List of words having different meanings in British and American English

An incomplete 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 Britishisms 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.

Many American phrases and meanings are now used and/or understood in the UK, thanks to the ubiquity of US-made movies and television programmes.

When adding words or meanings to this list, please follow the notations used in existing entries as much as possible.

A

a type of bet (US: parlay) (n.) an alternative *; a substitute

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
accommodation	lodgings (as for travellers) (US: accommodations) retains older usage	something supplied; a compromise; a loan see also accommodation (eye)	(esp. in the past) a local public conveyance, esp. a train (accommodations) see aside see also accommodation (law)
accumulator	rechargeable battery (archaic) (US: storage battery)	one that accumulates, as a type of computer processor register or a hydraulic accumulator
ace	good, OK, excellent (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)
advocate	Scottish lawyer who appears in higher courts (rest of UK: barrister)	to support or speak for a particular position someone who supports and/or speaks for a particular position generic term for a lawyer
agree	to arrange, decide, settle on ("we agreed the terms")	to assent, to acquiesce; to fit or go together
à la mode		according to the fashion	with ice-cream unclear
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")
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		device for mooring ships by providing a firm fix to the seabed	news anchor, news presenter
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)
anymore (adverb)	(usu. spelled any more)	any longer	nowadays ("People are crazy anymore") (also Hiberno-English) (often considered incorrect)
apartment	suite of rooms set aside for a particular person (rare)		self-contained housing unit, usu. rented * (implies luxury in UK; UK usu. flat) -- cf. s.v. condominium
appropriate (verb), appropriation (noun)	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 (UK: oriental)
ass		donkey slow-witted or stupid person, often in combination (smart-ass)	(often vulgar) buttocks (UK: arse); also used to refer to an individual ("get your ass out there"; "work my ass off"); also (vulgar) anus (short for asshole) (vulgar) sex ("get some ass")
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
aubergine	the plant Solanum melongena (US: eggplant)	an eggplant-like colour (US also eggplant)
awesome		inspiring awe	great, "cool" * (largely used in the 1980s, recently revived; can have various connotations depending on context -- compare UK brilliant)
aye, ay	(adv.) yes * (esp. Scotland & North-East of England)	(n.) an affirmative vote ("all ayes") (interj., nautical) yes

B

2.an old fowl best cooked by boiling;
3. (derogatory) an ugly woman (usually in the phrase "old boiler")

2.a meal set out on a table, etc. for diners to serve themselves

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
baggage	uncomplimentary slang description of a wife: "the baggage"	in fig. senses ("cultural baggage") a slovenly woman or a prostitute (used by Shak.)	bags, suitcases etc. ;had somewhat faded from use in UK, while in US originated many compounds for concepts typically expressed with luggage in UK, such as ~ check, ~ carousel, ~ room (UK: left-luggage office), ~ car (UK: luggage van), ~ claim, carry-on ~ (UK: hand luggage), etc. Currently, baggage and luggage are mostly interchangeable in either dialect, although baggage seems to prevail in US and luggage in UK
band		loop of material, either decorative or as a fastening line of different colour or texture group of musicians range of radio frequencies, etc.	wedding ring (usu. as in wedding band)
bangs		small explosions or retorts	locks of hair on forehead (UK: fringe)
base		foundation, starting point; many meanings in sciences, architecture, politics, 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
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* has sink and toilet but no shower stall or bathtub; a 3/4 bath has 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 (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.)
beaver ^*	beard; a bearded man (archaic slang)	aquatic rodent known for building dams woman's undepilated external genitalia (obscene slang)	clitoris (slang)
bespoke	(esp. of apparel) made to the customer's specification (US: custom-made)	pret. of bespeak
bill	police (slang)	invoice; request for payment (also UK/US: cheque/check, tab)	a piece of paper money (UK: note)
billion	(traditionally) million million (10¹²) (US: trillion)	thousand million (10⁹) (now most common in both UK and US) (traditional UK: milliard) (see also Long and short scales)
bin	(or dustbin, rubbish bin, ashbin) waste container (US: trash can, ashcan, garbage can) (bread bin) container for storing bread (US: breadbox)	a usu. large receptacle or container for storage ("a grain bin"; "Scrooge McDuck's money bin")
bird	one's girlfriend or any young female (slang; getting rarer and considered derogatory by some) prison sentence (slang)	avian creature	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	(also Aus, NZ) 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)
blinder	excellent performance in a game or race (slang)		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	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 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: goddamned)	having, covered with or accompanied by blood	considered a euphemism for more emphatic swear words
bog	toilet (slightly vulgar slang) (bog off) go away (slightly vulgar slang, often jocular)	wetland that accumulates appreciable peat deposits
bogey	dried mucus usu. after extraction from the nose (US: booger) (informal)	the score of one over par in golf
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
bombardier	corporal in the Royal Artillery - see Bombardier (rank)		crewman in a bomber aircraft who aims and drops the bombs - see Bombardier (air force) (UK: bomb aimer)
bonk	act of sexual intercourse, or to have sexual intercourse (slightly vulgar slang) (US: boink)	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	mistake (slang)	woman's breast (slightly vulgar slang)	stupid person
boob tube	woman's shoulderless, strapless top (US: tube top)		(the boob tube) television (slang)
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)
bottle	courage ("he's got some bottle") (slang) (US: moxie) to cease to do something through fear ("he's bottled out", "he bottled it") (slang, probably from Cockney rhyming slang "bottle and glass" = "arse") to attack somebody with a broken bottle (slang)	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.png) see also box junction	rigid container	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
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)
brilliant	excellent (sometimes ironic)	very bright very intelligent
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		1.refreshment counter or bar;	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) (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) to engage in or someone who engages in zoophilia (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	buttocks (slang) (US: butt); hence bum bag (US: fanny pack) to engage in anal sex (vulgar slang)	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 race A method of marking someone's birthday. The person being bumped is held horizontally, face upwards, by all four limbs and projected up and down the same number of times as they are years old. Unkind celebrants allow the victim to hit both the floor and the ceiling.	a set of small protuberences
bureau	a type of writing table	a public office or government agency	a type of chest of drawers
burn (n.)	narrow river, stream (Scotland and Northern England) (US & Aus: 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	slaughterhouse, abattoir	a cruel massacre a butcher's trade	a botch
butt		(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		vulture

C

any of various cereal plants or grains (US usu.: grain), also in combination (e.g. cornfield, a field of any cereal)
(see also US)

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
call box	telephone booth (UK also telephone box)		roadside emergency telephone
call for		to require	to predict or anticipate ("The forecast calls for rain") ^*
campsite	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	(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)
canfield	a patience (solitaire) card game (US: Klondike)		a patience (solitaire) card game (UK: Demon)
car	railway vehicle, only in combination (e.g. "restaurant car") (archaic) street tramway vehicle	motorcar (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	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		the days just preceding Lent comic good times marked by special events	a travelling circus or fair (UK: funfair) comprising amusement rides
carriage (vehicle)	railway coach (q.v.) designed for the conveyance of passengers	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 (esp. Southern New England) shopping cart (UK: trolley)
carry-on, carryon	(colloquial) carrying-on, unruly behaviour		luggage that can be carried aboard an aircraft, bus, or train
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)
casket		a small box, as for jewels (perh. dated)	a type of coffin
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
catch up (trans. v.)	to reach and overtake; to catch up with ("he jogged after her and caught her up")	to entrap or enthrall to fill in, to give information to
chaps ^*	men and/or boys (but increasingly used for people of either sex; in the singular it still almost exclusively refers to a male) (US: guys) one's friends ("the chaps") (US: 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)
check		examine for a particular purpose a pattern of coloured squares	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) document used to pay from a bank account (UK: cheque) request for payment, especially at a restaurant; bill
checker		one that checks (e.g. an inspector)	a store or shop cashier (checkers) a popular board game (UK: draughts)
cheers (interjection)	said to express gratitude in southern England (Midlands and North use ta, also used in South), or on parting (slang)	used as a toast or valediction
chemist	pharmacist, pharmacy (US similar: druggist, drugstore)	student or researcher of chemistry
chips	french fries, although usu. thicker cut than American fries	microchips (see integrated circuit, microprocessor)	thin slices of fried potato* (UK: crisps) French fries, only in phrase fish and chips
chippie, chippy	carpenter (slang); fish-and-chip shop (slang) (Scot, Ire: chipper)		loose woman (very rare slang); the N.American bird Chipping Sparrow
chum	A popular brand of canned dog food (officially Pedigree Chum)	friend (sometimes ironic)	waste products from fish processing (heads, tails, blood etc.) often used for shark fishing
cider	fermented alcoholic drink made from apples (US: hard cider)		a kind of apple juice
Cinderella (sports)	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
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-like vehicle, chartered or used for longer journeys * tutor, usu. private, who prepares pupils for examinations * railway carriage *	enclosed horse-drawn passenger carriage sports trainer	extra-curricular sports teacher at a school (UK: PE teacher) lowest class on a passenger aircraft
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
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	(n.) a male bird; esp., an adult male chicken (US oftenest rooster) (n.) 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
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") 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
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
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	road construction and maintenance work; roadwork ("a construction area/zone") (UK: roadworks)
cooker	appliance for cooking food (US: cookstove, stove, range); see also AGA cooker	one that cooks ("a pressure cooker")
cookie	a bun (Scotland)	a 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
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	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	Indian corn (UK usu.: maize or sweetcorn); hence cornfield, cornstarch (UK: corn flour), corn bread, cornball, cornblade, etc. something corny , hence cornball*
cot	baby's cradle; 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
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)	poor, uneducated, bigoted 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 (UK: rill, burn; Eng. & New Eng.: brook; US also 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
cuffs		The ends of a garment's sleeves, furthest from the wearer.	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

dormitory car — railway sleeping car

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 *	prob. from the names of their resp. manufacturers; both old-fashioned	a type of couch, often convertible into a bed
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 (police)	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
depot	a garage where buses or trams belonging to a particular company are stored and serviced when not in use	a storehouse or depository; a location for the storage of military or naval supplies	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
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, traditionally 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	earth, soil * incriminating evidence ("we've got the dirt on him now")
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)
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.) large sleeping-room with many beds,* typically in a boarding school ("a sleeping dormitory"; usu. abbreviated to dorm) (n. or usu. adj.) (part of) a town where commuters live, usually dormitory town (US: bedroom or bedroom community)		building with many small private rooms, as for housing the students of a college (UK: hall(s) of residence, hostel)
drape		(v.) to hang limply	(n., usu. pl.) curtain
draw (n.)	cannabis (slang)	an act of drawing, or something drawn a 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)
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)
dungarees		sturdy protective bib trousers (cf. s.v. overall)	(slightly dated) jeans (blue denim jeans)
dummy	rubber teat for babies (US: pacifier)	mannequin, especially for automobile crash tests fake, usu. legal idiot (slang)
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)
engineer		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) right of entry		main course of a meal
estate	any defined area of real property, as in 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

F

A musical interval (also short frock) indoor garment for children and young girls *
a woman's dress or gown (dated) (also frock coat) a style of gentleman's jacket or coat, cut at knee length, usually worn as an outer garment.

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 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)	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		descend or tumble	autumn
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 murder (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 set or arrange (as a date) ("A time has been fixed")	to make firm, fasten, or attach to repair (orig. US) to sterilise (an animal)	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) ("I'll fix you, you bastard") (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 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: fly-by or flypast) higher-level road bridge that goes above both a lower bridge and a road below the lower bridge
football	association football (US: soccer)		American football
fourth		next after third (e.g. the fourth person, fourth floor)	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
frock	(or smock-frock) outer garment formerly common in rural Europe, see also overall	habit of monks and friars
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) ("Expect full stops in construction areas")
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	vehicle repair shop 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)
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 derog.)
give way	to give the right of way (to vehicles, pedestrians, etc.); hence give way sign (US: yield 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		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
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")	(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 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.)	to finish university with a degree		to finish studying at any educational institution by passing relevant examinations
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)
grill	cook directly under a dry heat source (US: broil)		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: conductor, which is also used in the UK)	to watch over for security one who guards a protective device	military division used to help the country after a disaster
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 per cent
halfway house	a place where victims of child abuse, orphans or teenage runaways can stay, a shelter	drug rehabilitation or sex offender centre
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)
hire	to rent * (as a car); rental (hire purchase) a purchase carried out over time by making regular payments (US: installment plan)		to employ, recruit *; a person who is recruited
hob	the flat top surface of a cooking stove (US: cooktop) a part of a fireplace an elf	trouble ("raising hob")
hock	a German wine ("down their four-and-twenty throats went four-and-twenty imperial pints of such rare old hock"--Charles Dickens) (US: Rhine wine) Hock tide, an ancient holiday	hock (zoology)	pawn (n. & v.) ("I can borrow a dime from the barber, an' I got enough junk to hock for a blowout"--Jack London); prison (both from Dutch) * the end of a smoked ham *
hockey	hockey played with a ball on grass (field hockey) *	hockey played on a hard surface (e.g. concrete) or indoors	hockey played on ice with a puck (ice hockey) *
hog		to take more than one's fair share of something (road hog) motorist who holds up other traffic by driving slowly or out of lane; any bad driver	adult pig motorcycle, especially a large one such as a Harley-Davidson
hole-in-the-wall	automatic teller machine, cash machine (informal)		a small, out-of-the-way place (as a restaurant)
holiday	see Bank Holiday (often pl.) time taken off from work, school, etc., including the period between school terms (US: break, vacation) recreational trip away from home (US: vacation)	day when people are generally exempt from work, school, etc.	see Federal holiday (the Holidays) the days comprising Christmas and New Year's Day (and Hanukkah), and often also Thanksgiving (used esp. in the phrase "happy Holidays")
homely	(Of a house) comfortable, cozy, rustic (US: homey) (Of a person) home-loving, domesticated, house-proud		(Only used of a person) plain, ugly
home run	final part of a distance, final effort needed to finish (US: homestretch)	a success (from baseball)	(also homer) a four-base hit in baseball (slang) sexual intercourse; more s.v. base
hood	the folding fabric top on a convertible car (US: convertible top) component of academic regalia	head covering forming part of a garment	hinged cover over the engine in a car (UK: bonnet) a contraction of neighborhood short for hoodlum, a tough, destructive young man, or generically any criminal
hooker	in rugby union, the player position in the centre front of the scrum		prostitute (informal) *
hooter	steam whistle or siren in a factory or other large workplace sounded as a signal for beginning or ceasing work car horn nose		(hooters) breasts (vulgar slang)
horny (slang)	sexually attractive	sexually excited	craving sexual satisfaction
hump	a state of depression (dated) ("to be in a hump") a state of annoyance ("to get the hump") a traffic calming tool ("a speed hump") * (US & UK: ''speed bump)	a rounded mass sticking out from its surroundings (v., vulgar slang) engage in sexual intercourse see also rail terminology	(n. & v.) (to make) a vigorous effort ("hump yourself", "to get a hump on") (n.) a mountain barrier to be crossed (as by air)

I

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
icebox		cabinet containing ice for food refrigeration	refrigerator
ice pick		ice axe, a tool with a pointed end used by rock- and mountain-climbers for splitting ice	small awl-like tool for breaking ice into small pieces for drinks
immediately	(conj., informal) as soon as ("I await your call immediately you get this message")	(adv.) directly; in no time
indicator	direction-indicator light on a vehicle (US: turn signal)	one that indicates
inspector (police)	lowest supervisory rank above sergeant (rough US equivalent: lieutenant)		senior rank in some police departments (rough UK equivalent: superintendent)
intern		(v.) to confine (as during a war, or to a hospital) (adj., archaic) internal	(n.) one (as a graduate or college student) temporarily employed for practical training, e.g. in the science, engineering, or technology fields; esp., in the medical field, a physician (rough UK equivalent: houseman) in their first year of postgraduate training (v.) to work as an intern
interval	break between two performances or sessions, as in theatre (US: intermission)	a gap in space or time; see interval (music), interval (mathematics), interval (time)	(esp. New England, also spelled intervale) low-lying land, as near a river (US also bottomland)
inventory		itemisation of goods or objects (of an estate, in a building, etc.)	the stock of an item on hand in a store or shop the process of producing an inventory in a store or shop (UK: stocktaking)
IRA	Irish Republican Army here to reflect common usage		Individual Retirement Account

J

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
jam	a preserve made from fruits boiled in sugar and set with pectin (US: jelly), especially including the seeds of the fruit	traffic hold-up	certain kinds of fruit preserve, especially the kinds with pieces of fruit left in: strawberry jam, but grape jelly
jelly	a fruit flavoured dessert set with gelatin (US: Jell-O (trademark), gelatin dessert (generic)); strained jam without seeds ('redcurrant jelly')		a preserve made from the liquid of fruits boiled in sugar and set with pectin, without pieces of fruit
jock	slang term for a Scotsman or a Highland Terrier (Scottie)		slang term for an athlete slang term for the undergarment called an athletic supporter or jock strap
joint	piece of meat for carving * (slang) hand-rolled cigarette containing cannabis and tobacco	connection between two objects or bones an establishment, especially a disreputable one ("a gin joint"; "let's case the joint") (slang, orig. US)	(slang) hand-rolled cigarette containing only cannabis (slang) prison ("in the joint")
jolly	very (informal) (as in jolly good)	happy; jovial
jug	any container with a handle and a mouth or spout for liquid (US: pitcher)	(jugs) breasts (slang)	large container with a narrow mouth and handle for liquids (UK: pitcher)
jumper	sweater	jump shot in basketball	pinafore dress jump suit

K

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
kebab	commonly a döner kebab (sometimes doner or donner kebab), strips of meat (usu. lamb or chicken) cooked by being heated on a revolving device and served stuffed in a pita bread (In the US, the Greek varieties souvlaki or gyro are better known than the Turkish döner)	meat served on a skewer together with onions, tomatoes, etc. (e.g. shish kebab)
keeper	a curator a goalkeeper	one that keeps (as a gamekeeper or a warden)	a type of play in American football ("quarterback keeper")
kit	gear, uniform, equipment, wear ("football kit")	any of various sets of tools something (as a scale model) to be assembled	a group of person or objects ("the whole kit and (ca)boodle/biling")
knickers	panties		knickerbockers
knock up	to manufacture hastily to practice before tennis to wake up by knocking		to make pregnant * (slang, sometimes vulgar) to prepare quickly (as a meal) ("knock us up something to eat" -- L.M. Alcott)

L

(n.) the act of renting; rented premises
(let out) to reveal

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
lay by (v.), lay-by (n.)	(n.) roadside parking or rest area for drivers	(v.) to lay aside to stow	(n.) a last cultivating in the growing of a crop (v.) to cultivate (a crop) for the last time
leader	newspaper editorial main violin in an orchestra (US: concertmaster) see also Leader of the Opposition	one who leads	a pipe for carrying water ("rain water leader")
lecturer	the entry-level academic rank at a university (below Senior Lecturer, Reader, and Professor)	someone who gives a lecture
lemonade	clear, carbonated, lemon-flavoured drink similar to Sprite and 7Up (lemon and lime flavoured)		non-carbonated drink made by mixing lemon juice, sugar, and water (UK: traditional lemonade)
let	to rent (as real property) * ("rooms to let")	allow, give permission. leave (as in let him be or let it be) ease (as in let up on the accelerator) indicate (as in don't let on) a first bad serve which is allowed to be retaken, as in tennis, table tennis, and volleyball	(let out) to end (of school, meetings, etc.)
levee	an early afternoon assembly held by the King or Queen, to which only men were admitted	a reception in honour of a particular person	an embankment on a river (as the Mississippi River) the steep bank of a river, or border of an irrigated field (esp. Southern & Western US) a landing place or quay
leverage		mechanical advantage of a lever	take advantage of a capability (business) the use of debt finance (UK: gearing) *
liberal (politics)	a person who generally supports the ideas of the UK Liberal Democrats, a centre left-party	a person who holds the political ideals of Liberalism.	a person who advocates modern liberalism; see American liberalism
life preserver	a type of weapon for self-defence (US: blackjack)		life vest, personal flotation device
lift (n.)	platform or cage moved vertically in a shaft to transport people and goods to various floors in a building (US: elevator)	ride as a passenger in a vehicle (as in, to give someone a lift) item placed in shoe to increase the height of the wearer, normally plural (lifts, elevator shoes)
line	(see also track)	a breadthless length	a queue a lie, short for a line of bull a phrase used for hitting on women, short for pickup line to hit a line drive (a hard straight shot) in baseball
liquor	the broth resulting from the prolonged cooking of meat or vegetables. Green liquor is traditionally served with pie and mash in the East End of London		a distilled beverage * (hard liquor) strongly alcoholic beverage; spirits (liquor store) retail establishment selling liquor (usu. for consumption off the premises) (UK similar: off-licence) ("I held up and robbed a hard liquor store" -- Paul Simon)
loaded (slang; of a person)		rich the state of a firearm with bullets or shells in its firing chamber.	drunk or high
lot	(the lot) the whole thing (US similar: the whole schmear or enchilada or ball of wax)	(a lot) a great deal a number of things (or, informal, people) taken collectively fate, fortune a prize in a lottery	a measured plot of land; a portion of land set for a particular purpose ("a building lot"), e.g. for parking ("parking lot") or selling ("used car lot") automotive vehicles a film studio
lounge	a room for relaxation and entertainment in a house (lounge bar) part of a pub	a room for relaxation in a public place	a bar
love (in addressing people)	informal term of address	beloved person, darling--often a term of endearment
lox		liquid oxygen (engineering)	salmon ("bagels & lox")
lugs (n.)	ears (lugholes)	a small projection (engineering)
lumber	(n.) disused items (as furniture); hence lumber room* (v.) to encumber (as with such items) ("I was lumbered with work")	(v.) to move awkwardly or heavily ("he lumbered out the door")	(n.) timber that has been sawed and (partly) prepared for construction or woodworking; hence lumberyard (UK: timberyard), lumber camp, lumberjack, lumberman, lumber wagon, lumber town, etc. (v.) to log and prepare timber to make a rolling sound (dated)
lush (slang; of a person)	attractive (usu. used by women in reference to men)		an alcoholic * especially female

M

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
mad	eccentric *	insane	enraged * very (slang)
mail	(used in Royal Mail, the name of the British postal system; cf. postal) (Scot.) a payment (tax, rent, etc.) (Scot.) a travelling bag or pack	(n.) the postal system of a nation letters, packages, etc. sent by post; as delivered to individual, orig. US, UK often post (n. & v.) email	(v.) send a letter (UK: post or send); noun originated mail carrier & mailman (UK: postman), mailbox (UK: postbox; letter box), mail slot, mail drop, etc.
mailbox (UK: mail box)		a file for storing electronic mail (or related computing or voicemail usage)	an item of street furniture serving as a receptacle for outgoing mail (UK: post box; letter box; pillar box); a receptacle for incoming paper mail (UK: letter box)
main line, mainline	a major railway line (as the West Coast Main Line); compare trunk	a major vein (as for drug injection purposes) (orig. 1930s US slang); also used as a v.	a railroad's primary track, or a primary artery, route, road, or connection Pennsylvania Main Line mainline Protestant churches
make out		to draw up, to seek to make it appear, to fabricate a story ("I had to make out that my car was stolen in order to get money back from the insurers"), etc.	to kiss (see Making out) (UK: to snog)
major	rank between captain and lieutenant-colonel in the British Army and Royal Marines	important or significant	(n.) a college/university student's main field of specialization ("his major is physics"); the student itself ("he is a physics major"); (v.) to pursue a major ("he majored in physics") (compare minor; UK: compare read) (n.) rank between captain and lieutenant colonel in the US Army, US Marine Corps, US Air Force and some police agencies
majority (politics)	the greatest number of votes difference of votes between first and second place (US: plurality)		more than half of all votes (UK: absolute majority)
marinara (sauce)	a sauce containing seafood, usu. in a tomato base		a sauce containing tomatoes and herbs, with no seafood or meat (UK: napolitana sauce)
marquee	large, open-sided tent installed outdoors for temporary functions *		signage placed over the entrance to a hotel, theatre, or cinema (attrib.) the ability (of a show) to draw audience, "box office" ("marquee value") a prominent celebrity or athlete ("marquee player")
mason	a worker in stone		a worker in brick or stone
mate	friend (US: pal) informal term of address ("hello mate")	animal's sexual partner	spouse or partner
mean (adj.)	stingy, miserly, selfish *	of inferior quality, contemptible occupying a middle position	unpleasant, unkind, vicious *
meet with		to face (as a situation), experience	to have a meeting with (as people) *
meter		measuring instrument, including electric meter, gas meter, etc.	the basic unit of length in the metric system * (UK usu.: metre)
mezzanine		intermediate floor between main floors of a building	lowest balcony in a theatre, or the first few rows of seats thereof
mid-Atlantic	in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, half-way between UK & US		middle of the Atlantic coast of the USA (exact definition of Mid-Atlantic States may vary)
Middle East	area of southwest Asia and northern Africa, stretching from the Mediterranean to Pakistan, in particular Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria		countries of SW Asia and northern Africa, usu. considered as including the countries extending from Libya on the west to Afghanistan on the east
military ^*	relating specifically to the British Army	relating to armed forces in general	(adj.) relating to any of the individual branches of the armed forces (n.) armed forces
minor	(in the past, in English public schools) used to denote the youngest of two or more pupils with the same surname ("Bloggs minor")	not very important see minor (law), minor (music)	(n.) secondary academic subject (compare major) ("has a major in biology and a minor in English"); (v.) to study as one's minor ("she minored in English") minor league
miss out	to omit	to lose a chance; usu. used with on
mobile (n.)	mobile phone (US: cell phone)	decorative structure suspended so as to turn freely in the air
mobile home	a mobile, non-motorised piece of equipment with living facilities; a caravan (q.v.)		a type of manufactured dwelling transported to the home site using wheels attached to the structure
momentarily		for a moment	in a moment; very soon
moot		(adj.) debatable ("a moot point") (v.) to bring up for debate (these meanings are fading from use in US English)	(adj.) irrelevant ("a moot point") (orig. legal, now in common use) (v.) to make irrelevant (incorrect/uneducated usage)
mortuary (n.)	building or room (as in a hospital) for the storage of human remains (US: morgue)		funeral home, funeral parlour
motorbike	a motorcycle		a lightweighted, small motorcycle
motor car, motorcar	(formal) a car (motor vehicle) (US: automobile)		a self-propelled railway vehicle
MP	member of parliament	Military police officer />[http://www.acronymfinder.com/af-query.asp?Acronym=MP other expansions
muffler		a scarf	device to silence an automobile (UK: silencer) or gramophone

N

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
napkin	nappy (q.v.), diaper (dated, not well known)	piece of material used to protect garments from spilled food or to remove food residues from around the mouth esp. US; alternative UK term serviette is obsolescent	(oftenest, sanitary napkin) absorbent piece of material worn by a woman while menstruating * (UK usu. sanitary towel)
nappy	folded cloth or other absorbent material drawn up between the legs and fastened around the waist, usu. worn by infants to counter incontinence (US: diaper)		twisted or kinked, considered insulting when applied to hair (also called napped)
nervy	nervous, fidgety *		bold, presumptuous
nick	prison or police station (slang) to steal (slang) to arrest (slang)	small cut
nickel		the metallic element (Ni)	5 cent coin
nonplussed		bewildered, unsure how to respond	unfazed (incorrect usage)
nor	neither ("'She didn't come.' 'Nor did he.'") (Scotland & Ireland) than ("someone better nor me")	and not, or (not) ("neither sad nor happy"; "he never eats, nor does he ever feel hungry")
notion		concept, conception, inclination	(pl.) small items and accessories, esp. for sewing (UK: haberdashery, q.v.); hence notion store, notion counter, etc.

O

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
office	(cap.) a government department ("Colonial Office", "Foreign and Commonwealth Office") (pl.) the outbuildings and dependencies of a dwelling (as an estate)	a place of business; a position or function a particular division of an administrative unit ("Patent Office")	the place where a physician or dentist practises (UK: surgery)
optician	(dispensing optician) professional who dispenses lenses and spectacles (ophthalmic optician) professional who tests eyes and prescribes lenses (US: optometrist)		professional who dispenses lenses and spectacles
outhouse		outbuilding	outdoor lavatory
outside lane	the part of the road nearest the vehicles going in the opposite direction, used especially by faster vehicles (US: inside lane)	(in both cases the term applies to the rightmost lane in the direction concerned)	the part of the road nearest the edge, used especially by slower-moving vehicles (UK: inside lane)
overall (n.)	loose-fitting protective outer garment (US: coverall)		(in pl.) sturdy protective bib trousers; dungarees

P

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
pacifier		something or somebody that brings peace	rubber teat for babies (UK: dummy)
pantomime	traditional Christmas time holiday theatre		silent acting, usu. without props, by mime artist
pants	underpants (also briefs or boxers) of poor quality (slang) (of a situation) bad, unfortunate (slang)		trousers*
paraffin	kerosene		a waxy fraction of petroleum commonly used to make candles (UK: paraffin wax)
paralytic	extremely drunk (slang)	relating to or affected by paralysis
park	a tract of ground kept in its natural state, about or adjacent to a residence, as for the preservation of game, for walking, riding, or the like (esp. Scotland) a pasture or field area for the parking of motor vehicles ("a car park") (sports) a soccer or rugby field see also country park	outdoor area for recreational uses ("Central Park", "Hyde Park") national park (orig. US)	any of various areas designated for certain purposes , such as amusement park, theme park, industrial park, trailer park, memorial park* (a cemetery) (sports) enclosed ground for ball games, oftenest the ballpark a level valley among the mountains (as the Rocky Mountains); also, an area of open grassland, or one for cultivation, esp. if among the woods
parking		the act of parking (a vehicle)	(regional) turf strip between sidewalk and street (many regional synonyms exist; there is no standard name)
parkway	a railway station with parking areas intended for commuters		generally, an open landscaped limited-access highway (q.v.) (see article) regional term for parking (q.v.)
pavement	a paved strip at the side of a road, reserved for pedestrians (US: sidewalk)		the road surface *
PC	police constable	politically correct personal computer other expansions
pecker	courage, pluck (slang, used in the phrase "keep your pecker up", remain cheerful)		penis (slang)
peckish	slightly hungry, snackish *		irritable or angry (rare)
pass out	to graduate	to become unconscious	to die * to distribute *
peg	(often clothes peg) a wooden or plastic device for fastening laundry on a clothesline (US: clothespin)	a cylindrical wooden, metal etc. object used to fasten or as a bearing between objects	a throw (as in baseball)
penny	(pl. pence, or, when referring to coins, pennies) 1/100 (formerly, 1/240) of the Pound Sterling here to reflect ordinary usage		(pl. pennies) a cent (esp. the coin)
period		section of time menstruation	punctuation mark used at the end of a sentence (interj.) used at the end of a statement to emphasise its finality * ("You are not going to that concert, period!") (UK: full stop for both senses)
pint	about 6/5 of US measure, 20 Imperial fluid ounces (19.2 US fl. oz.), 568 ml pint of beer, lager or cider ("Pour us a pint")		about 5/6 of British (Imperial) measure, 16 US fluid ounces (16.65 Imperial fl. oz), 473 ml
piss	(on the piss) drinking heavily, going out for the purpose of drinking heavily (to take the piss) to mock	urine (usu. vulgar) urinate (usu. vulgar)
pissed	intoxicated, drunk (often pissed as a newt)	urinated (usu. vulgar) (pissed off) angry, irritated	angry, irritated
pitch	outdoor site for a stall or some other business site for a tent (US: campsite) playing field for a particular sport (football pitch, rugby pitch, cricket pitch, etc.)	an attempt to persuade somebody to do something, usu. to accept a business proposal a sticky black substance obtained from tar the slope of a roof rotation on a lateral axis (as an aircraft or spacecraft) the frequency of a sound to erect a tent to discard (in various card games, e.g., bridge)	in baseball, the delivery of a baseball by a pitcher to a batter (slang) to have an erection (slang) to dispose
pitcher	large container with a handle and lip or spout for liquids, usu. water (US: jug)		any container with a handle and lip or spout for liquids (UK: jug) baseball player who pitches (throws) baseball towards the batter
pitman	a miner working in a pit	the man that stands in a pit when sawing timber (with another man standing above)	a connecting rod (as in a sawmill)
plaster	an adhesive bandage placed on a minor cut or scrape (UK also: sticking/sticky plaster, Elastoplast™; US: Band-aid™); a cast of plaster of Paris ("a leg in plaster")	a pastelike mixture that hardens when applied to walls and ceilings; plastered - drunk
point	(pl.) railway turnout * (US: switch) electrical socket ("a power point") (US: outlet) cape or promontory jutting into sea (full point) syn. with full stop (q.v.)	(see article)	piece of land jutting into any body of water, esp. a river ("points and bends"); a prominence or peak (of mountains, hills, rocks), also an extremity of woods or timber
pontoon	blackjack, twenty-one	a buoyant device
pop		a sharp explosive sound popular music carbonated soft drink (limited in US to Midwest and Western New York) (US also: soda, soda pop)	father (colloquial)
porter	doorman, gatekeeper, or building maintenance worker *	bearer of burdens a style of beer	railway sleeping car attendant
post (v.)	to send a letter * (US: mail)	to display on a noticeboard or bulletin board, Internet forum, etc.	to announce ("the company posted a first-quarter profit of $100 million") to inform ("keep me posted") *
postal		related to the paper mail system	(used in the name of the United States Postal Service; see mail) (to go postal) to commit a sudden, irrational burst of rage (slang)
pound sign		symbol of the Pound Sterling (£) (GBP)	number sign, octothorpe (#) (UK: hash sign)
precinct	a pedestrian zone in a city or town ("a shopping precinct")	a space enclosed (as by walls)	subdivision of a county, town, etc. for the purpose of conducting elections section of a city patrolled by a police unit; the police station in such a section
prep(aratory) school	(in England) fee-paying private junior school (which prepares pupils for public school)		fee-paying private senior school (which prepares pupils for university) (UK: public school or independent school)
pressman, presswoman	a journalist employed by a newspaper		one who operates a printing press
pressurise (UK), pressurize (US & UK)	insistently influence, or attempt to influence, someone else ("The manager pressurised his assistant to work late") (US & UK also: pressure)	subject a volume of gas or liquid to physical pressure, as the atmospheric pressure within an aircraft ("For the passengers' comfort, the airliner's cabin was pressurized 10,000 feet")
proctor	(see article)		an examination supervisor (UK: invigilator)
professor	holder of a chair in a university, the highest academic rank (the usual order being Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Reader, Professor)		academic faculty of all ranks: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and (Full) Professor (the latter being largely equivalent to the UK meaning)
project		a plan; a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product or service	publicly subsidised usu. low-income housing development---see public housing in the United States and Canada (UK: cf. s.v. estate)
prom	shortening of 'promenade concert', originally one of a series of concerts (The Proms) held as part of a classical music festival that takes place in the late summer based around the Royal Albert Hall in London, but now also used elsewhere shortening of 'promenade', a raised walk next to the beach in seaside resorts		dance/party held for pupils to celebrate the end of a school year/graduation *
public school	long-established and prestigious fee-paying independent school in England or Wales (note that not all private schools are classed as public schools) (US: prep school)		tax-supported school controlled by a local governmental authority (UK: state school) * (also in Scotland & Northern Ireland)
pud	short for pudding, especially in "Christmas pud" (rhymes with 'good')		slang term for penis (rhymes with 'mud')
pudding	dessert course of a meal a heavy dessert or main course (e.g. steak and kidney pudding), often suet-based used in the name of some other savoury dishes (e.g. black pudding, pease pudding)		a creamy dessert
pull	to persuade someone to be one's date or sex partner (slang) (on the pull) seeking a date or sex partner (slang)	to move something towards oneself	to carry out a task (esp. milit.) ("to pull guard duty")
pull off	(of a vehicle) to start moving	to succeed in a task
pump (shoe)	a regional name for a plimsoll	the word (of unknown origin) has variously denoted a pantofle, a low thin sole shoe, a formal men's shoe	usu. women's high(ish) heeled shoe (UK similar: court shoe)
punk		follower of Punk music	worthless person
purse	feminine money container or wallet (US: coin purse)		handbag
pylon	electricity pylon, part of an electric power transmission network * (US: mast or transmission tower)	A large architecural feature, usually found as one of a pair at the entrance to ancient Egyptian temples - see Pylon (architecture)	traffic cone support structure for suspension bridge or highway

Q

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
quart	liquid measure equal to 1.136 litres (6/5 of an American quart)		liquid measure equal to 0.946 litres (5/6 of a British quart)
quarter		one of four equal parts into which something is divided, as a quarter hour or, especially for financial purposes, a quarter of a year; in generic usage (as in fractions), US usu. fourth	25 cents (a fourth of a dollar)
quid	colloquial term for pound sterling (plural is quid also; in Ireland it can refer to the punt or Euro)	a measure (mouthful) of chewing tobacco
quite	to some extent or degree, e.g. in the phrase "quite good" meaning "mediocre, acceptable" or "good, well done" (ironic, according to subtle voice intonation)	to the fullest extent or degree ("All art is quite useless" -- Oscar Wilde) to a great extent or degree	(e.g. in the phrase "quite good" meaning "excellent")

R

a sequence or scale between limits
a place where shooting is practised
an area over which a species of animal or plant is found of an ordinary or medium size *
unmodified, especially non-dietary/sugar-free/fat-free *
non-decaffeinated coffee
lowest grade of gasoline (historically: leaded gasoline) a line of entries in a table, etc. (as opposed to a column)
an instance of rowing waterproof rain boot (UK: wellington)

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
railroad	tramway (obsolete)	(v.) to coerce to convict with undue haste or with insufficient evidence	see usage of the terms railroad and railway (v.) to work on the railroad to transport by railroad see also at underground
rambler	(the "walker" sense is particularly in use in UK, see Ramblers' Association)	one that rambles (as a hiker) a type of rose	a style of house, usu. a ranch house (see also Rambler (automobile), Nash Rambler)
range	(obs.) a type of cooker (q.v.), as that featured on the TV programme The 1900 House	a series of things in a line (as mountains)	a cooking stove with an oven and burners on the top surface an open area for the grazing of livestock a series of townships (q.v.), a Public Land Survey System unit of land east or west from a Principal Meridian
read	to study a subject at university ("he is reading physics") (roughly approximate US: major (in))	to peruse written material
reader	the second highest academic rank at a university, below professor (US equivalent: associate professor)	one who reads
receptionist	hotel reservation desk worker (US: clerk) see also concierge	front desk employee in business establishments, organisations, or hospitals
recess (time)		remission or suspension of business or procedure	pause between classes at school (UK: break, playtime)
redcap	a military police officer the bird goldfinch		a baggage porter (as at a train station)
redundant	laid off from employment, usu. because no longer needed ("The company made 100 workers redundant")	unnecessary; repetitive
regular		normal, customary following a uniform pattern in space or time (of a geometric shape) having equal sides and angles frequent one who frequents a place a full-time professional member of a military organisation (see Structure of the British Army and Regular Army)	of an ordinary kind; also, nice or agreeable ("a regular guy")
remit	(n.) set of responsibilities ("within my remit"; "to have a remit")	(v.) to defer; in law, to transfer a case to a lower court; to send money; to cancel
restroom	a room for staff to take their breaks in; a staffroom (US: breakroom)		a room in a public place, containing a toilet
review		to reassess, inspect, perform a subsequent reading to write a review	to study again (as in preparing for an examination) (UK: revise), hence review (n.)
revise	to study again (as in preparing for an examination) (US: review), hence revision	to inspect, amend, correct, improve written material (as publications)
ring (v.)	to call (someone) by telephone	to sound a bell	(ring up) to total up a customer's purchases on a cash register
rise (increase)	an increase in wages (US: raise)	an increase in amount, value, price, etc.
roommate		a person with whom one shares a bedroom	(also roomie) a person with whom one shares a house or apartment (UK: housemate or flatmate)
root (v.)	to have sex with (vulgar slang) (orig. Australian)	to fix; to rummage; to take root or grow roots	to cheer ("I will be rooting for you") *
rotary		a machine acting by rotation (cap.) organisation whose members comprise Rotary Clubs	a circular road intersection (US also traffic circle, UK usu. roundabout; see articles)
roundabout	a merry-go-round a circular road intersection * (US usu. traffic circle or rotary, q.v.)	a detour or circuitous path
row (n.)	a noisy quarrel *; a continual loud noise ("Who's making that row?") (rhymes with "cow")	a line of objects, often regularly spaced (as seats in a theatre, vegetable plants in a garden etc.)	a series of prison cells ("death row") a particular street or area of a town (as in skid row, dilapidated neighbourhood haunted by vagrants, misfits, etc.) a series of row houses (row house) town house, q.v.
rubber (countable noun)	pencil eraser	the duration of a match in certain games (e.g., bridge)	condom
run	(n.) a leisure drive or ride ("a run in the car")	(v.) senses orig. US and now common are: to be a candidate in an election (UK also stand); to manage or provide for (a business, a family, etc.); the idioms run scared, run into. More s.v. home run; see run for additional meanings	(v.) to propose (someone) as a candidate to drive past ("to run a red light") to hunt (as the buffalo or the deer) (n.) an instance of running for office a creek (q.v.)
run-in	the final part of a race; approach to something, also run-up (q.v.)		an argument or altercation *
rundown (n.)	a reduction (as of an establishment)	a detailed summary (orig. US slang)	a type of play in baseball
run-up	the period preceding an event (as an election) *	the act of running up	a sudden increase (as in price) (orig. Stock exchange) *

S

bar that serves only spirits and no food
a room in a house used for receiving guests; a salonto trade (as stocks) for quick profits

a short period of rain the symbol '/' (orig. US) (also virgule, solidus; UK also: oblique, stroke) chief law officer of a city, town, or government department all used with out:
to arrange or take care of (something) *
to solve an esp. difficult situation (also reflexive) *
(informal) to set (someone) straight, or to get even with (someone)
sport (squash (sport))*

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
saloon	closed automobile having two or (usu.) four doors, a front and rear seat and a separate boot/trunk (US: sedan) (saloon bar) posh bar within a pub or hotel passengers' lounge on a liner or luxury train (US approx.: parlor car)	officers' dining room on a merchant ship	bar, especially in the Wild West
scalp (v.)		to cut the scalp off; to take something away	to resell (as tickets) at higher prices (UK: tout)
scheme	official systematic plan (as of the government) ("a pension scheme")	a plan, often secret or devious; a plot ("criminal scheme")
school	place of primary or secondary education	grouping of departments or large department within a university faculty	any educational institution
scrappy	not neatly organised or poor	fragmentary	bellicose or fightingly determined
second (v.)	to transfer temporarily to alternative employment (rhymes with "beyond")	to endorse, support, or bring reinforcements
sedan		a chair or windowed cabin, carried by at least two porters in front and behind	a common car body style (UK: saloon, q.v.)
seeded (grapes, etc.)	with the seeds left in		having had the seeds removed (also seedless, used in UK)
semi	semi-detached house (US: duplex)		semi-truck, semi-trailer (UK: articulated lorry)
series (television)	a single batch of episodes of a television programme (US: season)		all of the episodes of a particular television program
set square	a triangular object used in technical drawing (US: triangle)		a T-square (also used in technical drawing)
shade		penumbra, partial obscurity; nuance (pl.) sunglasses (orig. US); reminder of the past	window blind
shag	(vulgar) to copulate, or copulate with in the US also due to Austin Powers movies	a type of bird, similar to a cormorant, usu. found in UK a kind of a dance (orig. US) a kind of fabric with a thick, long strands; often used in carpets long, matted hair (cf. Shaggy from the Scooby Doo cartoon) a type of shredded coarse tobacco	(v.) to chase after; to chase and fetch (as a fly ball in baseball)
shattered	exhausted	devastated emotionally
sherbet	a fizzy powdered confectionery		a type of frozen dessert (also spelled sherbert)
sheriff	chief royal peace officer of a county, now (as high sheriff) largely only a ceremonial role (England and Wales) local judge, in full sheriff-depute or sheriff-substitute (Scotland)		elected chief legal officer of a county, usu. also in charge of the county's law enforcement service; elsewhere any member of a county (vs. state or local) police
shingle		pebbles, particularly those on the seashore to cut a woman's hair in an overlapping style (shingles) a painful disease of the skin, caused by the chickenpox virus wooden roof tile to cover a roof with wooden tiles	sign proclaiming one's name and calling ("hang a shingle out") to cover something like a shingled roof
shop	consumer retail establishment of any size (US: store); hence shopfront (US: storefront), shop-soiled (US: shopworn), shop assistant (US: (sales) clerk) workshop, only in combination ("machine shop")		small or specialized consumer retail establishment (e.g. coffee shop, dress shop) workshop; practical class at school taught in a workshop
shorts	strong alcoholic drinks served in multiples of 25 ml, sometimes with mixers (US & UK also: shots)	short trousers	underpants, boxers
shower		spray of water used to wash oneself	a celebratory party where gifts are given to an individual e.g. a baby shower to celebrate an imminent birth
sic		Latin for "Thus", "just so" — states that the preceding quoted material appears exactly that way in the source, usu. despite errors of spelling, grammar, usage, or fact.	pronunciation spelling of "seek" used as a dog command, and by extension as a verb meaning to set (as a dog, etc.) to attack someone ("I'll sic my attorney on you")
sick	(off sick) not at work because of illness	(to be sick) to vomit (slang) disgusting (corruption of sickening)	unwell (out sick) not at work because of illness
sideboard	(pl.) sideburns, side-whiskers	an item of furniture also known as buffet
siding		a dead-end railway track leading off the main line and used to store rolling-stock	a short section of railroad track connected by switches with a main track, enabling trains on the same line to pass (UK: loop) external wall covering, cladding, weatherboarding
silencer	device to silence a car/automobile (US: muffler)	device to silence a firearm
silk	a Queen's Counsel	material made from unwound silkworm cocoons	the silky, pistillate flower of the Indian corn a parachute (orig. slang of the United States Air Force)
silverware	things made from silver, including bowls, spoons, etc		eating implements (spoon, fork, knife) (UK: cutlery; US also flatware)
skillet	(regional dialect) a frying pan a type of stir-fried food item		a frying pan, often cast iron a long-handled stewing pan or saucepan, often having short legs or feet
skip (noun)	large rubbish container (US approx: Dumpster)	an act of leaping or omitting; see skip (radio), skip (in record player)	one who disappears without paying their debts ("finding a good skip tracer is harder than finding your debtors")
skivvy	a Scullery maid or lowest servant doing menial work, somebody at the bottom of the pecking order	of both senses is unknown; they are likely unrelated	men's underwear (colloquial)
slag	(derogatory) promiscuous woman (US & UK also: slut) a general insult directed at someone of either sex	waste from iron or steel smelting
slash	(colloq.) an act of urinating ("to have a slash")	to cut drastically	an open tract in a forest strewn with debris, especially from logging a swampy area
slate	(v.) to disparage ("many critics have slated the film"), hence slating	(n.) a type of rock; a greyish colour (v.) to cover with slate	(v.) to schedule * ("slated for demolition") to designate (a candidate, as for political office) (n.) a list of candidates
sleet	snow that has partially thawed on its fall to the ground		(partially) frozen raindrops; a mixture of rain and snow or hail; also, glaze (q.v.)
slough (wetland)	(usu. rhymes with "plough")	a marshy area, a swamp	a secondary channel; a small backwater; a pond (usu. pronounced as, and often spelled, slew)
smokestack		a system (as a pipe) for venting hot gases and smoke (as in buildings)	such a system on ships (UK & US also: funnel) and locomotives (UK: chimney) (attrib.) heavy industry, manufacturing industry * ("smokestack industries", "smokestack stocks")
smudge		a blurry spot or streak	a smouldering mass placed on the windward side to protect from frost or keep insects away
snout	police informant tobacco (slang)	pig's nose nose (slang)
sod	unpleasant person, originally short for sodomite ("He's a sod, isn't he?") unfortunate person when prefixed by 'poor' ("The poor sod's had his wallet nicked.")	layer of grass and earth
soda	carbonated water, or any non-alcoholic drink made with it, but not usu. one sold ready-mixed	any of various chemical compounds containin sodium (as sodium bicarbonate or sodium carbonate)	(regional) carbonated soft drink, usu. one sold ready-mixed (UK: fizzy drink or colloquially (fizzy) pop)
solicitor	lawyer who advises clients, represents them in the lower courts, and prepares cases for barristers to try in higher courts * (considered overly formal in US)		one that solicits (e.g. contributions to charity), an advertiser, a promoter; often annoying
solitaire	peg-jumping puzzle game (see peg solitaire)		any of a family of one-player card games (see solitaire) (UK: patience)
sort (v.)	to deal with; hence sorted as expression of appreciation; (slang) to be adequately supplied with narcotics	to arrange or classify; often used with out
spanner	general term for a tool used for turning nuts, bolts, etc. (US: wrench, q.v.) something interfering (US: (monkey) wrench)		a wrench with holes or pins at its end for meshing with the object to be turned
spaz	(offensive) Incompetant, useless, disabled person (from spastic)		uncoordinated, messing something up. Can be used self-referentially. Lacks offensive connotations in American usage.
spigot		a spile in a cask	a tap or faucet
spook		a ghost; a spy, government undercover agent (both orig. US)	a black person (insulting)
spotty	pimply ("a spotty teenager")		of inhomogeneous quality ("a spotty record")
squash (n.)	fruit cordial drink (squash (drink))		vegetable (squash (vegetable))* (UK also gourd)
squat	(n.) premises occupied by squatters	(v.) to occupy (as premises) illegally to bend deeply at the knees while resting on one's feet (n.) the act of squatting an exercise in weightlifting	(n.) nothing (slang; short for diddly-squat) (more at cop)
stabiliser (UK), stabilizer (US & UK)	(pl.) additional wheels to help learner bicyclers (US: training wheels)	something that stabilises, as stabilizer (aircraft) or stabilizer (chemistry)
stall (enclosure)	(pl.) front sits in a theatre (US: orchestra)	compartment for an animal in a barn a booth or counter (as in a marketplace) seat in a church's choir	compartment containing a shower or toilet a marked-off parking space enclosure for a locomotive in a roundhouse (box stall) compartment in a barn where an animal can move untethered (UK: loose box)
starter	first course of a meal * (US usu. appetizer); more s.v. entree	one that starts (as a device to start an engine)	transportation dispatcher or elevator (q.v.) dispatcher starting pitcher (baseball)
stash	(v.) to quit, put an end to ("to stash it")	(v.) to store away criminals' slang revived in US	(n.) a hiding place, or something (esp. drug or liquor) stored away*
stone	(pl. usu. stone) 14 pounds in weight (14 lb), normally used when specifying a person's weight ("My weight is twelve stone four", meaning 12 stone and 4 pounds; US "172 pounds")	a small rock
stood	(colloquial, mainly Northern English) standing ("I've been stood here for an hour")	past tense and participle of stand
stoop		forwards bend of the spine bringing the shoulders in front of the hips dive of a predatory bird towards its prey	raised porch or entrance veranda (orig. Dutch; esp. Northeast)
store	place for storage of items not needed for immediate use*	large consumer retail establishment (as department store or superstore)	consumer retail establishment of any size (UK: shop), e.g. grocery store, hardware store, convenience store, dime store; hence storefront (UK: shopfront), storekeeper (UK: shopkeeper)
stove	a hothouse or greenhouse for plants the grate of a fireplace	wood- or coal-burning room-heating appliance	(or cookstove) appliance for cooking food * --compare range (UK usu. cooker) see also Franklin stove
straight away, straightaway	(usu. spaced) immediately, right away *		(solid) a straight (in a road, racecourse, etc.)
strike	a good solid shot, as in scoring a goal in soccer	to temporarily stop working (often as part of a union) knock down all pins in bowling	to miss, as to miss the ball with the bat in baseball
student		person studying at a post-secondary educational institution	person studying at any educational institution *
sub	to subsidise (pay for something in place of someone else) (in newspaper publishing) edit copy for length and/or house style (in full: sub-edit) subscription sub-lieutenant (Royal Navy rank) subaltern (British Army second lieutenant or lieutenant)	submarine (n. & v.) substitute (usu. in sport)	substitute teacher (UK: supply teacher) to teach in place of the normal teacher (regional) submarine sandwich *
subdivision		the process or an instance of subdividing	the division of a tract of land into lots (q.v.) for the purpose of sale, or the tract of land so divided
subway	pedestrian underpass Glasgow subterranean railway	(Subway) restaurant chain for submarine sandwiches	underground commuter railway
suds		(n.) froth, lather; (v.) to lather	(v.) to form suds; hence sudser (a soap opera) and adj. sudsy (in both lit. & fig. senses) (n.) beer
superintendent	senior police rank (US approx.: deputy inspector)	senior official in various undertakings (railways, public works, etc.)	person in charge of a building (UK: caretaker) the head of a school district or a State Department of Education sometimes, the head of a police department (dated) a train conductor
suspenders	elasticated support for stockings (US: garter)		elasticated support for trousers (UK: braces)
swede	Swedish (yellow) turnip (US: rutabaga)	(Swede) a person from Sweden
switch		(n.) see electric switch, telephone switch, network switch (v.) to operate a switch to exchange, swap, make a shift	(n.) mechanism that allows a railway vehicle to change tracks (UK: points); hence switch engine or switcher (UK: shunter), switchyard (UK: marshalling yard), switch tower (UK: signal box) (v.) to change tracks by means of a switch see also bait and switch
switchback	a road or railway that alternately ascends and descends a roller coaster		a zigzagging road or railway, usu. in the mountains; also, a hairpin turn in a road or trail

T

Herb tea a tea-like beverage made from herbs (UK infusion (archaic)) tower block — a high-riseblock (q.v.) of flats
categorisation of students according to their needs a large steam locomotive with three sets of driving wheels

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
table (v.) (as a parliamentary procedure)	(also lay on the table) to raise for consideration		(also lay on the table) to suspend from consideration; (colloquial) to postpone
tailback	queue of vehicles, traffic jam (US: gridlock, backup)		offensive backfield position in American football
tanner	slang for a pre-decimalisation sixpence coin or sixpence value	one who tans
tap	valve through which liquid is drawn and dispensed * (US usu.: faucet, spigot)	a spile or spigot in a cask; a device for dispensing beer from a keg (phone tap) a device for listening to other people's telephone calls (tap up) to covertly enter negotiations ("The manager accused the other team of tapping up his player")	to select, designate; esp. to publically select for a special honour from one's peers as in the (possibly apocryphal) American Indian ceremony ("She was tapped for the position of CEO")
tea	afternoon snack (US: late lunch) evening meal (sometimes called high tea)	a hot beverage made by infusing Camellia sinensis leaves (hot tea);	Iced tea sometimes taken with lemon and/or sugar
on the telephone	having a working telephone (now rare, since most people do)	talking on the telephone
teller		one that tells (as stories) a person who counts the votes in an election	a bank clerk or cashier who receives and pays out money *; hence automated teller machine
terrace	row of identical or mirror-image houses sharing side walls * (US: row house, townhouse)	a type of veranda or walkway or area close to a building see also terrace (agriculture), terrace (gardening), stream terrace	(regional) parking (q.v.)
terrier	member of the Territorial Army (slang)	one of various smallish breeds of dog
theatre (UK & US), theater (US)	(or operating theatre) hospital room for surgical operations (US: operating room)	a place where stage plays are performed	cinema ("movie/motion picture theater")
tick	the symbol ✓ (US: check mark) a moment ("just a tick") credit ("on tick")	blood-sucking arachnid (see tick) sound of an analogue clock
tick off	to admonish		to annoy
tights	nylons, usu. sheer, which also cover the groin (US: pantyhose if sheer)		skin-tight, often opaque, trousers (UK: leggings) or one-piece trousers and top (UK: unitard), such as worn by gymnasts
tip	(n.) a place where rubbish is disposed (US: dump (also UK), landfill) (v.) to pour	(n.) pointed or narrow end advice voluntary gratuity paid (as at a restaurant) (v.) (tip off) to advise (v.) to (cause to) lean to one side	(tip one's hand) to disclose one's intentions or opinions
tit	various species of small bird of the genus Parus (US: chickadee, titmouse) idiot (slang)	woman's breast (vulgar slang)
tom	prostitute a private in the Parachute Regiment (slang)	unneutered male cat
torch	handheld device that emits light (US: flashlight)	flaming club used as a light source
tosser	idiot (literally, someone who masturbates, a derogatory term similar to wanker)	one that tosses
tough (interj.)		I don't care	that's unfortunate (short for "tough luck")
tout	(v.) to resell tickets at higher prices (US: scalp) to get and sell information on racehorses (n.) one who resells tickets (US: scalper) one who gets and sells information on racehorses	(v.) to importune, solicit, or canvass (n.) one who does this n. appears to be in more general use in UK; cf. s.v. US solicitor	(v.) to promote, recommend ("the movie was touted as a masterpiece")
tower, tower block	a fortified keep, too small to be named a "castle", e.g. along the English/Scottish Border ("a peel tower"), along the English coast & elsewhere (inc. occas. U.S. Eastern Seaboard) ("a Martello tower"), around the Jersey (Channel Islands) coast ("a Jersey tower");	man-made structure, taller than it is wide (see control tower, watchtower, water tower)	power line transmission structure (UK usu. & US occas. pylon, q.v.); railroad building containing levers for working switches (q.v.) and signals ("an interlocking tower") (UK: signal box) hence towerman, person in charge of any such tower (UK, for a signal box: signalman)
townhouse, town house	historically, residence of a peer or member of the aristocracy in the capital or major city (Scots) town hall (modern usage) a fashionable urban house, usu. terraced, often at least 3 storeys	a house in town (as opposed to one in the country)	one of two or more single-family houses of uniform design and joined by common sidewalls * (US also rowhouse, UK usu. terraced house for more than two, or semi(-detached) for two joined houses)
township	in the past, a subdivision used to administer a large parish (Scotland) a very small agricultural community		an approx. 36 square mile division of land comprising 36 sections a unit of local government, see civil township
track		a trail a footprint awareness ("keep/lose track") recorded material distance between wheels of a vehicle a racetrack or racecourse the rails of a railway (UK often: line)	used in railway stations (as with following number) to denote the place where a train arrives at and departs from ("Is that the Chattanooga choo choo, track 29?") (UK: platform) track and field, athletics, esp. the sports performed on the running track
tradesperson	a person who sells goods in a store; a person who travels to customers' homes to sell things or who delivers goods to a customer's home		a skilled manual worker in a particular field; a journeyman
trainer	a padded sport shoe (US similar: sneaker)	one who trains
tramp		homeless person who moves (tramps) from town to town (US also: hobo)	loose or promiscuous woman; prostitute *
transit		act or instance of passing see astronomical transit, navigational transit, transit (surveying)	means of public transportation (UK: transport) (esp. of people) ("mass transit", "rapid transit", "public transit") -- see transit (transportation)
trapezium	a quadrilateral with one pair of parallel sides		a quadrilateral with no parallel sides
trapezoid	a quadrilateral with no parallel sides		a quadrilateral with one pair of parallel sides
trick		(n.) an action intended to deceive an effective way of doing something	(n.) what a prostitute does for a client (adj.) unstable (of a joint of the body) *
trillion	(traditionally) million million million (10¹⁸) (US & modern UK: quintillion)	million million (10¹²) (traditional UK: billion, now rare)
trim (n.)		good condition ("in trim") clothing, decoration a finishing haircut adjustment (as of sails on a vessel or airfoils on an aircraft) an automobile interior ornamentation or upholstery (orig. US)	woodwork, frameworks etc. in a house storefront or shopfront display
triplex		composed of three parts, as a type of cardboard, a cinema, etc.	a 3-storey apartment or 3-apartment dwelling (see duplex)
trolley	cart or wheeled stand used for conveying something (as food or books) ("a supermarket trolley"; "a tea trolley") (US: see s.v. cart, wagon) (off one's trolley) insane (trolleyed) very drunk	a mechanism that rolls along a suspended rail or track	(or trolley car) a streetcar (UK: tram) electrically powered by means of a trolley; hence trolley line, trolley road, and trackless trolley (a trolleybus)
trooper	cavalry horse troopship (obs.) rank held by a private in the Household Cavalry, Royal Armoured Corps or SAS		state police officer
truck	railway vehicle for carrying goods; can be open ("a coal truck") or covered ("a cattle truck") -- cf. s.v. wagon	any of various vehicles for carrying esp. things or animals, as a forklift truck or a pickup truck	motor vehicle for carrying heavy cargo * (UK usu. lorry); see also garbage truck (UK: dustcart), truck stop (UK: transport cafe) produce grown for the market; hence truck farm (UK: market garden) a hand-truck (UK: trolley) in a railroad car, the undercarriage assembly incorporating wheels, suspension, and brakes (UK: bogie) (v.) to transport by or drive a truck; to move around carelessly
trunk	primary railway line (trunk line) or road (trunk road)	the human torso the main stem of a tree large (person-sized) container (also travelling chest) proboscis	storage compartment of a car (UK: boot) (trunk line) a main railway line (as from Chicago to New York City)
tube	(often cap.) the London subterranean railway system ("the London Underground") (very strictly, only the deep lines of the London Underground, not the sub-surface ("cut and cover") lines); (sometimes incorrectly applied to that of other cities, e.g. "the Berlin tube")	a cylindrical structure or device	television
turnout	strike, walkout	number of people taking part in an event ("voter turnout") a railroad switch or point equipment output	a place along a highway for slower cars to pull over, in order to let others pass, or for brief parking (UK: layby)
twat	someone who is being stupid (offensive; considered vulgar by some) to hit someone or something hard ("say that again and I'll twat you!" (rhymes with hat)	vulva (vulgar)	(rhymes with dot)
twister		something that twists; see also twister (game)	a tornado
tyke	someone from Yorkshire (informal, sometimes disparaging)	term of endearment for a child, like "little rascal"	a young animal

U

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
underground	(often cap.) subterranean railway system, esp. the ones in London & Glasgow (US: subway)	subterranean illicit a subterranean space or channel grapevine (in the sense of an informal communication network)	(Underground Railroad or Railway) (before 1863) the network of clandestine routes by which slaves were helped to escape to free states and Canada
us	objective case of I (i.e. alternative to "me") (informal), esp. in the North of England ("lend us a tenner")	objective case of we ("he saw us")

V

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
vacation	(UK also: vac)	period between university terms	(n.) time off from work or school recreational trip away from home (UK: holiday for both senses) (v.) to take a vacation
valve	Vacuum tube, as in pre-1960 electronics	a device to control the flow of liquids or gases
vest	garment, usu. sleeveless, worn under a shirt (US: undershirt) sleeveless garment worn as an only visible top		sleeveless garment worn over a shirt (UK: waistcoat) (e.g. Kevlar vest *)
vet (n.)		veterinarian	war veteran
visit (v.)		(trans.) to go and see (a person or place)	(intrans.) to pay a visit, stay as a guest, or be engaged in informal conversation ("visiting together", "visit with a friend")

W

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
waffle	(v.) to speak to no purpose; ramble	A type of pancake with a pattern of square dents in it, made in a waffle iron.	(v.) to equivocate, waver, speak evasively
wagon	railway vehicle for transporting goods (US: freight car)	4-wheeled orig. animal-drawn vehicle (UK also spelled waggon esp. in the past); state of abstaining from alcohol (orig. US slang) a delivery van ("the milk wagon")	small wheeled food service table (UK: trolley); see also paddy wagon (used in the UK, but non PC), station wagon, chuck wagon, wagon train
walk out, walkout	(n.) a love affair	(v.) to leave a meeting in protest to strike (orig. US) to abandon someone, or to drop out ("she walked out on me") (orig. US) (n.) a kind of strike action (orig. US) the act of leaving a meeting in protest	(adj.) (of a room in a building) featuring outdoor access; (n.) such an access ("full walkout basement", "walkout to the deck") (n.) one who goes out of a store or shop without buying anything
warden	any of various officials (a "traffic warden") an official in certain universities	gener., one in charge of something	official in charge of a prison * (UK usu. governor) in compounds: fire warden
wash up	to wash the dishes; to clean after eating food, hence washing-up liquid (US dish soap)		to wash one's hands and face; to clean before eating food
watershed	(orig. sense, now nontech.) a ridge of hills (which "sheds water") separating two river drainage basins; water parting * (US oftenest: divide) the time of day before which programme content of a specified or implied kind may not be screened and after which it is permissible	(fig.) a turning point	a drainage basin/water catchment area (shift from orig. sense) *
well	really (colloquial, used for emphasis) ("that was well funny")	adverb of good healthy, in good form pit sunk to obtain water or oil
wicked	(interjection) used for something very good, astounding or interesting ("Wicked!")	(adj.) evil; fierce; roguish; vile	(adverb) very (esp. New England) ("Wicked good")
wifebeater, wife-beater	(slang) the beer Stella Artois (perh. also related to "A Streetcar Named Desire")	(wife beater) one who beats up his wife	a sleeveless undershirt (such as that worn by Marlon Brando in "A Streetcar Named Desire") * (also Scotland)
wing (vehicles)	panel of a car that encloses the wheel area (US: fender)	apparatus used to create lift in aeronautics a type of spoiler (on racecars)
wingnut	(n.) derogatary term for a person with prominent, sticking out, ears	(n.) a nut with projections to allow application of greater torque with the fingers a type of tree Wingnut
wrangle (v.)		to bicker or quarrel angrily and noisily	(esp. West) to herd horses or other livestock; back-formation from wrangler to achieve through contrivance; to wangle
wreck (n.)		shipwreck that which remains of something wrecked	a usu. major road, rail, or air accident or collision
wrench		a sudden pull or twist emotional distress	a tool used for tightening nuts and bolts * (used in UK chiefly in combination, e.g. torque wrench) something disrupting (often monkey wrench) ("that will throw a monkey wrench into my plans") (UK usu. spanner for both senses)

X

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings

Y

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
yankee, yank	(sometimes disparaging, esp. when shortened to yank)	someone from the US	a New Englander; more generally, someone from the Northern US a player for the New York Yankees
yard		a courtyard an enclosed space used for a particular activity (as a railway service area, a lumberyard or timber yard, a junkyard, etc.) a unit of length	enclosed area of land surrounding a dwelling, usu. comprising lawn and play area (UK usu.: garden) (yard sale) see garage sale a campus (e.g. Harvard Yard) a place (as in a forest) where deer gather in winter 100 dollars (slang) a billion (slang, finance)

Z

Word	British English meanings	Meanings common to British and American English	American English meanings
z	(pronounced zed)	the last letter of the alphabet	(pronounced zee) a nap ("to catch some z's")
zebra	(zebra crossing) a type of pedestrian crossing	an African equine mammal	a referee (as in American football) (from their striped uniforms)
zip	(short for zip fastener) a fastening device (US: zipper)	a sharp, hissing sound impetus	zero (often in scores) (often all cap.) the ZIP Code, the postal code used by the USPS

American and British English differences | Incomplete lists

Gourt Home::Gourt :: List of words having different meanings in British and American English

See also

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C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

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M

N

O

P

Q

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U

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