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List of words having different meanings in American and British English (A–L)

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An incomplete list of words having different primary meanings in British English and American English. Note: Many of the definitions are recognized by the other as Britishisms or Americanisms respectively.

Many American phrases (and their meanings) are now increasingly used in the UK, thanks to the ubiquity of US-made movies and television programmes.


See also:


Word most common British meaning most common American meaning
advocate (noun) Scottish term for barrister
(+ US meaning)
One that argues for a cause
alternately every other one as an alternative (UK: alternatively)
(+ UK meaning)
ass donkey buttocks (UK: bum or arse)
also donkey
Asian coming from India, Pakistan etc.; South Asian East Asian, continental Southeast Asian
see also "oriental"
band a strap a jewelry ring for the finger (wedding band)
(+ UK meaning, less commonly)
bathroom a room containing a bathtub and usually other washing facilities and a toilet. a room containing a toilet and related washing facilities, usually including a shower or bathtub.
billion thousand million;
million million (earlier meaning; now less common)
thousand million (UK: milliard)
bird usually avian

slang term for a female

slang term for a prison sentence
almost always avian
biscuit cracker (or cookie) similar to a scone or Welsh cake, except without any fruits or nuts, served with savory foods
blinder (informal) excellent performance in a game or race either of two flaps on a horse's bridle to keep it from seeing objects at its sides; blinker
blinkers leather flaps on a bridle used to restrict a horse's lateral vision (US: blinders)
(+ US meaning)
lights on a car that indicate the direction about to be taken (UK: indicators)
(+ UK meaning)
bloody used to express anger or shock, or for emphasis (adverb)
(+ US meaning)
containing or made up of blood
bonk have sexual intercourse, or an act of sexual intercourse (US: boink) a blow to the head
bonnet hinged cover over the engine in a car (US: hood)
(+ US meaning)
a type of hat tied under the chin worn by women, or a type of man's hat, both worn in previous centuries
boob tube woman's shoulderless, strapless top (US: tube top) (the boob tube) slang term for television
boot automobile trunk
(+ US meaning)
Protective footgear, as of leather or rubber, covering the foot and part or all of the leg
braces over-the-shoulder straps to support trousers (US: suspenders)
(+ US meaning)
devices for straightening teeth
brew (noun) a cup of tea a beer, or coffee drink (sometimes tea)
bugger someone who engages in buggery, or in non-polite company as a form of address (e.g. ..he's a generous bugger anyway) Term of endearment, often used for children. "Buggery" is usually understood to mean bestiality as opposed to sodomy. (In spoken English, a British "bugger" is sometimes misheard as "Booger".)
bum buttocks (US: ass or butt) hobo, homeless person.
(+ UK sense as a Britishism)
café diner coffee shop
(to) call to visit make a telephone call (also British usage, but this is becoming rare)
campsite an area or park for people to camp in (US: campground) a spot for a particular person or group to camp, often within a campground (UK: pitch)
canfield the patience (solitaire) card game Klondike a somewhat different patience card game (UK: Demon)
cheers said to express gratitude or on parting
(+ US meaning)
used as a toast or valediction
chemist pharmacist, pharmacy
also a practitioner of chemistry
a person whose profession is chemistry
chips french fries thinly-sliced fried potato, crisps
chippy carpenter
fish and chip shop
to have a grievance, chip on one's shoulder
loose woman (rare)
chum buddy (usually ironic) a friend
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
concession reduction in price for a certain category of person (discount) act of conceding
corn any of various cereal plants or grains, especially the principal crop cultivated in a particular region, as wheat in England, oats in Scotland and Ireland Indian corn, maize
cot baby's cradle camp bed
dead beat, deadbeat exhausted (US: dead tired) a welsher, someone who does not pay their debts, often in construction "deadbeat dad"
diary personal calendar or journal personal journal
drop (of liquid) meiotic usage: several (fluid) ounces (for example, "just a drop of tea, please".)
(primary meaning is as in the US)
a droplet (less than a milliliter)
dummy rubber teat for babies (US: pacifier)
(+ US meanings)
mannequin, esp. for automobile crash tests
fake
fool
earth ground of an electrical circuit, or connect (an electrical device) to ground
(+ US meaning)
solid footing formed of soil
entrée starter (first course) of a meal main course of a meal
fag cigarette

a young public schoolboy who acts as a servant for older pupils.

(+ US sense as an Americanism)
short for faggot, an insulting term for a male homosexual (sometimes a cigarette)
fall collapse, decline autumn (+ UK meaning)
fanny vagina (obscene slang) buttocks (not obscene)
first floor (of a building) the floor above ground level the floor at ground level
fly-over Elevated road section, i.e. long road bridge. Ceremonial aircraft flight (UK: fly-past).
Higher-level road bridge that goes above both a lower bridge and a road below the lower bridge.
football association football, soccer American football
garage fuel filling station, e.g. "a Texaco garage"

vehicle repair shop

building attached to or in the grounds of a residence for storing a car
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
garter band worn around the leg to keep up a stocking or sock suspender for a sock or stocking
(+ UK meaning)
gas Natural gas Gasoline (UK: petrol)

air trapped in the stomach (UK: wind)

(+ UK meaning)
geezer gangster, man (esp. Cockney) old person (derogatory; UK: old geezer)
government The executive (though this will include some of the legislature). Can take the indefinite article. See Parliamentary system. Corresponds to "administration" in American usage. The combination of the executive, the entire legislature, and the judiciary. Always takes the definite article. See Presidential system.
grass (noun) a police informant (verb, often grass on) to tell on somebody (US: squeal) grazing; to feed (livestock) with grass (UK: at grass; put out to grass)
ground floor (of a building) The floor at ground level. Sometimes used thus, but American English prefers 'first floor'.
Lower of two floors that are each at a different ground level due to sloping terrain.
hammered having surface indentations produced or appearing to have been produced by hammering drunk or intoxicated
(+ UK meaning)
highway (chiefly in official use) public road main road
hire to rent or rental (e.g. of a car) to recruit
a recently recruited employee
hockey field hockey (played with a ball on grass), hockey played on a hard surface (e.g. concrete) or indoors (+ US meaning) hockey played on ice with a puck (UK: ice hockey)
(+ UK meaning)
homely (Of a house) comfortable, cozy, rustic (US: homey)
(Of a person) home-loving, domesticated, house-proud
(Only used of a person) plain, ugly
hood a covering for the head, often attached to overcoats, to protect the wearer from wind and rain hinged cover over the engine in a car (UK: bonnet)

a contraction of neighborhood
(+ UK meaning)

hunting pursuing animals on horseback pursuing animals on foot (UK: shooting or stalking)
indicator turn signal in a car
(+ US meaning)
a gauge or measure
jam a preserve made from fruits boiled in sugar and set with pectin (US: jelly) certain kinds of fruit preserve, especially the kinds with pieces of fruit left in: you have strawberry jam, but grape jelly
jelly a fruit flavoured dessert set with gelatin (US: Jell-O) a preserve made from fruits boiled in sugar and set with pectin (UK: jam)
jock Slang term for a Scotsman or a Scots dog. Slang term for an athlete, or for the undergarment called an athletic supporter.
joint A piece of meat for roasting, typically on the bone An establisment, especially a disruptable one (a gin joint; let's case the joint)
Prison (in the joint)
jumper sweater pinafore dress
knickers panties knickerbockers
knock up manufacture hastily
practise before tennis
wake up by knocking
make pregnant
make pregnant
lantern free-standing device that emits a continuous light (compare British torch) device that burns liquid to produce light
lemonade clear, carbonated lemon-flavoured drink related to but excluding Sprite or 7Up which are lemon and lime flavoured non-carbonated drink made by mixing lemon juice, sugar, and water
let allow
rent (an apartment)
allow, give permission
rent (rarely)
line a line a queue (+ UK meaning)
loaded (slang; of a person) rich drunk or high
(+ UK meaning)
lounge (noun) part of a pub ("lounge bar") a bar
love used as an informal term of address
(+ US meaning)
beloved person, darling--often used as a term of endearment
lush (slang; of a person) adjective: attractive (usually used by women in reference to men)
(+ US meaning)
noun: an alcoholic
(+ UK meaning)
majority 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, usually in a tomato base a sauce containing tomatoes and herbs, with no seafood or meat
(UK: napolitana sauce)
mate friend spouse
mean stingy, miserly, selfish angry, cruel, vicious
Middle East area of SW 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, usually considered as including the countries extending from Libya on the west to Afghanistan on the east
mobile (noun) mobile phone, cell phone
(+ US meaning)
decorative structure suspended so as to turn freely in the air
momentarily for a moment in a moment; very soon
(+ UK meaning)
moot debatable (a moot point) irrelevant (+ UK meaning)
muffler scarf silencer on automobile/gramophone
on the telephone (on the phone) to be talking on the telephone or (rare) to possess a working telephone to be talking on the telephone
oriental East Asian, continental Southeast Asian East Asian, increasingly considered slightly condescending or politically incorrect when applied to persons.
outside lane the lane closest to the median or central reservation. the lane furthest from the median or central reservation. In both cases this will be the rightmost lane.
pants underpants (usually y-fronts)
(informal) nonsense, rubbish
trousers
paraffin kerosene a waxy fraction of petroleum commonly used to make candles (UK: "paraffin wax")
paralytic extremely drunk
(+ US meaning)
relating to paralysis
pavement sidewalk asphalt; the road surface
pecker courage, pluck (used in the phrase 'keep your pecker up', remain cheerful) penis (slang)
period section of time
menstruation
punctuation mark (UK: full stop)
(+ UK meanings)
pint, quart, gallon Approx. 1.2 times US measure Approx. 5/6 British (imperial) measure
pissed intoxicated; drunk (e.g. 'pissed as a newt') angry, irritated (short for pissed off, which is used in both countries)
pitch outdoor site (as for camping or doing business), or playing field in baseball, the delivery of a baseball by a pitcher to a batter
pound sign symbol of the Pound Sterling (£) (GBP) hash sign (#), symbol of a weight of one pound
public school long-established and prestigious fee-paying private school; not all private schools are classed as public schools. tax-supported school controlled by a local governmental authority (UK: state school)
pudding dessert course of a meal
(+ US meaning)
a creamy dessert
purse money container handbag (+ UK meaning)
quite good mediocre, acceptable, good, well done (ironic, according to subtle voice intonation) excellent
(to) ring to call (someone) by telephone
(+ US meaning)
to make a bell-like sound
a rubber a pencil eraser
can also mean condom
a condom
rubbish garbage; trash understood by Americans as a Britishism unless referring to arguments, where bad arguments are called rubbish
saloon closed automobile having two or four doors and a front and rear seat (US: sedan)
(saloon bar) a posh bar within a pub or hotel
a bar; especially associated with the Wild West
school place of primary and secondary education
grouping of departments or large department within a university faculty
university or college
(+ UK meaning)
seeded (grapes, etc.) with the seeds left in having had the seeds removed (also seedless)
shag (vulgar) to copulate, or copulate with
(+ US meaning)
a kind of a dance
to copulate (understood as Britishism; popularized by Austin Powers movies)
shattered exhausted
broken
broken
sherbet a fizzy powdered confectionery a type of frozen dessert (also spelled sherbert)
shop store (retail) workshop
(+ UK meaning)
shingles pebbles forming a beach roof tiles
silencer silences car/automobile (muffler)
silences a gun (rare)
silences a firearm
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
slag (derogatory) promiscuous woman
(+ US meaning)
dross or scoria of a metal
slash colloquialism for urinating (to have a slash)
(+ US meaning)
the symbol '/' ('stroke')
(to) slate to disparage to schedule, such as "slated for demolition"
solicitor lawyer who advises clients, represents them in the lower courts, and prepares cases for barristers to try in higher courts One that solicits, especially one that seeks trade or contributions
chief law officer of a city, town, or government department
solitaire peg-jumping puzzle game (see peg solitaire) any of a family of one-player card games (see solitaire) (UK: patience)
spunk semen (+ US meaning) courage, sauciness (though also sometimes used for semen)
squash (noun) fruit cordial drink (squash (drink))
a sport (squash (sport))
(rarely) the vegetable
vegetable (squash (vegetable))
(rarely) the sport
subway pedestrian underpass underground rail system
suspenders elasticated support for stockings (US: garter) elasticated support for trousers (UK: braces)
(to) table
(e.g. parliamentary procedure)
to raise for consideration (i.e. to bring to or put on the table) to suspend from consideration (to shelve) (i.e. to put it back on the table after having picked it up)
tailgater a motorist who follows another vehicle too closely someone who picnics from the rear of a vehicle
(+ UK meaning)
tap faucet
(+ US meanings)
device for dispensing beer from a keg

(equal use as faucet)
Also used in "a phone tap"

(+ UK meaning)
tea A beverage, usually taken hot with milk
variously an afternoon snack or an evening meal
a beverage, hot or in some regions taken cold with lemon and/or sugar
theatre playhouse
Star Wars opened in theaters in 1977 would be understood as an Americanism
(spelled theater) cinema
(+ UK meaning, spelled theater or theatre)
tick a moment
a credit or trust; a credit account or an amount of credit
(+ US meaning)
a check mark
a blood-sucking insect
tick off to admonish to annoy
tights nylons, usually sheer, which also cover the groin (US: pantyhose) skin-tight, often opaque, pants or pants and top, such as worn by gymnasts
torch hand-held device that emits light (US: flashlight)
(+ US meaning)
burning stick, such as a tiki torch
tosser someone who masturbates, a derogatory term similar to wanker (+ US meaning) someone who throws objects
tramp a homeless person a loose woman
a prostitute
sometimes a homeless person, as in the movie Lady and the Tramp
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
trolley cart or wheeled stand used for conveying something (as food or books)
(+ US meaning)
trolley car (UK: tram)
trunk trunk line boot of a car
(+ UK meaning)
tube subway system, especially the one in London television, or a thermionic valve
tyke an informal, sometimes disparaging term for someone from Yorkshire
(+ US meaning)
term of endearment for a child, like "little rascal"
underground subway system subterranean space or channel
valve (vacuum) tube, as in pre-1960s electronics
(+ US meanings)
device to start, stop or regulate flow
vest garment, usually 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, which would also be used in UK)
wash up wash the dishes (more generally, to clean after eating food) wash your hands (more generally, to clean before eating food)
way out exit (on a sign) extreme (as in "way out there")
yield give way under force or pressure give way to or become succeeded by someone or something else
(+ UK meaning)