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Index of Briticisms


AmericanBritish BritishAmerican
A & E (Accident and Emergency) emergency room
able seaman (Royal Navy) seaman (U.S. Navy)
abseil (hold on to rope to descend steep slope or rock) rappel
accountancy (profession); accounting (activity)   accounting (both the profession and activity)
acting sub-lieutenant (Royal Navy) ensign > chief warrant officer (U.S. Navy)
Action Man (military-themed doll) G.I. Joe  (U.S. equivalent)
adjustable spanner monkey wrench
Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy) Fleet Admiral (U.S. Navy)
Admiralty Department of the Navy
adopt (nominate or select someone for political office) slate
aerial antenna
aeroplane airplane
afters [colloq.] dessert
aggro [colloq.] threatening behavior; trouble, difficulty
agricultural show the equivalent of a U.S. state or county fair
air chief marshal (Royal Air Force) general (U.S. Air Force)
air commodore (Royal Air Force) brigadier general (U.S. Air Force)
air-conditioning (especially in a car) climate control system
air marshal (Royal Air Force) lieutenant general (U.S. Air Force)
air vice marshal (Royal Air Force) major general (U.S. Air Force)
aircraftman (Royal Air Force) airman basic (U.S. Air Force)
airscrew (aircraft) propeller
airy-fairy [colloq.] impractical, not based on reality
alcohol (distilled type, spirits) liquor 
all-in all-inclusive
all the go [colloq.] (the hottest fashion) all the rage  
allotment a lot or small piece of land rented to grow vegetables on and popular among apartment dwellers
Alsatian (dog) German shepherd (dog)
aluminium aluminum
American football football (a game played mostly with the hands!)
American War of Independence (1775-1783) American Revolutionary War
anaesthetist anesthesiologist, anesthetist
ancillary subsidiary, subordinate, in a supporting role
Anglepoise™ lamp   swing-arm lamp, architect's lamp
annexe   dependency, annex
annual general meeting (or AGM) annual meeting (at which shareholders discuss
                           a company's annual report)
anorak windbreaker, parka
answerphone answering machine
antenatal   prenatal
anti-clockwise counter-clockwise
argie-bargie, argy-bargy [colloq.] loud but not usually serious argument or dispute
arse [slang] (buttocks, posterior, derrière) ass [slang], butt [colloq.]
articulated lorry (juggernaut) semi [colloq.], semi-trailer, tractor-trailer
arty (pretentiously artistic or worshipping of the arts) artsy
ASBO [acronym] An anti-social behavior order issued by a court ordering someone not to go somewhere or not to visit someone. Violators could face a fine or imprisonment.
assistant (in office or store) clerk
at Her/His Majesty's pleasure describes a prison sentence of undetermined length
at sixes and sevens [colloq.] in a state of total confusion or disarray
at the back (of) in back (of), behind
at the weekend, at New Year on the weekend, on New Year's
athletics track and field
aubergine eggplant
au pair, au pair girl foreign female, usually in late teens, who lives in with and assists family with domestic chores in order to learn local language
autumn fall
away fixture a sports event not to be held on one's home ground;
also Brit slang for infidelity 
away with the fairies [colloq.] in a daydream; out of touch with reality


Index of Briticisms