List of British words not widely used in the United States

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This is a list of British words not widely used in the United States. In Canada, New Zealand and Australia, some of the British terms listed are used, although another usage is often preferred.



calculating and tracking financial matters (US: accounting).
Action Man 
the action figure toy sold in the US as G.I. Joe.
agony aunt 
air marshal 
an Air Force officer of high rank (US: general)
all change 
Both "amidst" and "amid" are common in the UK, whereas in the US "amidst" is often considered old-fashioned.[citation needed]
Still in wide usage in the UK, with the alternative among also used. Amongst is considered archaic in US usage, but is still occasionally used.[citation needed]
direction opposite to clockwise (US: counterclockwise).
approved school 
[to fall] arse over tit 
(vulgar) [to fall] head over heels. (US: ass over tea kettle).
artic (lorry) 
Auntie – sometimes 'Auntie Beeb' (see below) 
(affectionate slang) the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation).
a prompting system for announcers or speechmakers addressing a television camera (genericised trademark, after a leading manufacturer) (US: teleprompter).


(1) a sausage (from the tendency of sausages to burst during frying); (2) a type of small firework; (3) an old car (allusion to a tendency to back-fire), thus the term 'banger racing' = stock car racing. (US: jalopy).
soft bread roll or a sandwich made from it (this itself is a regional usage in the UK rather than a universal one); in plural, breasts (vulgar slang e.g. "get your baps out love"); a person's head (Northern Ireland).[1]
barmaid *, barman 
a noisy quarrel, origin unknown.[2][3]
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, this used to be the only type of lawyer qualified to argue a case in both higher and lower law courts; contrasts with solicitor. Nowadays the difference is largely eroded, except barristers are not attorneys and solicitors are. For Scotland, see Advocate. Occasionally used in the US, but not to define any particular type of lawyer.
bedsit (or bedsitter) 
one-room flat that serves as a living room, kitchen and bedroom and with shared bathroom facilities (US: see SRO; compare studio apartment (in British English a studio apartment - sometimes 'studio flat' - would have a self-contained bathroom)' efficiency)
Beeb, the Beeb 
(affectionate slang) the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). See also 'Auntie' (above). The British band Queen released an album called At the Beeb in the UK and it had to be called "At the BBC" for US release.
Belisha beacon 
orange ball containing a flashing light mounted on a post at each end of a zebra crossing (q.v.); named after the UK Minister of Transport Leslie Hore-Belisha who introduced them in 1934.
the glans penis, (slang, vulgar) a male orientated insult.
berk, burk or burke 
a mildly derogatory term for a fool or stupid person. An abbreviation of either 'Berkshire Hunt' or 'Berkeley Hunt', rhyming slang for cunt.[4][5][6][7][8]
custom-made to a buyer's specification (US:custom-made)
biccie, bicky, bikky 
a biscuit (US: "cookie")
big girl's blouse 
a man or a boy who behaves in a way which other men think is how a woman would behave, especially if they show they are frightened of something[9]
a condescending and sometimes derogatory term for a woman (from the Arabic for 'daughter').[10] Usage varies with a range of harshness from 'bitch', referring to a disagreeable and domineering woman, to only a slightly derogatory term for a young woman.
/ˈbaɪər/ a ballpoint pen. Named after its Hungarian inventor László Bíró and the eponymous company which first marketed them.
bits and bobs 
sundry items to purchase, pick up, et cetera (e.g. whilst grocery shopping) (Britain and US: odds and ends)
black pudding 
(US: blood sausage)
(slang) to obtain or achieve by deception and/or ill preparation, to bluff, to scrounge, to rob, to wing it. A scam, tall story or deception. Derived from the French word blague.[11]
derogatory term used in place of bloke ("what's that stupid bleeder done now?"); use has declined in recent years.
(informal) man, fellow. e.g. Terry is a top bloke. Also common in Australia and New Zealand. (US and UK also: guy).
blues and twos 
(slang) emergency vehicle with lights and sirens (emergency services in the UK generally use blue flashing lights and formerly used a two-tone siren) (US: lights and sirens or code)
police officer, named after Sir Robert Peel, the instigator of the world's first organised police force. The word 'peeler' of similar origin, is used in Northern Ireland.
Bob's your uncle 
"there you go", "it's that simple".[12] (Some areas of US have the phrase Bob's your uncle; Fanny's your aunt)
something of low quality or (more commonly) someone who lacks ability at something, (e.g. "Our new striker is bobbins") From bobbins of cotton=rotten.
a cheap or poor (repair) job, can range from inelegant but effective to outright failure. e.g. You properly bodged that up (you really made a mess of that). (US: botch or cob, shortened form of cobble) See Bodger.
an expert, such as a scientist or engineer
bog roll
(roll of) toilet ("bog") paper (slang).
completely ordinary, run-of-the-mill, unadulterated, unmodified. (US vanilla, garden-variety).
boiled sweet
type of confection (US: hard candy)
bone-idle * 
the panel which covers a vehicle's engine and various other parts (US: hood)
Separate rear storage compartment of a car. US: trunk
a type of men's hat (US: derby)
brass monkeys 
cold – from "cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey". According to a popular folk etymology, this phrase derives from cannonballs stowed on a brass triangle named after a "powder monkey" (a boy who runs gunpowder to the ship's guns) spilling owing to the frame's contraction in cold weather. (This is however incorrect for several physical and linguistic reasons.) The phrase is a 20th-century variant of earlier expressions referring to other body parts, especially the nose and tail, indicating that the brass monkey took the form of a real monkey.
brekkie, brekky 
(slang) synonym of breakfast
(musical) a note of two bars' length (or a count of 8) in 4/4 time (US: double whole note)
(vulgar, rhyming slang) breasts; from football team Bristol City = titty
(informal) umbrella
brown bread 
(rhyming slang) dead; "You're brown bread, mate!"
browned off 
Fed up, annoyed or out of patience.
bubble and squeak 
(vulgar, literally a synonym for 'sodomised') worn out; broken; thwarted, undermined, in a predicament, e.g. 'If we miss the last bus home, we're buggered' (US: screwed). Also used to indicated lack of motivation as in "I can't be buggered". (US: "I can't be bothered.")
bugger all 
little or nothing at all; "I asked for a pay rise and they gave me bugger all"; "I know bugger all about plants"; damn all. US: zip, jack or (offensive) jack shit. Usage is rare in the US.
building society 
an institution, owned by its depositors rather than shareholders, that provides mortgage loans and other financial services (US equivalent: savings and loan association)
bum bag 
to wander aimlessly or stroll/walk without urgency to a destination; usually synonymous with bungle when used in the US.
bumf, bumph 
useless paperwork or documentation (from "bum fodder", toilet paper)
a windfall; profit; bonus
bureau de change 
burgle *
a sandwich (esp. 'chip butty' or 'bacon butty').
(US: special election)


(slang) faeces (feces); nonsense or rubbish: "what a load of cack" could equally be used to describe someone talking nonsense or as a criticism of something of poor quality. Also spelt "kak" as used in Dutch. Derived from an ancient Indo-European word, kakkos, cognate with German word Kacke, Welsh word "cach" and the Irish and Scottish Gaelic word "cac" which all mean 'shit'.
(informal) clumsy * ; left-handed. Derived from cack, meaning "fæces (feces)", with reference to the tradition that only the left hand should be used for cleaning the 'unclean' part of the human body (i.e. below the waist).
device for making coffee (US: French press)
type of lightweight hooded waterproof clothing (US: windbreaker)
call minder 
synonymous with candidacy
candy floss 
spun sugar confection (US: cotton candy)
travel trailer (US: RV)
caravan park 
area where caravans are parked (US: Trailer park for near-permanently-installed mobile homes, RV park or campground for areas intended for short term recreational vehicle parking. Trailer parks are typically low-income permanent residencies; RV parks/campgrounds are a holiday (vacation) destination.)
car boot 
storage area of car (US: trunk). Can also mean car boot sale.
car hire 
car rental
car park 
the part of a road that carries the traffic; see also dual carriageway (US and UK also: lane)
cash machine 
automated teller machine.
automated teller machine. Originally brand name for Lloyds TSB ATMs, now genericized.
cats eye 
central heating boiler 
(US: furnace)
central reservation 
physical barrier dividing oncoming carriageways (only on dual-carriageways or motorways) (US: median strip)
(slang) an opportunist
char, cha
(informal) tea. From the Chinese.
(informal) see charwoman
see charwoman
Chartered Accountant 
one authorised to certify financial statements; the equivalent of an American CPA (Certified Public Accountant)
(slang, often derogatory, used primarily in England) typically a nouveau riche or working class person of most of the time lowish intelligence who wears designer label (e.g. Burberry) copies, fake gold bling, and is a trouble-maker. "Chav" is used nationally, though "charv" or "charva" was originally used in the northeast of England, deriving from the Roma (people) word charva, meaning disreputable youth. The closest US equivalents to the chav stereotype are arguably wiggers, although the cultural differences are existent.
cheeky * 
impertinent; noun form, cheek, impertinence; a child answering back to an adult might be told "don't give me any of your cheek" (also there is the expression "cheeky monkey!" in reaction to a cheeky remark).
(informal, friendly) exclamation of farewell (similar to 'seeya!' and 'ta-ra!'). No connection to the breakfast cereal Cheerios.
(informal, interjection) Thank you. Closest to the American "Thanks!" Can also be used to say goodbye.
A shop selling cosmetics, various personal products and over the counter medicines with an attached pharmacy. US: drug store.
Chesterfield sofa 
(babysitter) a person who looks after babies and young children (usually in the person's own home) while the baby's parents are working. Childminders are a more professional type of babysitter, and in England are required to be registered with Ofsted, the government-sanctioned education regulation body. They must also possess at least a Level 2 qualification in childcare. A babysitter does not require these qualifications.[15] Babysitter is more common in the UK.
chimney pot 
chinagraph pencil 
chip shop 
(informal) fish-and-chip shop (parts of Scotland, Ire: chipper), also chippy (see also List of words having different meanings in British and American English)
(slang) chat
chucked (out)
thrown out; expelled (US: kicked out)
(sometimes chunner) to mutter, to grumble, to talk continuously;[16] "What's he chuntering on about?"
(informal) a big mistake, blunder, bad joke or faux pas ('to drop a clanger') (US: lay an egg)
clapped out 
(informal) worn out (said of an object)
horse fly
cock-up, cockup * 
(mildly vulgar) error, mistake.
codswallop *, codd's wallop 
"You're talking codswallop". After Hiram Codd, the inventor of the Codd bottle, which was commonly used in the late 19th Century for fizzy drinks (Codd's wallop). (US: You're talking garbage)
communication cord 
near obsolete term for the emergency brake on a train. Is nowadays an alarm handle connected to a PA system which alerts the driver.
(French) master of ceremonies, MC
compulsory purchase 
music school (US usually conservatory)
kitchen stove (US: stove)
cool box 
cop off with 
coriander * 
when referring to the leaves, often called "cilantro" in the US
Cor Blimey 
see Gor Blimey
coster, costermonger 
a seller of fruit and vegetables
cotton bud 
cotton wool 
council house/flat, also council housing or estate 
public housing. (US: projects)
counterfoil *
stub of a cheque, ticket etc. (US: stub)
a decorative cloth used to cover a bed when it is not in use (US: bedspread)[17]
(French) the plant Cucurbita pepo (US: zucchini, from the Italian).
cowl * 
a wind deflector fitted to a chimney top.
crack on(-to) 
whereas "crack on" may be used in a generalised sense as "[to] get on with [something]" (often, a task), to "crack on to [some person, specifically]" indicates one was, or planned to, engage in flirtation, to varying degrees
exclamation of surprise (once a euphemism for Christ's keys or perhaps Christ Kill Me. Popularized in the US by late Australian herpetologist Steve Irwin)
a musical note with a duration of one count in a time signature of 4/4 (common time) (US: quarter note; see Note value)
cuddly toy 
soft toy (sometimes used in the US; also stuffed animal, plush toy). Occurs as the title of the Monkee's song "Cuddly Toy".
[cup of] tea (never coffee or other beverage)
current account 


daft * 
wooded valley or seaside dune (mainly S W England)
div, divvy 
(slang) a fool or idiot; adjective form, divvy, foolish or idiotic.
something accomplished easily - "It's a doddle", meaning "it's easy".
dodgems * 
fun-fair or fairground bumper cars
dodgy * 
unsound, unstable, and unreliable (US: sketchy). 'That bloke over there looks a bit dodgy'
someone who carries out menial tasks on another's behalf; a drudge (US: grunt)
the dog's bollocks 
(vulgar) something excellent or top quality, the "bee's knees" (the business), the "cat's whiskers". Sometimes just "the bollocks." (US: the shit). In polite company this phrase may be toned down to "The mutt's nuts", or the phrase "The bee's knees" (the business) may be used as a polite substitute. The etymology of this expression is said by some to derive from printers' slang for the punctuation symbol ':-' when printing involved the use of carved metal blocks to form typesetting.[clarification needed]
dole * 
door furniture 
(US: door hardware)
donkey's years 
a very long time.[18][19]
to be lazy, "I've been dossing all day", also can mean to truant, "dossing off" (similar to bunking off). Additionally it can informally take the form of a noun (i.e. "that lesson was a doss", meaning that lesson was easy, or good (primarily central Scotland). Also "dosser", a lazy person, or a tramp (US bum); "to doss down", to find a place to sleep, to sleep on some substitute for a bed such as a sofa, the floor, or a park bench; "doss-house", temporary accommodation for tramps or homeless people, cheap dilapidated rented accommodation with low standards of cleanliness (US: flophouse)
double first 
the board game (US: checkers)
drawing pin * 
dress circle 
operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol (US: drunk driving; DUI [Driving Under the Influence]; DWI [Driving While Intoxicated]; OWI [Operating While Intoxicated])
driving licence 
dual carriageway
road, usually a major one, with each direction of travel separated from the opposing one by a traffic-free, and usually slightly raised, central reservation. Each direction of travel (carriageway) comprises two or more 'lanes'. (US: divided highway)
(sometimes used in the US) receptacle for rubbish, very often shortened to 'bin'. (US: trash can; wastebasket)
dustbin man or dustman
rubbish/refuse collecting vehicle (US: garbage truck; trash truck)


economy class 
the cheapest class of passenger airline travel (US: coach or coach class)
earth, earthed 
connected to an electric common return (including but not limited to the physical earth), (US: ground, grounded)
an adhesive bandage placed on a minor cut or scrape (UK also: sticking/sticky plaster [DM]; US: Adhesive bandage, Band-Aid)
electric fire 
domestic electric heater (US: space heater)
engaged tone
estate agent * 
a person who sells property for others (US: realtor, real estate agent)
estate car 
a station wagon
extension lead 
Extension cable typically refers to mains power but may refer to other cables like telephones, (US and UK also: extension cord)


to dither, futz, waste time, be ineffectual, “I spent the day faffing about in my room”. Also related noun ("That's too much faff"). Mainly found in Scotland and the north of England, but also popular in South Wales.
fag end 
cigarette butt
fairy cake 
a small sponge cake (US and UK also: cupcake)
fairy lights 
Christmas lights
(vulgar) mild expletive employed as an attenuated alternative to fuck (including fecker, fecking, etc.) (originally Hiberno English and popularized by the television series Father Ted).
fire brigade
fire department
short for Procurator Fiscal, name of the public prosecutor in Scotland (US: District Attorney, state prosecutor etc.)
fish fingers 
(US: fish sticks)
five pound note (bill)
fizzy drink * 
carbonated soft drink (US: soda, pop, coke depending on the region)[20]
washcloth (US)
(US: apartment); also derived from are the British terms block of flats (US: apartment block), or high flats (to describe a high-rise apartment building - see also Tower Block below)
electrical lead (UK); electrical cord (US)
flight lieutenant 
an Air Force officer rank (US: captain)
a road crossing over another road (US: overpass)
(slang) football (US: soccer)
foot-path, footpath 
path that is only for use by those on foot that may or may not be alongside a road. Not usually used for paved or widened path that directly abuts the road at a kerb, which is referred to as pavement (US: Sidewalk).
fortnight *
a period of 14 days (and nights) or two weeks
a telephone number where the caller is not charged for the call (US: toll-free number)
French letter 
(slang) condom[21][22]
bangs, as in describing collective strands of hair covering part or all of the forehead
a travelling fair with amusements, stalls, rides etc. (US: carnival or traveling carnival)
full stop 
(US: period (punctuation mark) )


(slang) house, home. Also any other place: cheap music hall, theatre, pub, club, shop, hangout
gangway * 
a path between the rows of seats in a theatre or elsewhere (US aisle; gangway is a naval command to make a path for an officer)
A prison, mostly historical (US: jail)[24]
G clamp 
A metal screw clamp (US: C clamp).
In UK transmission typically refers to drive shafts.
gear-lever / gearstick 
handle for changing gears in a vehicle or other machinery (US gearshift[25])
get off with someone * 
(colloquial) to begin a sexual relationship[26][27]
a person from Newcastle upon Tyne, or used as an adjective to describe the accent or culture of the surrounding Tyne and Wear region of England.
a pickled cucumber (US: "pickle")
git * 
(derogatory) scumbag, idiot, annoying person (originally meaning illegitimate; from archaic form "get", bastard, which is still used to mean "git" in Northern dialects)
(slang), social security benefit payment (US: welfare), is derived from the largely obsolete Girobank payment system that was once used in Britain for benefit and state pension payments.
glandular fever 
1. (n.) mouth, e.g. "Shut yer gob"
2. (v.) spit phlegm (US: hock a loogie)
loudmouthed and offensive[28]
(vulgar)(insult) slang term for a person who is being mouthy about something or someone
(slang) utterly astonished, open-mouthed
gods (the)
(informal) the highest level of seating in a theatre or auditorium, usually the "Upper Circle", as in "we have a seat up in the gods" (US: nosebleed section[29])
go pear-shaped 
see pear-shaped
(slang), (British) The testicles, from goli Hindi for ball.
gor blimey 
exclamation of surprise, also cor blimey (originally from "God blind me")
Gordon Bennett! 
expression of surprise, contempt, outrage, disgust, frustration.
stupid or clumsy
disgusting, dirty, poor quality (originally from grotesque, though now rarely used with quite that meaning). In a scene from the 1964 film A Hard Day's Night, George Harrison has to explain the meaning and origin of the word; the impression is given that it was then considered modern slang, known only to trendy youngsters (this is no longer the case). George Harrison would have been familiar with the word as well-established Liverpool slang.[30]
green fingers 
talent for growing plants (US: green thumb)
a retail trader in fruit and vegetables [1]
group captain 
an Air Force officer rank (US: colonel)
Guard's Van
(n.) (also known as a Brake Van or a Driving Van Trailer) the leading or trailing carriage on a train nowadays used for luggage storage (US: Caboose)
gumption * 
initiative, common sense, or courage
(slang) A contraction of "governor", used to describe a person in a managerial position e.g. "Sorry mate, can't come to the pub, my guv'nor's got me working late tonight". Heard mostly in London.


[as in 'half-eight'] meaning thirty minutes past the hour (Standard English and US: "Half past").
(n.) Used mainly in Scotland a 'half' refers to a single measure of alcoholic spirits - usually Scotch whisky. In colloquial speech, it is usually appended with the name of the spirit ('half of vodka', 'half of brandy') if referring to anything other than whisky. It may also refer to half a pint of beer; a 'coming for a swift half?' is an invitation to the pub and significantly more than half a pint is generally involved.
hand brake
Parking brake operated by a hand control, usually a lever (US: Emergency brake. In the US, the traditional "hand brake" is more often to be found on a bicycle or motorcycle as opposed to a car as in the UK.); handbrake turn, a stunt where the handbrake is used to lock the rear wheels and the resulting oversteer enables the car to be turned rapidly in a small space (US related: J-turn, bootleg turn, U-turn.)
(pronounced "HAY-penny" or "HAYP-nee") half a penny; a coin of this denomination belonging to the predecimal coinage which is no longer in circulation. There was also a half penny in the decimal coinage introduced in 1971 which was 1/200 of a pound. Ha'pennies stopped being legal tender in 1985 and were removed from circulation.
(pronounced "HAY-puth") halfpennyworth.
hash sign 
headmaster, headmistress, headteacher, head *
the person in charge of a school (US: principal [DM]; headmaster and the like are usually used for private schools)
Heath Robinson 
high street 
primary business and shopping street (US: main street)
(v.) to borrow for a set period of time (US: to rent), hence the British terms "car hire" or "bicycle hire"; distinct from the US usage which is "to employ".
hire purchase
a panel used to display outdoor advertisements, such as on the sides of buildings, or alongside highways (US billboard)[31]
the hot surface on a stove (US: burner)
a bag (US: duffel bag)
person on holiday [DM] (US: vacationer)[32]
(informal) short for holidays [DM]
hot up 
to become more exciting[33] (US: heating up).


ice lolly 
icing sugar 
(US: powdered sugar)
industrial action 
(see article; US: job action)
inverted commas 
ironware, hardware; hardware store
identity parade 
police lineup


jacket potato 
baked potato
jam sandwich 
(slang) police car. So called as, in the past, most UK police vehicles were white with a horizontal yellow-edged red fluorescent stripe along the entire length of their sides, giving a certain resemblance to a white bread sandwich with a coloured jam (jelly) filling. The majority of marked vehicle operated by the Metropolitan Police Service retain this livery, albeit the cars are now (mostly) silver. Some older vehicles are still in white, while the Diplomatic Protection Group (DPG) use red vehicles. (US: black-and-white. In many cities of the US, police cars are painted black at the hood and trunk and white on the doors and roof.)
jammy (git, cow) 
(slang) lucky (person, woman)
generic name for a mechanical excavator or backhoe loader, based on the eponymously named company which manufactures such devices.
To break into a lock, from the tool that is used in such an occasion as burglary (US: jimmy)
(slang) pejorative term for a German or Germans
jerrybuilt or jerry-built 
An improvised or unsafe building or piece of infrastructure (e.g. an electrical installation), probably in contravention of safety legislation; (US: jerry-rigged or nigger-rigged (offensive)).
Expertly tinker with something in a way that a non-expert or casual observer is unlikely to comprehend.
(Rhyming slang) urinate, as in jimmy riddle - piddle
(slang) a condom (US: rubber [DM], Jimmy-hat)
John Thomas 
Better known as slang for penis or "dick" (US: cock, dick, or johnson) From the novel Lady Chatterley's Lover
Term of abuse used of someone perceived to be foolish, stupid, incompetent, clumsy, uncoordinated, ridiculous, idiotic. Originated with the appearances of cerebral palsy sufferer Joey Deacon on children's TV programme Blue Peter; still a popular insult among adults who saw the programmes as children.[34]
jumble sale 
(see article; US: rummage sale)
a pullover *, sweater
jump leads 


Karno's Army
a chaotic, ineffective team (usually: Fred Karno's Army) (related US: Keystone Kops, Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight)
(informal, also spelt keks) trousers or underpants
kerfuffle * 
a disorderly outburst, disturbance or tumult; from Scots carfuffle[35][36]
(slang) lavatory[36] (numerous alternative spellings are seen, such as karzy, karsey, carzey etc.)
(slang) sleep.
kirby grip 
hair grip. (US : bobby pin)
(slang) clothing: hence "Get your kit off": an exhortation to get undressed
kitchen roll 
paper towels
(slang) exhausted, broken, originally 'sexually exhausted', derived from an old use of the verb meaning 'to castrate'
knacker's yard 
(slang) testicles
girls' and women's underpants (US: panties): hence, "Don't get your knickers in a twist" (US: don't get your panties in a wad, keep calm, hold your horses, chill out)


red and black flying insect (US: ladybug)
self-service laundry (US: laundromat )
(informal) lavatory, toilet; also, lavvy (in the US, airplane restrooms are typically called lavatories)
lead (electrical, as on an appliance or musical instrument, microphone etc.) 
electrical cord (US)
past tense of "learn" (US: learned)
legacy accounts 
funds left in a budget (US: funds remaining)
extremely drunk
classes (class used more common in US English)
(n.) a means of evading or avoiding something
letter box 
life assurance
also described as life insurance regardless of coverage (US : life insurance)
illegal gathering in a pub at night to drink after the pub is supposed to have stopped serving alcohol, where the landlord "locks in" his guests to avoid being caught by police. Unless the landlord charges for the drinks at the time, the people in the pub are considered his personal guests; if money is exchanged beforehand or afterwards then it is considered a gift from the guest to the landlord for the hospitality. Since the introduction of the smoking ban in England and Wales in 2007, a "lock in" can now mean a landlord locking the pub doors and allowing smoking inside the premises. (US: may refer to a large and highly chaperoned "sleep over" at a church, school, etc.)
lodger * 
tenant[37] renting a room rather than an entire property; typically lives with the renter and his/her family
lollipop man / woman / lady 
a school crossing guard who uses a circular stop sign
lolly * 
2. (slang) money
megaphone (US: bullhorn)
lower ground 
In houses, a floor below ground level but not fully underground, typically under a raised ground floor which has steps up from ground level to the main entrance. In offices and shops, a basement.
(hard 'G') 1. An imaginary illness allegedly passed on by touch—used as an excuse to avoid someone. (c.f. US: cooties) From an episode of the Goon Show. 2. (slang) A fictitious, yet highly infectious disease; often used in the phrase "the dreaded lurgy", sometimes as a reference to flu-like symptoms. Can also be used when informing someone you are unwell but you either do not know or do not want to say what the illness is.


main * 
pipe that carries gas or water. "The water main has burst!" (US: line: e.g gas line, water line etc.)
mains power, the mains 
230-250V (Typically denoted on domestic electricals as the rounded 240V standard) AC electrical current, provided by the electricity grid to homes and businesses; also attrib. ("mains cable") (US: 120 volts AC, variously called: line power, grid power, AC power, household electricity, etc.)
mathematics (US: math)
MD (managing director
Mexican wave 
simply called The Wave in the US
mentioned in despatches 
identified for valour or gallantry in action (US: decorated)
one thousand million, or 1,000,000,000 (US: billion or 1,000,000,000)[31] Now superseded by the internationally standard usage of billion (1,000,000,000).
mince * 
2. Walk daintily or effeminately.
3. Mince your words -- to obfuscate or conceal when talking or writing * (US: "He/She doesn't mince words.")
(from Scots language ming "to smell strongly and unpleasantly",[38] rhymes with singer) someone who is unattractive
a musical note with the duration of two counts in a time signature of 4/4 (US: half note; see Note value)
moggie, moggy 
(informal) non-pedigree cat; alley cat; any cat regardless of pedigree; Morris Minor car; Morgan car
Mole grips 
trade name for latching pliers (US: Vise grips).
monged (out) 
MOT, MOT test 
(pronounced emm'oh'tee) mandatory annual safety and roadworthiness test for motor vehicles over 3 years old (from "Ministry of Transport", now renamed "Department for Transport")
A controlled-access highway, the largest class of road on the British road network, designed for fast, high volume traffic. Abbreviated to M, as in M25 or M1. (US: equivalent to freeway)
mouthing off 
shouting, ranting or swearing a lot about something or someone. e.g.: "that guy was just mouthing off about something" (US [DM]: backtalk; often shortened to mouth ["I don't need your mouth".])
move house, move flat, etc. 
to move out of one's house or other residence into a new residence (US: move, move out)
an ugly woman (rarely, man); similar to minger
an incompetent or foolish person[39]


naff off 
nail varnish 
a varnish applied to nails to enhance strength and glossiness. (US: nail polish)
nark * 
1. (v.) (informal) irritate; also narked, the adjective.
absorbent garment for babies (US: diaper)
National Insurance
compulsory payments made to the Government from earnings to pay for welfare benefits, the National Health Service (see below) and the state pension fund.
nice one 
(slang) a way of thanking someone, or congratulating them.
1. (v.) to steal
2. (n.) a police station or prison
arrested ("you're nicked") - related to "the nick", above (US: up the river, busted[40])
(colloquial) 1 pound, maintains singular form when used in a plural context ("it cost me 2 nicker"), rarely used in the singular
an unpleasant smell
Nissen hut 
hemicylindrical building of corrugated metal. Named for the designer. (US: Quonset hut, named for the place of US manufacture)
the National Health Service, the state run healthcare system within the United Kingdom
1. head
2. a person of wealth or social standing
(v.) to sabotage, attempt to hinder in some way. E.g. "Danny nobbled my chances at the pub quiz by getting Gary to defect to his team."
A slang term for paedophile, pimp, child molester, or idiot.
1. food, meal; also "nosh up", a big satisfying meal ("I could do with a good nosh up") Cf US usage, where nosh means "snack" or "to eat" as in the original Yiddish (i.e., "He's noshing on the shrimp cocktail.")
nosy (or nosey) parker 
a busybody (similar to US: butt-in, buttinski, nosy)
Good sense; shrewdness: "Hillela had the nous to take up with the General when he was on the up-and-up again" (Nadine Gordimer). Rhymes with "mouse" or "moose".
nothing; not anything. "I've got nowt to do later." Northern English. (see also 'owt' - anything; as in the phrase "you can't get owt for nowt" or "you can't get anything for nothing")
number plate 
(originally Scottish,[41] now more widespread) a stupid person


Old Age Pensioner (q.v.) (US: Senior Citizen)
off-licence / offie
shop licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption off the premises (US equivalent: liquor store). Known in some parts of N England as a "selling-out shop" and in the West Midlands as an "outdoor".
of clothes etc., ready-made rather than made to order (US: off-the-rack)
the entrails and internal organs of a butchered animal.
the Old Bill 
(slang) The police - specifically the Metropolitan Police in London, but use of the term has spread elsewhere in England
one-off * 
something that happens only once; limited to one occasion (as an adjective, a shared synonym is one-shot; as a noun ["She is a one-off"; US: one of a kind])
on the piss 
Oriental * 
used to describe the origin of a person from East Asia (China, Japan etc.) (US:Asian - N.B. In BrE, Asian is generally reserved for people from around the Indian sub-continent: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh etc.)
orientate * 
less common[citation needed] alternative to orient, deprecated by some as an unnecessary back-formation from orientation[citation needed]
Other ranks 
members of the military who are not commissioned officers. (US: Enlisted ranks)
(US: shouldn't)[42]
money used on a bank account making a debit balance; the amount of the debit balance, an 'overdraft facility' is permission from a bank to draw to a certain debit balance.
on the other side of the page
anything. Northern English. "Why aren't you saying owt?" See also 'nowt' - as in the phrase "can't get owt for nowt" meaning "can't get anything for nothing."
See "oi".


a form issued upon severance of employment stating an employee's tax code.[43][44] (US: pink slip) The idiom to get your P45 is often used in Britain as a metonym for being fired or RIF'd.[45] The alternate phrases to get your cards, or get your books are often used - dependent on region.
package holiday 
Page Three 
a feature found in some tabloid newspapers consisting of a large photograph of a topless female glamour models
a Pakistani person; often loosely applied to anyone from South Asia, or of perceived South Asian origin. Now considered racist.
Paki shop 
a newsagents or general corner shop run by a person of Pakistani or other South Asian origin. No longer considered an acceptable term. Not to be confused with "packie", used in some areas of the US such as New England, short for "package store", meaning "liquor store".[46][unreliable source?][47][unreliable source?] As with some other terms (cf. fanny pack), this is a case where innocent US use of a term may be unintentionally offensive in the UK.
panda car 
paper round 
(informal) park-keeper
(informal) cold, usually used in reference to the weather
pasty, Cornish pasty 
moderately hungry
in Northern Ireland, colloquial word for 'policeman' Similar to 'bobby', q.v.
pelican crossing 
pedestrian crossing with traffic lights operated by pedestrians (formed from Pedestrian Light-Controlled[48][49])
people mover or people carrier 
a minivan or other passenger van
fastidious, precise or over-precise (US: persnickety)
Trade name for Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), a transparent thermoplastic sometimes called "acrylic glass" (US: Plexiglass; earlier form dated in the US)
petrol-head, petrolhead 
phone box 
payphone, public phone. See also "telephone kiosk" (infra) (US: phone booth)
a pejorative slang term, used originally to refer to Irish Travellers. Now refers to anyone whose lifestyle is characterised by itinerancy, theft, illicit land occupancy with destruction of amenities, and disregard for authority, without reference to ethnic or national origin.
pillar box 
pillar-box red 
the traditional bright red colour of a British pillar box (US: fire engine red or candy apple red)
pinch * 
to steal.
pissing it down [with rain] 
playing field[50]
plait * 
braid, as in hair
(derogatory) person of lower class *, from plebs; similar to townie. Also commonly used to mean idiot.
(US and UK: guitar pick)
policeman - from PC Plod in Enid Blyton's Noddy books.[22]
(very mildly derogatory) fool *. Used esp. in the south-east of England, although not unknown elsewhere (probably popularised in the rest of the UK by Only Fools and Horses). Derived from a slang term for penis, and sometimes used in this fashion, e.g. "Are you pulling my plonker?" (to express disbelief) (US var: "Are you yanking my chain?")
(n.) mechanical crossover on a railway, (US: switch), hence the term "points failure" is a very common cause of delays on railways and the London Underground.
(n.) (slang) someone with overly affected airs and graces; an effeminate posturing man; a pimp. Originates from Maltese slang. (related US: poncey)
ponce about/around 
ponce off 
(n.) (slang) a strong unpleasant smell; (v.) to give off a strong unpleasant smell; (adj.) pongy
poof, poofter 
pouffe, poof, poove 
A small drum-shaped soft furnishing used as a foot rest (related US: hassock, Ottoman)
postage and packing, P&P 
postal order 
postbox, post box 
alphanumeric code used to identify an address, part of a UK-wide scheme. (US equivalent: ZIP Code)
poste restante 
service whereby mail is retained at a post office for collection by the recipient (from French) (US: general delivery)
(informal) postman
pram, perambulator 
wheeled conveyance for babies (US: baby-carriage)
prat * 
a conditioning exercise in which one lies prone and then pushes oneself up by the arms (outside Britain: push-up)
glue stick, from the trademark of a common brand.
proper * 
Real or very much something. "He's a proper hero" (US: "He's a real hero")
provisional licence, provisional driving licence 
short for public house (US: bar)
the landlord of a public house.
legitimate, the real thing, of good quality (usually Southeastern England term,[citation needed] recently more widely popularised by Jamie Oliver, but dating back to the 19th century). From Hindi-Urdu .
a fistfight
(n.) A flat tire on a vehicle, as in "I had a puncture on my bicycle".
small basket for fruit, usually strawberries
customer or user of services. Occasionally refers to a speculator, bettor, or gambler, or a customer of a prostitute.
forward-facing baby carriage (US: stroller)


quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation. A semi-public (supposedly non-governmental) advisory or administrative body funded by the taxpayer, often having most of its members appointed by the government, and carrying out government policy.
a musical note with the duration of one half-count in a time signature of 4/4 (US: eighth note). Also compound nouns semiquaver (US: sixteenth note), demisemiquaver (US: thirty-second note), hemidemisemiquaver (US: sixty-fourth note); see note value).
quids in 


rashers *
cuts of bacon
(slang) extremely drunk
recorded delivery 
certified mail
Red top 
simply written and sensational tabloid newspaper[51]
reel of cotton 
in the US is spool of thread
Register Office, Registry Office 
official office where births, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths are recorded; usu. refers to local Register Office (in each town or locality). General Register Office is the relevant government department. In England and Wales until 2001, almost all civil (non-church) marriages took place in the local Register Office; different laws apply in Scotland and N. Ireland. "Register Office" is the correct legal term, but "registry office" is in common informal use. (US: Office of Vital Statistics)
A ticket that is valid for travel to a destination and back. A round-trip ticket.
Right of way 
path (usually an old one) upon which one has the right to travel regardless of land ownership. (Americans are likely to misunderstand the phrase to mean correct way although right-of-way is in use in the US.)
(eruca sativa) leafy, green vegetable used in salads and sandwiches, (US: arugula)
hard candy in cylindrical form often sold at holiday locations and made so that the location's name appears on the end even when broken. (US: no exact equivalent, but similar to a candy cane)
(vulgar) to engage in a sexual act, or suggest it. e.g.: "I'd give her a good rodgering!"
row * 
a heated noisy argument (rhymes with cow)
reverse charge call 
a circular multi-exit road junction. (US: rotary junction; traffic circle)
(the) rozzers 
1.(rare slang) Police ("Quick, the rozzers! Scarper!") – possibly from Robert Peel, who also gave his name to two other slang terms for the police: peelers (archaic) and bobbies (becoming old-fashioned).
a pencil eraser (US: eraser. The word eraser is additionally used in the US to refer to a blackboard eraser. "Rubber" in the US is a slang term for a condom.)
worthless, unwanted material that is rejected or thrown out; debris; litter (US: trash, garbage)
rucksack *
a backpack.
rumpy pumpy 
sexual intercourse, used jokingly. (Popularised by its usage in The Black Adder and subsequent series; the suggestion of actor Alex Norton of a Scots term.)[52][53]


a four door car (US: sedan)
sandwich cake or sandwich
(US: layer cake)[54][55]
(informal) sarcastic (abbrev.) "Why are you being so sarky?" (US: snarky)
sarnie, sarny, sannie 
(informal) sandwich (abbrev.)
sat nav 
a person from Liverpool, or the singular scouse to describe anything or anyone from either Liverpool or Merseyside.
screw * 
a prison guard
a lower class, (usually young) woman of low morals
cloudy cider, often high in alcoholic content
self-raising flour 
self-rising flour
gardening tool for pruning plants (US:garden shears, pruners or clippers)
send to Coventry
ostracize, shun (US: send to Siberia, vote off the island)
(from French) table napkin [DM]. Regarded as a non-U word, but widely used by non-U people. Frequently encountered in Canada.
broken beyond repair - can also be used to describe extreme exhaustion
To have sexual intercourse
a drink consisting of lager or beer mixed with a soft drink, originally ginger beer but now more usually lemonade, in near equal parts.
shanks's pony 
on foot, walking – as in "The car's broken down, so it's shanks's pony I'm afraid".
(US: won't, will not)[56]
(vulgar) variant of shit
sixes and sevens 
skewed, uneven, not straight
(informal) out of money (US: broke)
industrial rubbish bin (US: dumpster)
skirting board 
a wooden board covering the lowest part of an interior wall (US: baseboard)[57]
skive [off] 
(informal) to sneak off, avoid work; to play truant (US: play hookey)
slag * 
similar to 'slut', a woman of loose morals and low standards.
slag off * 
to badmouth; speak badly of someone, usually behind their back
(informal) bald man
(vulgar) similar to slut but milder.
sleeping partner 
sleeping policeman 
(slang) smooth, wet, with no friction or traction to grip something (US: slippery)
(slang) a slow person (US: slowpoke)
underclothing, underwear, particularly underpants
smart dress
formal attire
(slang) idiot; a general term of abuse (for discussion of origin, see smeg (vulgarism)). Created by writers Rob Grant & Doug Naylor in a 1980s BBC sitcom, Red Dwarf.
(slang) a 'French kiss' or to kiss with tongues (US [DM]: deep kiss, not necessarily with tongues)
soap dodger 
one who is thought to lack personal hygiene
sod off 
(vulgar, moderately offensive) go away; get lost
lawyer, legal representative (US: attorney)
spacker, spacky, spazmo 
(US: wrench)
(slang) an idiot, a contemptible person (US: a less pejorative synonym for tool.) "He's as stupid as a bag of spanners." (US var.: "He's dumber than a bag of hammers".)
(informal) very good (old-fashioned, or consciously used as old-fashioned, associated stereotypically with upper-class people) (US: spiffy)
spliff * 
(slang) a hand-rolled cigarette containing a mixture of marijuana and tobacco, also 'a joint.' (Also used in US, j or blunt more widely used)
spot on * 
exactly (US: right on)
spotted dick 
an English steamed suet pudding containing dried fruit (usually currants) commonly served with custard.
squadron leader 
an Air Force officer rank (US: major)
(informal) soft and soggy (US: squishy)
(slang) National Insurance payments (e.g.: I have not paid enough stamps to get my full state pension)
sticky-backed plastic 
sticky wicket 
a difficult situation,[clarification needed] originating from cricket[citation needed]
a seller (as a retailer) that stocks merchandise of a particular type, usually a specified brand or model (US: dealer)
stone the crows 
exclamation of surprise (US holy cow)
straight away 
immediately (sometimes used in the US; also right away)
to move your hand slowly and gently over something e.g. stroke a dog. (US: pet)
(informal) bad mood or temper
stroppy, to have a strop on 
(informal) recalcitrant, in a bad mood or temper
suck it and see 
suss [out] * 
(informal) to figure out (from suspicion)
suspender belt
a ladies' undergarment to hold up stockings (US: garter belt)
the same term for candy in US
sweet FA 
swimming costume
swimsuit or bathing suit; also cozzy for short.


(informal) thank you
Taff, Taffy 
nickname for a Welshman
take the piss (vulgar) * / take the mickey
(slang) to make fun of somebody or something; to act in a non-serious manner about something important. Can also mean to transgress beyond what are perceived as acceptable bounds, or to treat with perceived contempt
takings * 
receipts of money
loudspeaker (a proprietary brand name), PA system
tapping up 
in professional team sport, attempting to persuade a player contracted to one team to transfer to another team without the knowledge or permission of the player's current team (US: "tampering")
(informal, friendly) exclamation of farewell (similar to 'seeya!' and 'cheerio!' (above)). Originally from Merseyside (see Scouser, above)
telephone kiosk 
payphone, public phone. See also "phone box" (supra) (US: phone booth)
tea towel 
a cloth which is used to dry dishes, cutlery, etc., after they have been washed. (US: dish towel)
a recording of a live television broadcast made directly from a cathode ray tube onto motion picture film. The equivalent US term is kinescope.
(informal) television
ten pound note
a member of the Territorial Army (US: Army Reserve)
tetchy * 
person of low intelligence.
throw a wobbly 
(informal) to lose one's temper, throw a tantrum
(rhyming slang) breasts/tits (from thrupenny bits, obsolete British coin)
canned as in "tinned soup" or "a tin of tuna"
a dump or to throw something away
very small; tiny (from tich or titch a small person, from Little Tich, the stage name of Harry Relph (1867–1928), English actor noted for his small stature)
(rhyming slang) hat (from tit-for-tat)
[go] tits up 
(mildly vulgar) to suddenly go wrong (literally, to fall over. US: go belly up). cf pear-shaped (appears in the US mainly as military jargon, sometimes sanitized to "tango uniform")
batter-baked sausages, sausages baked in Yorkshire Pudding
(slang) member of the upper classes
toffee apple 
a sugar-glazed apple on a stick eaten esp. on Guy Fawkes Night and Hallowe'en (US: caramel apple or candy apple)
anti-social in a pretentious way, stuck up
Tommy Atkins, Tommy 
common term for a British soldier, particularly associated with World War I
tosser * 
(slang) Largely equivalent to "wanker" but less offensive; has the same literal meaning, i.e. one who masturbates ("tosses off"). (US: jerk).
(colloquial, archaic) a drunkard; also used in the sense of "tosser".
tout * 
usually in the context "ticket tout"; to re-sell tickets, usually to a live event. Verb: to tout, touting. Ticket touts can usually be seen outside a venue prior to the beginning of the event, selling tickets (which may well be fake) cash-in-hand. Known as scalping in the US.
tower block 
high rise public housing building. In recent years the US term apartment building has become fashionable to create the distinction between stigmatised public housing projects, and towers built to contain desirable private accommodation.
training shoes, athletic shoes. (US: sneakers).
transit, transit van 
generic name for a full size panel van, based on the Ford vehicle of the same name, which in Britain dominates the market for such vehicles.
transport cafe 
roadside diner on a highway used primarily by truck drivers[58][59] (US: truckstop)[60]
refined sugar syrup (US: molasses
truncheon * 
a police officer's weapon (US: nightstick or billy)
two pence, also infantile euphemism for vagina. cf twopenn'orth
cheap, substandard
turf accountant 
bookmaker for horse races (US and UK: bookie)
A place where you can turn off a road. Not generally used where the turn would take you onto a more major road or for a crossroads. (US: turn). "drive past the post-office and you'll see a small turning to the right, which leads directly to our farm"
twee * 
excessively cute, quaint, or 'precious'
twopenn'orth, tuppenn'orth, tup'en'oth 


short for university, used much like US college
up himself 
(informal) someone who is stand-offish, stuck-up, snobby. "He's a bit up himself." Euphemistic variation of up his own arse. (US: snotty)
up sticks 
(US: pull up stakes)


shortened form of vegetable or vegetables.[61][62]
verger (virger, in some churches) 
a wart which occurs on one's foot. (US: plantar wart)
(vegetable) marrow 
a gourd-like fruit (treated as a vegetable) (US: squash [DM])


wives and girlfriends, common in headlines referring to the spouse of a footballer.
wage packet 
(informal) buffoon, fool; milder form of idiot.
(offensive) literally, a masturbator (although use in this context is uncommon); more likely to be used as a general insult or term of abuse
toilet (short for Water Closet). (US: bathroom [DM], US old-fashioned washroom). See also loo.
washing up liquid
dish washing detergent (US: dish soap, dishwashing liquid)
an idiot. popularised by the 1981 song "Capstick Comes Home" by Tony Capstick
Extremely, very. "He's well rich" (US: "He's way rich")
Wellington boots, wellies 
waterproof rubber boots, named after the Duke of Wellington.
(informal) effort (e.g.: "Give it some welly" to mean "put a bit of effort into an attempt to do something" US: elbow grease (also UK), oomph); also the singular of "wellies", for Wellington boots (US: gumboots, rubber boots)
What ho! 
(interj.) Hello! (warmly)
Another term for "while". In the UK "while" and "whilst" are used interchangeably, whereas in the US "whilst" is often seen as old-fashioned or pretentious.
(informal) complain, whine, especially repeated complaining about minor things (e.g. "Stop whingeing" meaning "stop complaining"); cognate with whine, originated in Scottish and Northern English in the 12th century. Hence whinger (derogatory), someone who complains a lot.[63]
an impromptu collection of money.[64] (Uk and US: pass the hat round)[65]
white coffee 
coffee with milk or cream.
white pudding 
wide boy 
see spiv, above
(US: windshield)
wing commander 
an Air Force officer rank (US: lieutenant-colonel)
wing mirrors 
(slang) childish term for a penis (US: winkie)
(informal) to continue to talk trivially about a subject long after the audience's interest has gone (assuming there was any interest in the first place). "He wittered on."
wobbler, wobbly (to have or to throw)
(informal) tantrum
(slang) when cost of repair of a damaged asset (usually a car) is not feasible or exceeds its insurance value (US:total loss, totalled) Is also used formally in the context of accounting.
(offensive, term of abuse) member of an ethnic minority. The word can refer to a wide variety of non-Europeans, including Arabs, sub-Saharans (and those of sub-Saharan descent), Iranians, and Turks.


yob, yobbo 
lout, young troublemaker (origin: boy spelt backwards)[22]


last letter of the alphabet, pronounced "zee" in United States
zebra crossing 
(US: crosswalk)
Zimmer frame 

See also[edit]


  1. ^ Pepper, John. John Pepper's Ulster-English Dictionary. Belfast: Appletree Press. ISBN 0904651886. 
  2. ^ "Definition of barney". Collins English Dictionary. Retrieved 2013-05-05. 
  3. ^ "". Retrieved 2013-05-05. 
  4. ^ "berk noun - definition in the British English Dictionary & Thesaurus - Cambridge Dictionaries Online". Retrieved 2013-08-01. 
  5. ^ "". Retrieved 2013-08-01. 
  6. ^ "Definition of berk". Collins English Dictionary. Retrieved 2013-08-01. 
  7. ^ "berk - Definition from Longman English Dictionary Online". Retrieved 2013-08-01. 
  8. ^ "berk: definition of berk in Oxford dictionary (British & World English)". Retrieved 2013-08-01. 
  9. ^ a b "Idioms and phrases | The Free Dictionary". Retrieved 2013-09-15. 
  10. ^ "''Etymonline''". Retrieved 2013-01-24. 
  11. ^ blague
  12. ^ "Bob's your uncle", World Wide Words
  13. ^ "". Retrieved 2013-01-24. 
  14. ^ "Chesterfield Sofa". The Traditional English Chesterfield Company. Retrieved 2012-05-13. 
  15. ^ Ofsted. "Factsheet: childcare - Requirements for the Childcare Register: childminders and home childcarers". Ofsted. Retrieved 2013-08-11. 
  16. ^ "chunter: definition of chunter in Oxford dictionary (British & World English)". Retrieved 2013-09-15. 
  17. ^ "And just what the fuck is a counterpane? I wondered in a small, unhappy voice..." Bill Bryson Notes from a Small Island" HarperCollins publishers 1995 ibsn 0-552-99600-9
  18. ^ "donkey's years: definition of donkey's years in Oxford dictionary (British & World English)". Retrieved 2014-05-07. 
  19. ^ "Donkey's years - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary". 2012-08-31. Retrieved 2014-05-07. 
  20. ^ "". Retrieved 2013-01-24. 
  21. ^ "". 2012-08-31. Retrieved 2013-01-24. 
  22. ^ a b c Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (6th ed.), Oxford University Press, 2007, ISBN 978-0-19-920687-2 
  23. ^ "Definition of gabby". Collins English Dictionary. Retrieved 2013-02-06. 
  24. ^ "Gaol - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary". 2012-08-31. Retrieved 2013-04-30. 
  25. ^ "Gearshift - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary". 2012-08-31. Retrieved 2013-01-24. 
  26. ^ "get off with sb - definition in British English Dictionary & Thesaurus - Cambridge Dictionary Online". 2013-04-16. Retrieved 2013-04-28. 
  27. ^ "". Retrieved 2013-04-28. 
  28. ^ "Definition of gobby". Collins English Dictionary. Retrieved 2013-02-06. 
  29. ^ "Nosebleed - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary". 2012-08-31. Retrieved 2013-07-04. 
  30. ^ SHAW,F; Spiegl,F: Lern Yerself Scouse; Liverpool, 1965, Scouse Press
  31. ^ a b H.L. Mencken et al, The American Language, Abridged Version 1982
  32. ^ "Holidaymaker - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary". 2012-08-31. Retrieved 2013-12-02. 
  33. ^
  34. ^ "Remembering Joey Deacon". Retrieved 2013-01-24. 
  35. ^ Mairi Robinson, ed. (1985). The Concise Scots Dictionary. Aberdeen University Press. p. 85. ISBN 0-08-028492-2. 
  36. ^ a b Chambers English Dictionary. Edinburgh: W & R Chambers. 1988. p. 216. ISBN 1-85296-000-0. 
  37. ^ "lodger". 2012-08-28. Retrieved 2013-01-24. 
  38. ^ Kirkpatrick, Betty. "Useful Scots word: mingin". Caledonian Mercury. Retrieved 2013-08-11. 
  39. ^ Stewart, James B., "A Tell-All on Goldman Has Little Worth Telling", New York Times, October 19, 2012. Described as "a mildly derogatory term common in British slang". Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  40. ^ "Busted - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary". 2012-08-31. Retrieved 2013-07-04. 
  41. ^ "'Numpty' voted nation's best word". BBC News (BBC). 2 April 2007. Retrieved 2013-08-11. 
  42. ^ "ought to". Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Retrieved January 16, 2014. 
  43. ^ "P45: definition of P45 in Oxford dictionary (British & World English)". 2014-02-12. Retrieved 2014-02-23. 
  44. ^ "Always Free Online". Collins English Dictionary. 2014-02-19. Retrieved 2014-02-23. 
  46. ^ "Universal Hub: Wicked Good Guide to Boston English". Retrieved 2013-08-11. 
  47. ^ "The Online Slang Dictionary". Retrieved 2013-08-11. 
  48. ^ "Pedestrian Crossings". Retrieved 2013-08-11. 
  49. ^ "Pelican Crossing". Retrieved 2013-08-11. 
  50. ^ "Pitch - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary". 2012-08-31. Retrieved 2013-07-27. 
  51. ^ Frankie Dettori with Jonathan Powell. "Definition of red-top". Collins English Dictionary. Retrieved 2013-01-24. 
  52. ^ Presenters: Tam Cowan, Stuart Cosgrove (18 February 2012). "Off the Ball". Off the Ball. BBC. BBC Radio Scotland.
  53. ^ "rump". Dictionary of the Scots Language. Scottish Language Dictionaries. Retrieved 2013-08-11. "rumpie-pumpie, a jocular term for copulation (Ayr. 1968)" 
  54. ^ "sandwich: definition of sandwich in Oxford dictionary (British & World English) (US)". Retrieved 2014-03-22. 
  55. ^ "British and American terms - Oxford Dictionaries (US)". Oxford Dictionaries. Retrieved 2014-03-22. 
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