : "willy" )

John Doe 

unnamed defendant or victim (as in a lawsuit), or a person whose identity is unknown or is intended to be anonymous; also, an average man ; compare John Q. Public (UK equivalent is Joe Bloggs, or John Smith). The female equivalent is Jane Doe, or less frequently "Jane Roe" as in Roe v. Wade. Also Baby Doe.

John Hancock 

a signature (from the name of the President of the Second Continental Congress, who was the first signer of the United States Declaration of Independence and wrote his signature the largest) – "put your John Hancock here" (UK "put your moniker here"). "John Henry" is also seen, using Hancock as a perceived homophone of "Hank", a common nickname of Henry.

John Q. Public 

the common man, typical member of the general public. Also stated as Joe Public, Joe Blow, Joe Schmoe, Joe Six-Pack, Eddie Punchclock, or Joe Lunchbucket. (UK: Joe Bloggs)

K

kitty-corner, also catty-corner 

see catercorner

L

ladybug

a red, black-spotted beetle (UK: ladybird)

laundromat

a public place to wash laundry (UK: laundrette or launderette)

learner's permit 

a restricted license for a person learning to drive, who has not yet passed the necessary driver's test (rules vary from state to state); also called driver's permit (UK: provisional driving licence)

left field *

a source of unexpected or illogical questions, ideas, etc. ("that proposal came out of left field")

(the) Lower 48

used mainly by Alaskans, this is a colloquialism for the 48 Contiguous United States. The more general term Outside may be used for any part of US territory outside Alaska, such as Hawaii or Puerto Rico for instance.

license plate, license tag 

vehicle registration plate (UK: number plate)

lumber 

(UK "timber"); wood used for commercial purposes

lunch meat 

(UK "luncheon meat") thinly sliced meat meant for sandwiches

lye 

caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) or potassium hydroxide (archaic in UK)

M

mail carrier 

a person who delivers mail to residences and businesses; also letter carrier (UK & US: postman, postwoman, although the term "postal worker" is encouraged so as to remain gender-neutral.)

mailman 

see mail carrier

mailbox 

(UK: post box, letter box, pillar box)

mass transit 

(UK: public transport)

math 

mathematics (UK: maths).

maven 

expert, guru; from the Yiddish. In use, typically refers to a female.

midsize 

medium size

Miranda 

(Miranda warning) the warning (usually "You have the right to remain silent. If you give up that right, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law." etc.) given to criminal suspects before interrogation; (Miranda rights) the rights stated in the warning, as established in the United States Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona; hence mirandize, to recite the Miranda warning to (a criminal suspect). In the UK this is referred to as "reading rights" or "cautioned as to his rights" (not to be confused with a police caution).

mohawk 

a type of haircut (UK: mohican)

mama, mamma, momma 

mother (UK often: mum[my], mam, ma)

mom-and-pop 

single-family operated small business ("a mom-and-pop store") (UK and US: family business)

mono / mononucleosis 

(UK: Glandular fever)

mortician 

(UK & US: undertaker, funeral director)

moxie 

courage, daring, and energy as in "This guy's got moxie!" (from an advertisement for an American soft drink)

muffler 

part of an automobile's exhaust system, used for silencing engine noise (UK: silencer)

N

narc 

law enforcement narcotics agent; but 'to narc on' someone is to inform on them to an authority figure, used also as a noun labeling a person who does such. Also 'Grass' (UK and New Zealand) or 'Dobber' (Australia and most parts of the UK, except central Scotland where 'dobber' generally means 'penis').

New York minute 

(colloquial) quickly

nightcrawler 

earthworm or worm

nightstand 

encompassed by bedside table

nightstick 

historically, a police officer's weapon (UK: truncheon)

nix

cancel

non-profit 

In the United States, an organization that invests surplus income from its business activities to further its aims or mission statement, rather than return it to shareholders. There is a legal definition in the US (having 501(c) status), for which there is no direct equivalent in Britain. The term would include, but would not be restricted to all registered charities in Britain; for example, building societies would also be considered non-profits in the United States.

normalcy 

normality. Used, although not coined, by President Warren G. Harding ("a return to normalcy")

O

obligated 

(archaic in UK; UK and US: "obliged")

off-the-rack 

clothes bought straight from a store (UK: off-the-peg)

oftentimes *

often (archaic in Britain but colloquial in America, especially clause-initially)

ornery 

irritable, crotchety, cranky, troublemaking (from ordinary)

ouster 

ousting, overthrow ("the ouster of a regime"; "the ouster of the CEO")

overpass *

(UK and US: flyover)

P

pacifier 

(UK: dummy [DM], comforter [DM])

pantyhose 

(UK: tights, a term used for similar non-sheer garments in the U.S.; "pantyhose" refers only to sheer or semi-sheer nylon-based tights)

paper route 

a regular series of newspaper deliveries (UK: paper round)

parking garage 

multi-storey car park

parking lot 

a usually outside area for the parking of automobiles (UK: car park)

penitentiary 

prison; gaol/jail.

penny-ante 

(adj.) petty, insignificant—from penny ante, poker played for a very low ante

period 

punctuation mark at the end of a sentence (UK: full-stop)

plastic wrap 

polymer material for sealing food items (UK: cling-film)

Plexiglas 

Trade name for Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), a transparent thermoplastic sometimes called "acrylic glass" (UK:Perspex)

plumber's butt or plumber's crack 

buttock cleavage, also called the working man's smile (UK: builder's bum, brickie's bum or builder's cleavage)

plushie, plush toy 

soft toy (UK: cuddly toy)

Popsicle 

A trademarked brand of frozen juice, or flavored ice on a stick. The term is widely used to describe all such confections without regard to brand. (UK: ice lolly)

powdered sugar 

(UK: icing sugar)

pre-authorized payment/withdrawal 

(UK: direct debit (variable amount)/standing order (fixed amount))

public holiday 

(UK: bank holiday, although public holiday is also used, more formally, when referring to New Year's Day, Good Friday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day). See Federal holiday

R

rad 

short for "radical", different or interesting, exceptional; synonym for cool

raincheck 

The metaphorical raincheck is used in the US to indicate that the person "taking the raincheck" regretfully cannot accept the current invitation but would like to be invited to a future event. Stores may "give a raincheck" when they have run out of an advertised item; this is usually a coupon to purchase the item later at the advertised price. In the UK the person "taking the raincheck" may attend an event, but is warning the host that there is a possibility that they may not be able to make it. Both usages are becoming more common in UK English, particularly amongst office workers.

railroad 

(UK: railway)

raised pavement marker 

commonly called reflector, Botts' dot or cat's eye (UK: cat's eye)

rappel 

to descend on a rope (UK: abseil)

Realtor (trademark)

member of the National Association of Realtors; as a genericized trademark, any real estate broker or real estate agent (UK: estate agent)

recision 

a cancellation ("This bill would authorize the recision of the adult day health care license"). Now rare in the UK; a different word from rescission

restroom 

a toilet, particularly a public one.

RIF, RIF'd 

abbreviation for Reduction In Force; i.e. to be honorably discharged from employment (UK: redundancy, made redundant, laid-off, paid-off)

roil 

to render muddy by stirring up the dregs of; as, to roil wine, cider, etc., in casks or bottles; to roil a spring; also, to disquiet or disturb (also rile in the sense of "to anger", riled up for "angry")

roustabout 

an unskilled laborer, especially at an oil field, at a circus, or on a ship. Used in the oil industry in the UK.

rowhouse 

(UK: terraced house)

Rube Goldberg 

Absurdly complex machine (see Heath Robinson).

rutabaga 

the turnip Brassica napus napobrassica (UK: swede)

RV (recreational vehicle) 

see article for usage of the terms RV, motor home, and the British camper [DM] and caravan [DM]

RV park 

(UK: caravan site or less usually caravan park)

S

Saran wrap 

(Saran is a trademark) plastic wrap. Increasingly genericized without regard to brand. (UK: cling film)

sawbuck 

sawhorse; also a ten dollar bill (so named because some designs incorporated the Roman number ten, or "X", which resembles a sawhorse).

scads 

great amounts of something

scallion *

also used in Ireland; also known as spring onion in Great Britain and the US

scalper 

ticket tout

Scotch Tape 

(trademark) sticky tape (UK: Sellotape [trademark])

scuttlebutt 

gossip, rumor; originally meant water fountain (UK: rumour)

sedan automobile 

(UK: saloon)

self-rising flour 

self-raising flour

semester 

term

shill *

A shill is a person who is supposed to appear like a member of the general public who usually attempts to lend credibility or excitement to a confidence scheme; e.g., a person who claims to have received benefit from snake oil. Recently popularized in the UK by eBay ("shill bidding" or bidding to drum up excitement with no intention of buying). The UK equivalent to a shill would be a "plant", from having someone "planted" in an audience or amongst bystanders. The term "plant" is equally used and understood in the United States.

shredded cheese 

grated cheese

shuck

the husk of an ear of corn (maize), an oyster shell, etc.; used in plural to mean something worthless or as an interjection ("shucks!"); (verb) to remove the shuck; also, to discard, get rid of, remove ("I shucked my coat")

shyster*

A lawyer or accountant of dubious ethical standards. This phrase commonly indicates a person with no ethical restraints. (From German Scheister)

sidewalk 

usually paved path for pedestrian traffic, often constructed of concrete or less usually of stone (UK: pavement [DM], footpath [DM])

sidewalk superintendent 

someone spectating a construction or demolition job (UK: bystander [DM])

skim milk 

(UK: skimmed milk)

skosh 

a little bit. See also List of English words of Japanese origin

s'more 

(usually pl.) A camp fire treat consisting of a roasted marshmallow and a slab of chocolate sandwiched between two pieces of graham cracker. Contraction from "some more"

sneaker 

(usually pl.) a form of footwear, also called tennis shoe or "gym shoe"—see regional vocabularies of American English (UK: trainer, plimsoll, regional dap,pump, [DM])

snuck 

(colloquial Past Tense and Past Participle form of "Sneak" ) (US standard and UK: Sneaked)

soccer 

used in the UK but the sport is mainly known as "football" (or fully as association football)

soda fountain 

(see article)

soda pop 

(UK: soft drink [without CO2 e.g. orange juice], or fizzy/carbonated drink [with CO2 e.g. Coca-Cola])

sophomore 

a second-year college or high school student (Trinity College Dublin has sophister in this sense); (adj.) the second in a series (as in, an athlete's "sophomore season", a band's "sophomore album") From the Greek: Sophos - Wise; and Moros - Fool, Moron (UK: undergraduate has this extended sense)

specialty *

(UK: speciality, though specialty is used in law and medicine)

Spring break 

an extended holiday or party for students occurring during March and April (not known in the UK)

spyglass 

a telescope or set of lenses used to observe subjects at distance
(Once common in UK usage, but now only in dialect.)

station wagon 

automobile with extended rear cargo area (UK: estate (car))

steam shovel 

a large mechanical excavator (UK:digger or JCB )

steno (short for "stenographer") 

(UK: shorthand typist)

stickshift, stick 

(car with) manual transmission, as opposed to an automatic (UK and US: gear stick or gear lever for the stick; manual for the car)

stool pigeon, stoolie 

police informer (UK: grass) (From the use of captive birds as hunting decoys)

stoop 

A small porch, platform, or staircase leading to the entrance of a house or building. Chiefly Northeastern U.S.

stop light 

(UK and US: traffic light)

streetcar 

vehicle on rails for passenger transportation [DM] usually within a city; also called trolley [DM] or trolley car if electrically powered by means of a trolley (UK and US: tram)

strep throat 

a sore throat caused by Streptococcus

stroller 

vehicle for baby transportation featuring the child in a sitting position, usually facing forward (UK: pushchair, buggy [DM])

suck 

A phrase expressing distaste or disapproval. Slowly entering British slang.

SUV * 

Sport-Utility Vehicle. A 4×4 ("four by four") in the UK; in the US "4×4" usually refers to a four wheel drive pickup truck

sweatpants

(UK: track bottoms, tracksuit bottoms. Colloqially trackie bottoms or trackies)

T

taffy 

a type of chewy candy; see taffy (candy)

tailpipe 

exhaust pipe

takeout 

(UK: takeaway; Scotland & US also: carry-out)

teeter(-totter), teeterboard 

a seesaw

telecast 

to broadcast by television

teleprompter 

(see article) (UK: compare autocue)

thru* 

Through. An abbreviation mostly used in the fast food industry, as in Drive Thru. Also used in traffic signs ("Thru Traffic Keep Left"; i.e., traffic that is continuing through an interchange rather than exiting should keep to the left) and occasionally road names ("New York State Thruway") and sometimes in newspaper headlines. Absolutely not considered acceptable spelling in other contexts. Seen in the UK at McDonalds, Burger King etc.

thumbtack 

short nail or pin with a large, rounded metal head (UK: drawing pin)

track and field meeting * (track meet)

(UK usually athletics meeting [DM]); see also track [DM]

trackless trolley 

a trolleybus; see trolley in [DM]

trash 

rubbish, waste. See also 'garbage'

trashcan 

(UK: dustbin, rubbish bin)

travel trailer 

caravan

trunk 

storage space usually over rear wheels of an automobile (UK: boot)

turn signal 

direction-indicator lights (UK usually indicators; US and UK also blinkers [DM])

two-bits 

literally, worth 25 cents or a quarter (a bit is an eighth of a dollar); figuratively, worth very little, insignificant (informal). In UK the phrase "two bob"' exists although this far more common in London and the south-east. Likewise mickey mouse.

two cents, two cents' worth

an opinion, a piece of one's mind (as in, "I'm gonna go down there and give him my two cents") - (UK similar: two pence, two penneth, two penn'orth or tuppence worth)

U

undershirt 

an upper undergarment with no collar, and with short or no sleeves, worn next to the skin under a shirt (UK: vest [DM], semmit in Scotland and Northern Ireland )

upscale 

relating to goods targeted at high-income consumers (UK: upmarket)

uptown 

(noun, adj., adv.) (in, to, toward, or related to) either the upper section or the residential district of a city; e.g., in Manhattan, New York City the term refers to the northern end of Manhattan, generally speaking, north of 59th Street; see also Uptown, Minneapolis; Uptown, Chicago; Uptown New Orleans; compare downtown. Often has implications of being a desirable or upscale neighborhood. However, in Butte, Montana and Charlotte, North Carolina, "Uptown" refers to what would be called "downtown" in most other cities.

V

vacationer 

someone taking a vacation [DM] (UK: holidaymaker)

vacay 

informal shortening of vacation (comparable to UK hols)

variety meats

offal (UK: sweetbreads)

varmint or varmit 

(UK: vermin)

W

washcloth 

(UK: flannel, UK often & US less frequently facecloth; US less frequently also washrag)

washrag 

See washcloth.

wastebasket 

synonym for trash can, especially one intended for light waste (UK: dustbin; wastepaper basket is an interior object for waste from each room.)

weatherization* 

weatherproofing of buildings, occasionally used in the UK but would be spelled weatherisation

windshield

the front window of an automobile (UK: windscreen)

wiseguy

a mobster; also smartass (e.g., "hey, wiseguy…") (UK and decreasingly in US: a "know-it-all")

woodsy 

abundant in trees, suggestive of woods; woody, wooded

Y

y'all  

(regional — Southern American, African-American, and Appalachian) contraction of You all, used as second-person dual or plural pronoun. (e.g., "Hey, are y'all coming to the dance?") Also all y'all, comparable in meaning and register to north-English, Northern Irish and Scottish "youse, yous".

yellow light 

as in the color at a stoplight (q.v.) or traffic lights. In the UK, this is referred to as an amber light (though railway signals are a different shade, and are referred to as yellow, not amber). In the UK, the red and amber light together immediately in advance of the green (giving a light sequence of 1. red, 2. red and amber (together), 3. green, 4. amber (alone), 5. red). In some places in the USA, pressing the walk button activates a combination of red and yellow lights for stopped traffic, especially when no "walk signal" specifically for a pedestrian's viewing is present as part of the traffic signals.

yinz, yunz, you'uns 

(Western Pennsylvania, especially Pittsburgh) plural you; derived from you ones. Likewise youse in New York City.

Z

zinger 

a witty, often caustic remark; something supposed to cause surprise or shock

ZIP code 

(for Zone Improvement Plan) the postal code used by the United States Postal Service composed of 5 digits as in 90210, sometimes a suffix of 4 digits after a hyphen is used. (UK equivalent: postcode or post code or rarely postal code)

zipper * 

(UK usually zip [DM])

zucchini 

the plant Cucurbita pepo, also zucchini squash. (UK: courgette)

See also

• List of words having different meanings in British and American English: A–L
• List of words having different meanings in British and American English: M–Z
• List of British words not widely used in the United States

External links

• T(h)om*s Lexicon : The American-British dictionary