A

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

A&E the accident and emergency (casualty)   Arts & Entertainment (name
department of a hospital of a television network)
(US: emergency room, ER)

one that accumulates, as a  

accumulator rechargeable battery (archaic) type of computer processor
register or a hydraulic
accumulator
a type of bet (US: parlay)

ace good, excellent (1980s slang) a one in a suit of playing cards (v.) to perform outstandingly
someone who is very good at *; esp., to achieve an A (on a
something. A term in tennis school exam)
for a point won for the server the best starting pitcher in a
without the opponent rotation on a baseball team
returning his or her serve.
fighter pilot who has shot
down at least 5 enemyaircraft
advocate (n.) Scottish also Jersey, Channel Islands someone who supports or  
and South African lawyer who appears speaks for a particular
in higher courts (rest of UK: barrister) position
generic term for a lawyer
(v.) to recommend or support
air marshal a senior air force officer (equivalent to an undercover law  
a USAF Lt. General) enforcement officer on board
a commercial aircraft, also
known as a sky marshal
à la mode   fashionable with ice cream (ex. Apple
pie à la mode)
alternate   (adj.) done or occurring by (adj.) constituting an
turns; every second, every alternative, offering a choice
other ("on alternate weeks") (UK usu. & US
(n.) one that alternates with also alternative) ("use
another alternate routes")
"alternative",
unconventional ("alternate
lifestyles")

(n.) an alternative *; a
substitute

amber traffic light of this colour (US: yellow orange-yellow colour  

light) fossilised resin; a material
used in the construction of
 some tobacco pipes' stems,
female given name; (sealed in
amber) state of being
oblivious to changing
circumstances
anæsthetist physician trained to administer   a critical care experienced
(UK), anaesthesia (US:anesthesiologist) graduate level educated
anesthetist Registered Nurse who is
(US) nationally certified to
administer anaesthesia
anchor   (1) a position in a tug of a type of radio or TV
war team presenter ("a news anchor").
Seenews presenter for a
(2) device for mooring ships description of the different
roles of a newscaster, an
by providing a firm fix to the
American news anchor, and
seabed (3) a British newsreader.
(anchorman/anchorwoman)
the last member of a relay
team to compete

anorak a parka hooded, rainproof outerwear  

(slang) a socially awkward person that lacks a full-length zipper
obsessively interested in something in the front (UK: cagoule)
(syn. US: geek, nerd; dweeb; etc.)
apartment suite of rooms set aside for a particular   usu. rented housing unit in a
person (rare), larger building (usu. flatin
UK)– cf. s.v. condominium
usu. rented housing unit in a larger
building implying luxury (In other
words a narrower definition than the
US.)

appropriate to take (money) to oneself, to filch or to take and assign (money) to dispense (money), to
(v.), misappropriate (there is considerable overlap budget
appropriatio but difference of emphasis)
n (n.)
Asian originating originating from the continent originating from East
from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sr of Asia Asia or
i Lanka (South Asian) continental Southeast Asia
athletics Sport comprising the events in track   Athletic sports in general,
and field, cross country running, road (e.g. College athletics)
running and racewalking
aubergine the plant Solanum melongena, or the an aubergine-like colour (US  
fruit thereof (US:eggplant) also: eggplant)
awesome   inspiring awe, spectacular great, "cool" *(largely used
in the 1980s, recently
revived; can have various

Word British English meanings
callbox (n.) telephone booth (UK
also telephone box)
call for (v.)  
can (n.)  
canteen (n.) basic food service location
usually at a work place or
institution (US:Cafeteria).
campsite (n.) area or park for people to
camp in (US: campground)
candy (n.) (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)
connotations depending on
context – compare
UK brilliant)
Meanings common to
British and American American English meanings
English
  roadside emergency telephone
to require or advocate to predict or anticipate ("The forecast
calls for rain")
small metal container can (v.): to fire someone from a job
(UK: sack)
can (n.): bathroom (slang), jail
(UK: gaol)
a box with compartments for  
storing eating utensils,
silverware etc.
a military mess kit water
bottle, typically used for
military or camping
purposes.
  spot for a particular person or group to
camp, often within a campground
(UK: pitch)
(v.) to sugarcoat, or boil with (eye candy) (derog.) someone particular
sugar (as fruit) who is physically attractive (See
to sweeten also arm candy.)
edible, sweet-tasting
confection containing sugar,
or sometimes artificial
sweeteners, and often

canfield (n.) a patience (solitaire) card
game (US: Klondike)
car (n.) railway vehicle, only in
combination (e.g. "restaurant q.v.)/automobile
car", except London
Underground "carriage")
(archaic) street tramway
vehicle
caravan towed recreational
vehicle containing
accommodation (US: travel
trailer)
to take such a vehicle on
holiday
caretaker (n.) 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
carnival (n.) the festive days just
preceding Lent (US: Mardi
Gras)
carousel (n.)  
carriage (n.) railway coach (q.v.) designed 4-wheeled horse-drawn
for the conveyance of
passengers
the conveying of goods or
the price paid for it
("carriage-paid"); "handling"
carry-on, (colloquial) carrying-on,
carryon unruly behaviour
cart a difficult or embarrassing
state ("he was put in the
cart")
casket (n.) a small box, as for jewels,
flavored with fruit,
chocolate, nuts or artificial
flavours; a piece of candy
(UK: sweets, confectionery)
 
motorcar (n.) (UK,
overland trading convoy
one who takes care of
someone or something
stopgap government
or provisional government
(adj.) suggesting a festive
atmosphere
a moving luggage/baggage
display unit, most often at
airports
private passenger vehicle
 
usu. 2-wheeled one-horse
vehicle (as that used in
farming)
 
a patience (solitaire) card game
(UK: Demon)
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
 
one who takes care of real estate in
exchange for rent-free living
accommodations *
(n.) a
travelling circus or fair (UK: funfair)
comprising amusement rides
a rotating fairground ride (UK: merry-
go-round,roundabout)
(baby carriage) baby transport vehicle
featuring the infant laying down facing
the pusher (UK:perambulator, pram) –
more s.v. buggy
a shopping cart (primarily in North
Atlantic states)
luggage that can be carried aboard an
aircraft, bus, or train (UK: hand
luggage or baggage)
a lightweight wheeled vehicle, as
for shopping, serving, carrying
baggage, etc. (UK: trolley)
cartridge (primarily related to video
games)
The type of coffin with upholstery and
 particularly an antique a half-open lid, any coffin
casualty often, someone who has been generally, someone who has often, someone who has been killed;
(person) wounded; hencecasualty been injured or killed see alsocasualty insurance
department (US: emergency
room)
catapult small Y-shaped handheld a type of medieval siege (v.) rise quickly
projectile weapon often used engine
by children (US: slingshot) an aircraft catapult
chaps [?] men or boys (but   leather leggings worn by cowboys and
increasingly used for people designed to protect the legs against
of either sex; in the singular thorns (sometimes pronounced shaps),
it still almost exclusively short for "chaparajos"
refers to a male, "Guys" has
become a more popular
phrase in the UK) (US &
UK: guys)
one's friends ("the chaps")
(US & UK: the guys)
cheeks - as in Bath Chaps -
stewed pigs' cheeks, a
delicacy
check   examine for a particular leave items in the care of someone else
purpose (e.g. at a cloakroom; hence checkroom)
a pattern of coloured squares (also check mark) mark used to denote
a warning given in chess 'correct' or indicate one's choice
(UK: tick, q.v.)
request for payment, especially at a
restaurant; bill
written order for a bank to pay money
(UK: cheque)
checker   one that checks (e.g. an a store or shop cashier (almost always a
inspector) grocery store)
(checkers) a popular board game
(UK: draughts)
to mark with alternating colored
squares (UK:chequer)
cheers said to express gratitude in used as a toast or valediction  
(interjection) England, or on parting
(slang). Also cheerio.
chemist pharmacist, pharmacy (US student or researcher  
similar: druggist,drugstore) of chemistry
chink an expression of incredulity, a crack, fissure (A chink in  
similar to crap in American one's armor)weak spot,
English[dubious  –  discuss] vulnerability
a racial slur for those of
Chinese or east Asian
ancestry
chip in to express one's opinion (as to contribute (as money)  
in a conversation); to "chime (orig. US)
in"
chips (food) Long cuts of deep fried
potato, usu. thick cut
resembling American steak
fries
chippie, carpenter (slang);
chippy fish-and-chip shop (slang)
(Scot, Ire: chipper)
chum A popular brand of friend (sometimes sarcastic)
canned dog food (officially
Pedigree Chum)
bum chum a derogatory term
for a male homosexual sex-
partner.
French fries, in (orig. UK) thin slices of fried potato*(UK: crisps)
phrase fish and chips
  loose woman (dated slang);
the N. American bird Chipping
Sparrow
(n.) waste products from fish
processing (heads, tails, blood etc.)
often used for shark fishing
(v.) to spread fish entrails etc. in the
hope of luring sharks. "We chummed
the water all morning, but never spotted
any dorsal fins." Has some cross-over
usage metaphorically in non-fishing
situations.

cider an alcoholic drink derived   a nonalcoholic drink derived from

from apples (US: hard cider) apples
Cinderella a team which underachieves, fairy tale character a lowly sports team or individual which
or is overshadowed by enjoys an unexpectedly good run in a
successful neighbouring tournament
rivals*
city a large town, in particular a   a usually large or important
town created a city by charter municipality governed under a charter
and containing a cathedral granted by the state (however most
"The City": the City of smaller towns in the US are cities); an
London, London's financial element of a standard mailing address
centre, hence financial (UK "postal town")
markets and investment
banking more generally (c.f.
US Wall Street)
clerk   administrative worker (or salesclerk) store or shop worker
(UK: shop assistant)
hotel employee at the reservation desk
(UK:receptionist)
closet any small room (esp. a private chamber for a cabinet or wardrobe, as for utensils or
Northern England, Scotland, retirement apparel; in the latter case oftenest built-
& Ireland); hence water in secret; (come out of the in; hence e.g. walk-in closet, linen
closet, a room containing closet) to reveal what was closet, and skeleton in the closet *(UK
a flush toilet, later the toilet secret (especially in relation also: in the cupboard) *
itself to homosexuality)
coach bus with of higher standard enclosed horse-drawn extracurricular sports teacher at a
of comfort, usually chartered passenger carriage school (UK: PE teacher)
or used for longer journeys* sports trainer lowest class on a passenger aircraft
tutor, usu. private, who (UK: economy)
prepares pupils for
examinations *
 railway carriage *
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")
cock (n.) form of address to a man
to gain attention or greet e.g.
"Wotcha cock!"
a popular personage
e.g. Cock o' the North
(v.) (cock up) *to make a
mess of things; cock-up (n.)
is the act or the resulting
state of affairs
collect To win a bet (from the idea
of picking up the winnings)
college part of the name of some
state secondary schools (US larger universities,
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
comforter a baby's dummy (q.v.)
commissione professional head of
r the Metropolitan Police
Serviceand City of London
Police (US: chief of police)
commode small cabinet
The portion of a corn plant  
around which the kernels
grow.
a building material
a type of horse
a male swan
(n.) a male bird; esp., an  
adult male chicken (US
oftenest rooster)
(n.) penis (vulgar slang)
(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
(n.) A type of tap, faucet, or
valve (e.g., a stopcock).
(v.) to gather together, to (adj., adv.) charged to the receiver ("to
pick up; (orig. US) to pick up call collect", to reverse the charges) ("a
a person or thing collect call") [from collect on delivery]
(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.
constituent part of some professional association which usu.
grants some form of professional
especiallyancient universities qualifications, mostly in the medical
field (e.g. Royal College of
Surgeons, American College of
Surgeons)
an independent institution of higher
education (as a small university or a
division of a university)
grantingbachelor's degrees
generic term for higher education,
but only at the undergraduate level
one who comforts quilted bedspread (UK: duvet)
  political head of a police department
member of any commission
portable toilet for use in a normal toilet, in a bathroom (q.v.)
room without plumbing
compensation   the act of compensating
concession reduction in price (discount)
for a certain category of
person
condominium   a political territory (state or
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)
construction  
cooker an appliance for cooking
food
(US: cookstove, stove,range); cooker", "slow cooker")
see also AGA cooker
a cooking apple, a large sour
apple used in cooking
cookie a bun (Scotland)
a biscuit of a particular
variety, usually containing
chocolate chips (often
referred to as a "chocolate
chip cookie")
cop to take ("cop a look at this",
"cop one of these") (slang)
to be blamed for, be caught
("he'll cop it!") (slang)
damages awarded for a legal
wrong
(workers' compensation)
payment to injured workers
the action of conceding
in politics, the action of a
candidate yielding to another
an area within one country
that is administered by
another
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
 
the act or process of building road construction and maintenance
or constructing; a structure; work; roadwork ("a construction
the construction industry
from construe: the assigning
of meaning to ambiguous
terms
a pot or utensil for cooking
in ("pressure cooker", "rice
a small packet of
information stored on users'
computers by websites
police officer (short for
"copper") (slang)
(cop a feel) to grope (slang)
remuneration received by employees
(unemployment compensation)
compensation paid to an unemployed
person (as a laid-off worker), arising
from government resources
a lease or grant of premises or land for
a particular use, or the so contracted-
out service, as inconcession stand, i.e. a
counter, stand or area at public
entertainment venues where snacks or
drinks are sold, often at inflated prices
a concession stand
(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
peace officer in a township without an
organised police department
official who serves summonses
(UK: bailiff or sheriff's officer)
area/zone") (UK: roadworks)
a person who cooks (UK always cook)
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
a cook (army 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

copper low value coin, brown or
'copper' coloured (currently
1p and 2p coins)
large copper vessel used for
heating water and washing
clothes (archaic)
coriander the leaves of the coriander
plant, used as a herb
(US:cilantro or Chinese
parsley)
corn wheat in England, oats in
Scotland and Ireland
any of various cereal plants
or grains (US usu.: grain),
also in combination
(e.g. cornfield, a field of any
cereal)
(see also US)
cot infant bed; hence cot
death (US: crib)
coulee  
court shoe a women's dress shoe with a
heel (US: pump, q.v.)
cowboy an unscrupulous or
unqualified tradesman
cracker small parcel that makes an
explosive report when pulled biscuit (formerly chiefly US,
from both ends, traditionally now common everywhere)
pulled atChristmas
attractive woman (slang)
anything good ("the new
product is a cracker") (slang)
crèche day care, day nursery
creek tidal channel through a
the metallic element copper
police officer (slang, orig.
UK)
the plant Coriandrum
sativum
dried seeds of this plant
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
camp bed
a (solidified) stream of lava
 
a legendary archetype found
in Wild West genre works
(derog.) one who is reckless,
uncontrollable.
thin, hard, unsweetened
 
 
(cop a squat) to take a seat (slang)
 
 
Zea mays; originally known as Indian
corn (q.v.; UK
usu.: maize or sweetcorn);
hence cornfield,cornstarch (UK: corn
flour), cornbread, cornball,cornblade,
etc.
something corny *, hence cornball
 
(chiefly Western, orig. Canadian) a
deep steep-sided ravine formed by
erosion, or a small valley or stream
a type of athletic shoe used for sports
played on an indoor court, such as
volleyball or squash (UK
similar:plimsoll or regionally pump)
a cowhand working with livestock
(UK: drover)
an unsophisticated, typically rural
white person (alsowhite cracker;
derogatory slang, southeastern US);
also, someone from Georgia or Florida
nativity scene, manger
scene, crib (q.v.) *
any inland stream of water smaller than
 coastal marsh (orig. sense) a river (other terms: UK: rill, gill; N.
Eng. & Scot.: burn; Eng. & New
Eng.: brook; Midland US: run)
crew   body of people manning a rowing as a sport
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")
crib (n.) nativity scene, crèche (q.v.) * a manger or rack, or stall for small enclosed bedstead for a child;
cattle hence crib death(UK: cot)
a plagiarism, as of a student (informal) one's house or apartment
("crib sheet") a bin for storing maize
cribbage a structure of logs to be anchored with
stones; used for docks, dams, etc.
(orig. Canada) a small raft of timber
crisp fried potato slices with salt, when something sounds clear a term to sunburning. For
sometimes with flavour(US: and dry. example: Because he didn't have
potato chips) sunscreen, Jack was burnt to a crisp.
crumpet an attractive female (slang) A savoury waffle-like cake  
made from flour or potato
and yeast
cubicle A compartment in a A compartment in a larger  
bathroom with low walls that area separated from similar
contains a toilet. (US: stall) adjoining compartments by
low walls, such as in an
office area.
cuffs   The ends of a garment's An arrangement at the bottom of
sleeves, furthest from the trouser-legs, in which the material is
wearer folded back upon itself to form a trough
short for handcuffs externally around the bottom of the leg.
(UK:turn-ups)
cunt offensive (or sometimes vagina (usu. obscene) offensive, obscene term usu. applied
indulgent) term often applied to women
to men
custodian an association a keeper or guardian of a one who cleans and maintains a
football goalkeeper person or thing building; a building superintendent,
a janitor

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

earth safety connection of an electrical the planet Earth  

circuit, or to connect (an soil
electrical device) to this the burrow of some animals
(US: ground)

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 the letter L an elevated railway

driver; see L-plate (as that of Chicago or the now-
defunct Third Avenue El in New
York City)

elevator   flap on the back of platform or cage moved vertically

an aeroplane used to control pitch
moving belt to transport grain,
hay bales, etc.
in a shaft to transport people and
goods to various floors in a
building (UK: lift)
building for grain storage (in
full grain elevator) (UK:silo)

elk moose (Alces alces), the largest   wapiti (Cervus canadensis), the

species of deer second largest species of deer

engaged in use – of a toilet/bathroom stall committed; involved in  

(adj.) (US: occupied; but the opposite something
is vacant in both); of a telephone betrothed
line (US & UK also: busy),
hence engaged tone (US: busy
signal)

English   of or pertaining to England (adj.) the foot-pound-

the English language second system of units
(UK:Imperial)
English (n.) spin placed on a ball
in cue sports (UK:side)

engineer a technician or a person that one employed to design, build or one who operates an engine, esp.
 mends and operates machinery repair equipment a locomotive (UK:engine driver)
practitioner of engineering

entrée starter (q.v.) of a meal (usu. "the entrée") right of entry, main course of a meal
(traditionally, the course served insider-type access
between the fish and the joint, but
now used for any starter)

estate any defined area of real property,
as in housing
estate(US: subdivision), 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

evergreen   non-deciduous, a non-deciduous (n.) branchlets or sprigs of an

plant evergreen tree, usually a conifer
eternally youthful, new etc. such as pine, spruce or fir, often
used as a Christmas decoration
wrapped around human-made
structures

[edit]G

Meanings common to British

Word British English meanings American English meanings
and American English

gagging (especially as in gagging for it) choking  

desperate, especially for sex fighting the urge to vomit
("that was so disgusting, I was
gagging")

gallon 4.54609 litres (about 6/5 of US   3.78541 litres (about 5/6 of UK

gallon) gallon)

gangbanger group rapist   gang member; group rapist

garage fuel filling station, e.g. "a place where vehicles are (parking garage) building
(see Texaco garage" (also petrol repaired serving as a public parking
alsopronunciation station, US: gas station) building attached to or in the facility (UK: multistorey car
differences) a genre of music grounds of a residence for park or just multistorey)
storing a car

garden (n.) area around a residential   area within a yard (land) for

structure (US: yard) growing plants or vegetables
(UK: vegetable garden,
vegetable patch)

garnish   (n. (v.)) (to add) decorative or (v.) to take (as a debtor's
savory touches to (food or wages) by legal authority
drink)
(v.)to furnish

gas   state of matter (see gas) gasoline, hence gas

natural gas station (UK: petrol)
gas pedal (UK: accelerator)
flatulence
air trapped in the stomach or
intestines (UK: wind)

geezer gangster, man (esp. Cockney)   old person (derogatory;

UK: old geezer [not derog.])

general The second highest rank in the The basics of a subject. The highest rank in the US
British army (second to Field Army.
Marshal).

give way to give the right of way (to to retreat; to break down  

vehicles, pedestrians, etc.)[2];
hence give way sign (US: yield
[the right of way] sign)

glaze   general term for thin shiny a slippery coating of ice (also
coatings applied to food, known as sleet, q.v.); a stretch
painted surfaces, clayware, of ice
etc.; a glossy surface

gob (n.) mouth; (v., slang) to spit lump a large amount ("gobs of")
(slang—little used since the
1940s) a sailor
go down (fig.) to leave a university (as
Oxford)
to come down (with an illness) to fail, esp. of a computer
goods items to be transported (as by
railway) ("a goods train") (US
& UK also: freight)
gooseberry supernumerary third person
preventing a couple from
courting (US: third wheel)
governor boss (sometimes shortened to
guv'nor), colloquial
government the cabinet or executive
branch (US: theadministration)
the political party supporting
the cabinet in parliament
grade (education) a level of music
examination ("Guitar grade 4". of a student's work (UK
Usually refers to ABRSM.
grade (other)  
to be accepted or remembered
(e.g. go down in history)
go down on, to engage in oral
sex
useful objects or services;
products; merchandising;
personal property
incriminating evidence ("we
have the goods on him")
a green hairy summer fruit
(Ribes hirtellum in the USA),
(Ribes grossularia in Europe)
a local official
the act or office of governing
(n. & v.) teacher's assessment
also mark)
(n.) a rating, degree, or level;
(v.) to lay out in grades
[US meaning generated grade
separation and the idiom make
the grade]
to go on, happen (often a major
event, e.g. a drug bust "it's
going down right now!" or "it
went down last week". But also
used as a greeting, "What's
going down?")
 
 
the top official in a US state
the collective agency through
which government is exercised
(UK: the state)
all such individual agencies
(UK: the public sector)
level or year of a student in
elementary, middle, or high
school ("in 10th grade") (UK
equiv.: year); hencegrader, a
student in a specified grade ("a
10th grader")
(grade school, the
grades) elementary school
see also Grade Point Average
(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 to move from a lower to higher to finish studying at any
(education) degree stage; to effect change in steps; educational institution by
graduate (adj.) relating to a student at the point to mark with units of passing relevant examinations
(education) of gaining, or who has recently measurement or other relating to a student taking a
completed, a degree divisions. higher degree (UK equiv.:
"postgraduate"), e.g. graduate
school

graft hard work to join or connect two separate a form of political-economic

but similar items (typically in corruption
biology, especially medicine
and horticulture)

grass an informant (often to the green ground cover grazing; to feed (livestock)
police) marijuana with grass (UK: at grass,to put
(to grass on) to tell on out to grass)
somebody (US: to squeal)

grammar school a type of secondary school,   elementary school (less

normally a selective state common today)
funded school

to cook over a gas or coal fire

grill to cook directly under a dry
heat source (US: broil)
to question intensely (UK and US: barbecue)
(informal). a flat cooking surface
a restaurant (freq. as "bar and
grill")
to interrogate.

ground floor (of a   the floor at ground level (US lower of two floors that are
building) usu.: first floor) each at a different ground level
due to sloping terrain
(UK: lower ground floor)
guard the official in charge of a to watch over for security military division used to help
railway train (US & now UK one who guards the country after a disaster
also: conductor) a protective device
in football, one of two
offensive positions on either
side of the center or a defensive
position across from the center
(nose-guard)
one of two positions
in basketball, usually players
who are the best ball-handlers
 and shooters. Usually smaller
than the forwards or center.
Most common division is
between point
guards (playmakers)
andshooting guards (more
often score-first).

guff extraneous or useless things,   nonsense, insolent talk, back

ideas, or
paperwork/documentation; also
to break wind ("Have you
guffed, Dr Watson?")
gum cement consisting of a sticky
substance that is used as an
adhesive (US usually: glue)
gutted disappointed and upset
(informal)
gyro (see also giro)
[edit]I
talk
a type  
of confectionery composed
of chicle used for chewing
the soft tissue around the teeth,
or to chew something with no
teeth (also, gum at)
past tense of gut: eviscerated;  
plundered; despoiled; made
powerless or ineffectual
(of a building) stripped of
interior structure, leaving only
frame and exterior walls
(e.g.by fire)
gyroscope a sandwich, the Greek gyro,
more familiar to Americans
than the similar Turkish döner
kebab, which is more common
in Britain

Meanings common to British

Word British English meanings American English meanings
and American English

icebox   cabinet containing ice for food refrigerator

refrigeration

ice pick   ice axe, a tool with a pointed end small awl-like tool for breaking
used by rock- and mountain- ice into small pieces for drinks
climbers for splitting ice
immediately (conj., informal) as soon as ("I (adv.) directly; in no time  
await your call immediately after
you get this message")

Indian corn   Zea mays (historical or technical; A particular variety of

usually, UK maizeor sweetcorn, maize/corn, with multicolored
US corn, q.v.) kernels, used for decorations

indicator direction-indicator light on a one that indicates  

vehicle (US: turn signal)

inspector lowest supervisory rank   senior rank in some police

(police) above sergeant (rough US departments (rough UK
equivalent: lieutenant) equivalent: superintendent)

intern  replacement (v.) to confine (as during a war, (n.) one (as a graduate or college
or to a hospital) student) temporarily employed
(adj., archaic) internal 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

internationa   Pertaining to or common to more Foreign, not from the USA.

l than one country. ("International version of
software for country xxx", in
British English this is a
contradiction in terms.)

interval break between two performances a gap in space or time; (esp. New England, also
or sessions, as in theatre see interval (music), interval spelled intervale) low-lying land,
(US: intermission) (mathematics), interval (time) as near a river (US
also bottomland)

inventory   itemisation of goods or objects the stock of an item on hand in a

(of an estate, in a building, etc.) store or shop
the process of producing an
inventory in a store or shop
(UK: stocktaking)
IRA Irish Republican Army [listed   Individual Retirement Account
here to reflect common usage]

[edit]K

Meanings common to British

Word British English meanings American English meanings
and American English

kebab commonly a döner kebab (sometimes (often spelled "kabob" in the  

doner or donner kebab), strips of meat US) meat served on a skewer
(usu. lamb or chicken) cooked by together with onions, tomatoes,
being heated on a revolving device etc. (e.g.shish kebab)
and served stuffed in a pita bread (In
the US,
the Greek varietiessouvlaki or gyro ar
e better known than the Turkishdöner)

keen eager or intent on, example: he is keen   desirable or just right, example:
to get to work on time. "peachy keen" – "That's a pretty
keen outfit you're wearing."
(slang going out of common
usage)

keeper a curator or a goalkeeper one that keeps (as a type of play in American
a gamekeeper or a warden) football ("Quarterback keeper")

a person well-suited for a

successful, usu. romantic,
relationship. (Don't let him go—
he's a keeper)
something of significance
("that's a keeper"). Can be used
in many contexts. Often used in
sports fishing to refer to a fish
not released.

kit clothing, esp. a sports uniform any of various sets of equipment a group of person or objects
(e.g. football kit) or tools ("the whole kit and (ca)
a set of parts to be assembled, boodle/billing")
e.g. into a scale model
kitty   affectionate term for a housecat piggy bank
vagina (vulgar slang) ("Singin'
 'hey diddle diddle' with your
collective source of funds (esp. kitty in the middle"
-- Aerosmith, Walk this Way)
for a group of people)

klaxon (slang) a fool, idiot[dubious  –  discuss] Trademark (somewhat generic)  

kleenex  
knickers women's underwear (US: panties) or
men's underwear (US: briefs)
knob The penis, or specifically
the glans (slang, vulgar) ("polishing
the knob")
for a mechanical alarm or horn
used in submarines and early
automobile models
specific brand of disposable any disposable paper
paper handkerchief (Kleenex) handkerchief (from tradename,
example of a Genericized
trademark)
  knickerbocker
a rounded door handle  
fool, idiot, dim-witted person

knock   to tip over something to rob (esp. a store, slang) ("He

over knocked over a gas station.")
to cause an object to fall over.

knock to practise before tennis to prepare quickly ("Knock us to impregnate*(slang,

up to awaken or summon by knocking up something to eat"— L.M. sometimes vulgar)
Alcott)

British Meanings common to

Word English British and American American English meanings
meanings English

mac abbr. of a brand of Apple (Slang; proper n.) A term of informal address used
raincoat Inc. computers; with male strangers; generally implies more
(Mackintosh) abbreviation unfriendliness or disapproval than the more neutral
ofMacintosh. 'pal' or 'buddy': "Get your car out of my way, Mac!"
UK generally 'mate'. Cf. 'Jack.'

Mackintosh,Macin raincoat Macintosh, a brand  

tosh, orMcIntosh (Mackintosh, of Apple Inc. computers
often shortened (often shortened to Mac)
to mac) (wrongly) McIntosh Red,
a type of apple
mad eccentric * insane enraged *
very, or a large amount of something (slang, as in
"he has mad skills")

mail (used in Royal (n.) the postal system of a (v.) send a letter (UK: post or send); noun
Mail, the name nation originatedmail
of the British letters, packages, etc. carrier & mailman (UK: postman), mailbox (UK:p
postal system; sent by post; as delivered ostbox; letter box), mail slot, mail drop, etc.
cf. postal) to individual, orig. US,
(Scot.) a UK often post
payment (tax, (n. & v.) e-mail, (n.)
rent, etc.) armour, as in "chainmail"
(Scot.) a
travelling bag
or pack

mailbox mail box a file for storing an item of street furniture serving as a receptacle for
electronic mail (or outgoing mail (UK: post box; letter box; pillar box);
related computing or a receptacle for incoming paper mail (UK: letter
voicemail usage) box)

main line a major railway a major vein (as for drug a railroad's primary track, or a primary artery, route,
line (as injection purposes) (orig. road, or connection
the West Coast 1930s US slang); also Pennsylvania Main Line
Main Line); used as a v. mainline Protestant churches
compare trunk

major (in the past, in important or significant (n.) a college/university student's main field of
English public (n.) rank specialization ("his major is physics"); the student
schools) used between captain and Lieu himself ("he is a physics major"); (v.) to pursue a
to denote the tenant Colonel in the major ("he majored in physics") (compare minor;
eldest of two or army and marines. UK: compare read)
more pupils (n.) rank between captain and Lieutenant Colonel in
with the same the air force (UK squadron leader) and in some
surname police agencies (UK approx. superintendent).
("Bloggs
major")

majority (politics) the greatest   more than half of all votes (UK: absolute majority)
number of
votes
difference of
votes between
first and second
place
 (US: plurality)

make out to snog to draw up, to seek to to kiss (see Making out)

make it appear, to to succeed or profit ("She made out well on that
fabricate a story deal.") *
to see with difficulty; to
understand the meaning
of

manual (adj.) performed by hand,

e.g. "manual labour";
(n.) instruction book (n.)
a car with a manual
transmission ("I drive a
manual.") (US: stick
shift,stick)

marinara sauce a sauce   a sauce containing tomatoes and herbs, with no

containing seaf seafood or meat (UK: napolitana sauce)
ood, usu. in a
tomato base

marquee large, open-   signage placed over the entrance to a hotel, theatre,

sided tent or cinema
installed (attrib.) the ability (of a show) to draw audience,
outdoors for "box office" ("marquee value")
temporary a prominent celebrity or athlete ("marquee player")
functions *

mate friend animal's sexual partner spouse or partner

(US: pal or frie checkmate, the winning
nd) of a game of chess
informal term an officer on a merchant
of address ship
("hello mate")

mean (adj.) stingy, miserly, of inferior quality, unpleasant, unkind, vicious *

selfish * contemptible
a statistical average
(see mean)

median   a statistical average the portion of a divided highway used to separate

(see median)
 geometric median opposing traffic (UK central reservation)
median nerve

meet with   to face (as a situation), to have a meeting with (as people) ("Vice president
experience ("If you can meets with Iraqi officials", CNN) *(UK
meet with triumph and generallymeet (transitive) or meet up with) [1]
disaster, and treat those
two impostors just the
same" - Kipling)

meter   measuring instrument, the basic unit of length in the metric system *(UK

including electricity usu.: metre)
meter, gas meter, etc.

mezzanine   intermediate floor lowest balcony in a theatre, or the first few rows of
between main floors of a seats thereof (UK usu. dress circle)
building

mid-Atlantic in the middle of   middle of the Atlantic coast of the USA (exact
the Atlantic definition of Mid-Atlantic States may vary)
Ocean, half-
way between
UK & US

middle class better off than   ordinary; not rich although not destitute, generally a
'working class', positive term
but not rich,
i.e., a narrower
term than in the
U.S. and often
negative

military relating relating to armed (adj.) relating to any of the individual branches of
specifically to forces in general the armed forces
the British (n.) armed forces
Army (dated)

minor (in the past, in not very important (n.) secondary academic subject (compare major)
English public see minor (law), major ("has a major in biology and a minor in English");
schools) used and minor (v.) to study as one's minor ("she minored in
to denote the (n.) a person under the English")
youngest of age of 18 years, minor league;
two or more generally, and for legal
 pupils with the reasons more specifically
same surname (as in "the name of the
("Bloggs defendant is withheld
minor") because he is a minor"),
or under an age legally
required for certain
behavior (such as
purchasing alcohol), or
under theage of consent.

miss out to omit to lose a chance; usu.  

used with on

mobile (n.) mobile phone decorative structure (US: cell phone)

suspended so as to turn
freely in the air

mobile home a mobile, non-   a type of manufactured dwelling transported to the

motorised piece home site using wheels attached to the structure
of equipment
with living
facilities; a
caravan (q.v.)

momentarily   for a moment in a moment; very soon

mono   (adj.) monophonic (of (n.) infectious mononucleosis, a disease caused

reproduced sound, e.g. byEpstein-Barr virus (UK: glandular fever)
radio or CD player using
a single speaker)
monochrome

(adj.) irrelevant ("a moot point") (orig. legal, now in

moot   (adj.) debatable ("a moot common use)
point") (v.) to make irrelevant (incorrect/uneducated usage)
(v.) to bring up for debate
(these meanings are
fading from use in US
English)

see also moot court

mortuary (n.) building or   funeral home, funeral parlour

room (as in a
hospital) for the
 storage of
human remains
(US: morgue)
motorbike a motorcycle   a lightweighted, small motorcycle
motor (formal) a car   a self-propelled railway vehicle
car,motorcar (motor vehicle)
(US: automobil
e)
MP Member of Military police Northern Mariana Islands (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2
Parliament other expansions country code and U.S. postal abbreviation MP)
Missouri Pacific Railroad (reporting mark MP)
muffin a thick round   a confection similar to a cupcake but unfrosted and
baked yeast less sweet, sometimes even savory (e.g., corn
roll, usually muffin) *(UK: American muffin)
toasted and
served with
butter
(US: English
muffin)
muffler   a scarf device to silence an automobile (UK: silencer) or
gramophone
mum mother, as   abbreviation for chrysanthemum
addressed or silent (as in "to keep mum")
referred to by
her child
(US:mom)
mummy mother, as Ancient  
addressed or Egyptian mummy, a
referred to by chemically preserved
her child corpse
(US:mommy) any preserved corpse
(Mexican mumia)
[edit]O

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

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 the place where a physician or dentist
position or function practises (UK:surgery)
a particular division of an
administrative unit ("Patent
Office")

optician (dispensing optician)   professional who dispenses lenses and

 professional who dispenses spectacles
lenses and spectacles
(ophthalmic optician)
professional who tests eyes
and prescribes lenses
(US: optometrist)

optometris   ophthalmic optician in the

t U.S., optometrist and ophthalmologist ar
e separate, opticians are the same as
UK dispensing opticians

Oriental a person from East/SouthEast a thing from Asia e.g. a person from anywhere in Asia, other
Asia. Contrast 'Asian', "Oriental Carpet". than Western Asia or Russia. Considered
meaning a person from South pejorative. Polite US speakers
Asia. use Asian instead, even for people from
China and Korea.

ouster a person who ousts   the act of forcing the removal of

someone from a position of influence or
power

outside the part of the road nearest
lane the vehicles going in the
opposite direction, used
especially by faster vehicles
(US: inside lane)
(in both cases the term the part of the road nearest the edge,
applies to the rightmost lane used especially by slower-moving
in the direction concerned) vehicles (UK: inside lane)

[edit]Q

Meanings common to British

Word British English meanings American English meanings
and American English

quart 1/4 (UK) gallon or 2 (UK) pints.   1/4 (US) gallon or 2 (US) pints.

Liquid measure approximately Liquid measure equal to 0.946
1.136 litres (6/5 of an American litres (5/6 of a British quart).
quart).

quarter   one of four equal parts into which 25 cents (a fourth of a dollar)
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

queue a group of persons, usually an ordered sequence of objects,  

waiting for something, arranged from which the first one in is also
in order of arrival *(US: line) the first one out (cf. Queue (data
structure))

quid colloquial term for pound a measure (mouthful) of chewing  

sterling (plural is quid also; in tobacco
Ireland it can refer to
the punt or Euro) (related
US:buck)

to the fullest extent or degree  

quite to some extent or degree, e.g. in ("All art is quite useless" – Oscar
the phrase "quite good" meaning Wilde)
"mediocre, acceptable" or "good, to a great extent or degree
well done" (a meiotic usage,
depending on voice intonation)

agreeing with a given statement,

often expressing reluctant
agreement or disbelief ("I'm
innocent, and this document
proves it!" "Quite.") according to
intonation)

[edit]S

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

saloon closed car having two or officers' dining room bar, especially in the American Old West
(usu.) four doors, a front and on a merchant ship
rear seat and a separate
boot/trunk (US: sedan) bar that serves only spirits and no food
(saloon bar) posh bar within a room in a house used for receiving guests;
a pub or hotel
passengers' lounge on a liner a salon
or luxury train (US
approx.: parlor car)
scalp (v.)  
scheme official systematic plan (as
of the government) ("a
pension scheme")
(Scotland) Low-cost public
housing (US: project)
school place of primary or
secondary education
scrappy not neatly organised or poor fragmentary
a scrappy player is one who
sometimes plays well, but
often plays badly.
second (v.) to transfer temporarily to
alternative employment
(pronounced /sɨˈkɒnd/, to
rhyme with "beyond")
section (v.t.) to detain under the Mental
Health Act 1983
On section, detained in a
mental hospital.
sedan  
seeded with the seeds left in
(grapes, etc.)
semi semi-detached house
(US: duplex), semi-erection
(vulgar)
series a single batch of episodes of   all of the episodes of a particular television
(television) a television programme
(US: season)
set square a triangular object used in
technical drawing
(US:triangle)
to cut the scalp off; to to resell (as tickets) at higher prices (UK: tout)
take something away
to trade (as stocks) for quick profits
(n.) trophy, spoils of
victory (informal)
a plan, often secret or  
devious; a plot
("criminal scheme")
grouping of any educational institution; in school: state of
departments or large being a pupil in any school normally serving
department within a minor children of any age, or in a college or
university faculty university at any level; at school: usually,
(among other physically present on campus. (UK:at
meanings, e.g., a school for both)
group of experts
sharing perspective or
methods, or a group
of fish)
bellicose or fightingly determined
a scrappy player is one who compensates for a
lack of size or speed with grit and
determination.
to endorse, support,  
or bring
reinforcements
to cut or slice into  
sections
a chair or windowed a common car body style (UK: saloon, q.v.)
cabin, carried by at
least two porters in
front and behind
  having had the seeds removed (uncommon
usage) (also seedless, used in UK)
  semi-trailer truck (UK: articulated lorry)
program
  a T-square (also used in technical drawing)
shade  
shag to copulate, or copulate with
[understood in some (but
certainly not all)
demographics in the US
also, seeAustin Powers]
shattered exhausted
sherbet a fizzy powdered
confectionery
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)
shingle pebbles, particularly those
on the seashore *
ship (verb),  
shipping
shop consumer retail
penumbra, partial window blind
obscurity; nuance
(pl.) sunglasses (orig.
US); reminder of the
past
a seabird (various (v.) to chase after; to chase and fetch (as a fly
members of ball in baseball)
the cormorant family) a style of long hair with numerous layers (not
a kind of a dance, matted or untidy)
associated with
"beach music," esp.
from the Carolinas
(orig. US)
a kind of fabric with a
thick, long strands;
often used in carpets
long, matted hair
(cf. Shaggy from
the Scooby-
Doocartoon)
a type of shredded
coarse tobacco
broken into many  
small pieces.
devastated
emotionally
  a type of frozen dessert (also spelled sherbert)
  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
to cut a woman's hair sign proclaiming one's name and calling
in an overlapping ("hang a shingle out")
style to cover something like a shingled roof
(shingles) a painful
disease of the skin,
caused by the
chickenpox virus
wooden roof tile
to cover a roof with
wooden tiles
To transport goods by To transport goods, movement of goods
sea, movement of Shipping & handling, standard form of charge
goods by sea for delivery of goods (UK: Postage &
Relationship packing)
(fandom)
  small or specialized consumer retail
 establishment of any size establishment (e.g. coffee shop, dress shop)
(US: store); workshop; practical class at school taught in a
hence shopfront (US: storefr workshop; US auto shop = Br. garage, car
ont), shop-soiled (US mechanic.
:shopworn), shop
assistant (US: (sales) clerk)
workshop, only in
combination ("machine
shop")
shorts strong alcoholic drinks short trousers (US: underpants, boxers
served in multiples of 25 ml, short pants)
sometimes with mixers (US (take it in one's shorts) endure a painful
& UK also: shots)
situation ("He really took it in the shorts that
time.")

shower   spray of water used to a celebratory party where gifts are given to an
wash oneself individual e.g. a baby shower to celebrate an
imminent birth
a short period of rain

sic   Latin for "Thus", pronunciation spelling of "seek" used as a dog

"just so" — states that command, and by extension as a verb meaning
the preceding quoted to set (as a dog, etc.) to attack someone ("I'll
material appears sic my attorney on you")
exactly that way in
the source, usu.
despite errors of
spelling, grammar,
usage, or fact.
sick (off sick) not at work (to be sick) to vomit unwell
because of illness (slang) disgusting (out sick) not at work because of illness
(n.) vomit ("a puddle of (corruption
sick") of sickening)
(slang) cool, good,
interesting
sideboard (pl.) sideburns, side- an item  
whiskers of furniture also
known as buffet
siding   a dead-end railway a short section of railroad track connected by
track leading off the switches with a main track, enabling trains on
main line and used to the same line to pass (UK: loop)
store rolling-stock external wall covering, cladding,
weatherboarding
silencer device to silence a device to silence  
car/automobile (US: muffler) a firearm
silk a Queen's Counsel material made from the silky, pistillate flower of corn (maize)
unwound silkworm a parachute (orig. slang of the United States
cocoons Air Force)

(silky) smooth,

silverware things made from silver,  
including bowls, spoons, etc.
Also trophies won by a
sports team (i.e. FA
Cup,Challenge Cup...)
skillet (regional dialect) a frying  
pan
a type of stir-fried food item
skip (n.) large rubbish container (US
approx: Dumpster)
skive (v.) to avoid work or school
(play truant)
skivvy a scullery maid or lowest
servant doing menial work,
somebody at the bottom of
the pecking order
slag (derogatory) promiscuous
woman (US & UK also:slut)
a general insult directed at
someone of either sex
slash (colloq.) an act of urinating
("to have a slash")
slate (v.) to disparage ("many
critics have slated the film"), greyish colour
hence slating
sleeper A horizontal member which
lies beneath, and binds
together, the rails of a
railway. (US: railroad
tie,crosstie)
having the texture of
silk (cf., silky words)
eating implements (spoon, fork, knife)
(UK: cutlery; US also flatware)
a frying pan, often cast iron
a long-handled stewing pan or saucepan, often
having short legs or feet
an act of leaping or one who disappears without paying their debts
omitting; see skip ("finding a good skip tracer is harder than
(radio), skip (in audio finding your debtors")
playback)
v. to cut or pare  
leather/rubber; n. an
indentation made
from skiving
[origin of both senses (pl.) men's underwear (colloquial)
is unknown; they are
likely unrelated]
[note that skivvy has
a third distinct
meaning in Australia
n English]
A product from the  
iron-smelting blast
furnace; mainly used
in tarmac production
to cut drastically an open tract in a forest strewn with debris,
especially from logging
the symbol '/' (orig. a swampy area
US)
(also virgule, solidus;
UK
also: oblique, stroke)
(n.) a type of rock; a (v.) to schedule *("slated for demolition")
to designate (a candidate, as for political
(v.) to cover with office)
slate (n.) a list of candidates
A railway vehicle Sleeper (automobile), an automobile modified
providing sleeping for high performance but with a normal-
accommodation (a looking exterior (UK:Q-car)
sleeping car).
Sleeper agent - A
deep cover secret

sleet snow that has partially
thawed on its fall to the
ground
slough (usu. pronounced /ˈslaʊ/, to
(wetland) rhyme with "plough")
smashed  
smokestack  
smudge  
snout police informant
tobacco (slang)
sod unpleasant person, originally layer of grass and
short for sodomite ("He's a earth (in UK in a
sod, isn't he?")
unfortunate person when
prefixed by 'poor' ("The poor
sod's had his wallet nicked.")
or 'silly' ("The silly sod
really got it knackered.")
soda carbonated water, or any
non-alcoholic drink made
with it, but not usu. one sold
ready-mixed
solicitor lawyer who advises clients,   one that solicits (e.g. contributions to charity),
represents them in the lower
courts, and prepares cases
for barristers to try in higher
courts *(considered overly
formal in US)
agent
  (partially) frozen raindrops, ice pellets; a
mixture of rain and snow or hail; also, glaze
(q.v.)
a marshy area, a a secondary channel; a small backwater; a
swamp pond (usu. pronounced /ˈsluː/ and often
spelled slew)
beaten, destroyed as Exceedingly drunk
in "it was smashed"
a system (as a pipe) (attrib.) heavy
for venting hot gases industry, manufacturing industry
and smoke: such a *("smokestack industries", "smokestack
system on stocks")
buildings, locomotive
s (UK
primarily: chimney or 
funnel), and ships
(UK & US
also: funnel)
a blurry spot or streak a smouldering mass placed on the windward
side to protect from frost or keep insects away
(as in smudge pot)
pig's nose  
nose (slang)
turf
formal/literary sense)
any of various (regional) carbonated soft drink, usu. one sold
chemical compounds ready-mixed (also 'pop,' 'soda pop') (UK: fizzy
containingsodium (as  drink or colloquially (fizzy) pop)
sodium
bicarbonate or sodiu
m carbonate),
carbonated water
an advertiser, a salesperson, a promoter; often
annoying
chief law officer of a city, town, or
government department

solitaire peg-jumping puzzle game   any of a family of one-player card

(see peg solitaire) games (seesolitaire) (UK: patience)
sort (v.) to deal with; hence sorted as to arrange or classify;  
expression of appreciation; often used with out
 (slang) to be adequately
supplied with narcotics

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)
sorted, to have or get fixed,
have problems worked out,
so things are working
correctly ("He's really got it
sorted now.")

spanner general term for a tool used   a wrench with holes or pins at its end for
for turning nuts, bolts, etc. meshing with the object to be turned (UK: C
(US: wrench, q.v.) spanner)
something interfering
(US: (monkey) wrench)
spaz (offensive) Incompetent,   uncoordinated, hyperactive, messing
useless, disabled person something up. Can be used self-referentially.
(from spastic, person with Has less offensive connotations in American
cerebral palsy) usage.
spigot   a spile in a cask a tap or faucet
spook   a ghost; a spy, a black person (insulting)
government
undercover agent
(both orig. US)
spotty pimply ("a spotty teenager")   of inhomogeneous quality ("a spotty record")
sprouts (n.) brussels sprouts   alfalfa sprouts
spunk (vulgar) seminal fluid courage, daring, or  
(US: cum) enthusiasm
squash (n.) fruit cordial drink (squash sport (squash vegetable (squash (plant))*(UK also gourd)
(drink)) (sport))*
squat   (n.) premises (n.) nothing (slang; short for diddly-squat)
occupied by squatters (more at cop)
(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
stabiliser (pl.) additional wheels to something that  
(UK),stabilize help learner cyclists stabilises,
r (US & UK) (US:training wheels) as stabilizer
(aircraft) orstabilizer
(chemistry)
stall (pl.) front seats in a theatre compartment for an compartment containing a shower or toilet
(enclosure) (US: orchestra) animal in a barn (UK:cubicle)
a booth or counter (as a marked-off parking space
in a marketplace) enclosure for a locomotive in a roundhouse
seat in a church's (box stall) compartment in a barn where an
choir animal can move untethered (UK: loose box)
stand (v.) to be a candidate in an to be vertical; to  
election *(US: run) remain stationary; to
buy (someone)
(something)
starter first course of a meal *(US one that starts (as a transportation dispatcher or elevator (q.v.)
usu. appetizer); more device to start an dispatcher
s.v.entree engine) starting pitcher (baseball)
the official who starts a track race.
stash (v.) to quit, put an end to (v.) to store away [old (n.) a hiding place, or something (esp. drug or
("to stash it") criminals' slang liquor) stored away*
revived in US]
stone (pl. usu. stone) 14 pounds in a small rock  
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")
stood (colloquial, mainly Northern past tense and  
English) standing ("I've been participle of stand
stood here for an hour")
stoop A post or pillar, especially a forwards bend of the raised porch or entrance veranda (orig. Dutch;
gatepost. (Rare except in spine bringing the esp. Northeast). Also refers to the external
dialect). shoulders in front of stairs leading up to a row house, "Sitting on
the hips the stoop."
dive of a predatory
bird towards its prey
store place for storage of items large consumer retail consumer retail establishment of any size
not needed for immediate establishment (UK: shop), e.g. grocery store, hardware
use* (as department store, convenience store,dime store;
store or superstore) hence storefront (UK: shopfront),storekeeper (
UK: shopkeeper)
stove a hothouse or greenhouse for wood- or coal- (or cookstove) appliance for cooking food *–
plants burning room-heating comparerange (UK usu. cooker)
the grate of a fireplace appliance see also Franklin stove
straight away, (usu. spaced) immediately,
straightaway right away *
strike a good solid shot, as in
scoring a goal in soccer
(Strike off) to remove a
professional's license (e.g.,
for attorneys: US disbar)
("What do you call a priest
who's been stricken off?" –
Dick Francis)
student  
stuff (v) to have sex - often used as a
milder form of "fuck", e.g.
"Get stuffed!" *(for "Fuck
off!"), "Our team got stuffed
in the match", etc.
sub to subsidise (pay for
something in place of
someone else - often used
for any sort of informal
loan)
(in newspaper publishing)
edit copy for length or house
style (in full: sub-edit)
subscription (UK:
membership dues, as in an
association or club)
sub-lieutenant (Royal
Navy rank)
subaltern (British
Army second
lieutenant orlieutenant)
subdivision  
subway pedestrian underpass
Glasgow subterranean
railway
sucker  
  (solid) a straight (in a road, racecourse, etc.)
to temporarily stop to miss, as to miss the ball with the bat in
working (often as part baseball,
of a union) (strike three, three strikes) (colloq.,
knock down all pins from baseball) gone, fired, ejected; said of
in bowling someone especially after they've been given
to ignite a match three chances to improve their (presumably)
bad behavior ("Strike three, he's out!")
person studying at a person studying at any educational institution *
post-secondary
educational
institution
to pack tightly with,  
especially with food:
"I'm stuffed"="I've
eaten too much".
subscription: a substitute teacher (UK: supply teacher)
purchase by to teach in place of the normal teacher
prepayment for a (regional) submarine sandwich*
certain number of
issues, as of a
periodical
submarine
(n. & v.) substitute
(usu. in sport)
(sexual) submissive
the process or an the division of a tract of land into lots (q.v.) for
instance of the purpose of sale, or the tract of land so
subdividing divided. (UK:estate, development)
(Subway) restaurant underground commuter
chain for submarine railway (UK: Underground)
sandwiches
One who sucks (lit. A lollipop
and fig.): fool, dupe, any person or thing (used either humorously or
gullible person in annoyance)
Secondary shoot
produced from the

suds  
superintenden senior police rank (US
t approx.: deputy inspector)
surgery the place where a physician
or dentist practises (US:
(doctor's) office)
suspenders elasticated support
for stockings (US: garter)
swede Swedish (yellow) turnip
(US: rutabaga)
sweet (n.) An after-meal dessert,
more s.v. candy
switch  
switchback a road or railway that
alternately ascends and
descends
a roller coaster
[edit]U
roots of a plant
(n.) froth, lather; (v.) (v.) to form suds; hence sudser (a soap opera)
to lather and adj. sudsy (in both lit. & fig. senses)
(n.) beer, less commonly root beer
senior official in person in charge of a building (UK: caretaker)
various undertakings the head of a school district or a State
(railways, public Department of Education
works, etc.) sometimes, the head of a police department
(dated) a train conductor
act of performing a  
medical operation
  elasticated support for trousers (UK: braces,
q.v.)
(Swede) a person  
from Sweden
(adj.) Sweet-tasting; (n.) Short for sweetheart. Also, to be sweet on
(adj.) to describe someone is to have a crush on them.
someone who is kind, (adj.) used to describe something as good
gentle, or giving ("That car is sweet!")
(n.) (n.) mechanism that allows a railway vehicle to
see switch, telephone change tracks (UK: points); hence switch
switch, network engine orswitcher (UK: shunter), switchyard (
switch UK: marshalling yard), switch
(v.) to operate a tower (UK: signal box)
switch (v.) to change tracks by means of a switch
to exchange, swap, see also bait and switch
make a shift
  a zigzagging road or railway, usu. in the
mountains; also, a hairpin turn in a road or trail

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

undergroun (often cap.) subterranean railway system, subterranean (Underground

d esp. the ones illicit
in London & Glasgow (US: subway or metro a subterranean space or
) -- see also tube channel
grapevine (in the sense of
an informal
communication network)
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") objective case of we ("he  
(informal), esp. in the North of England saw us")
("lend us a tenner")

Meanings common to British

Word British English meanings American English meanings
and American English

waffle (v.) to speak to no purpose; A type of pancake with a pattern (v.) to equivocate, waver, speak
ramble of square dents in it, made in a evasively
waffle iron.

wagon railway vehicle for transporting
goods (US: freight car)
4-wheeled orig. animal-drawn
vehicle (UK also
spelledwaggon 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, chuckwagon, wagon
train

walk out, (v.) "walk out with", to be (v.) to leave a meeting in protest
walkout romantically involved with to strike (orig. US)
(archaic) 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

walking   (n.) a stick to aid with walking (n.) a type of insect (UK : Stick
stick Insect)

warden any of various officials *(a gener., one in charge of official in charge of a prison
"traffic warden") something *(UK usu. governor)
an official in certain universities in compounds: fire warden

wash up to wash the dishes; to   to wash one's hands and face; to

clean after eating food, clean before eating food
hencewashing-up
liquid (US dish soap)

watershed (orig. sense, now nontech.) a (fig.) a turning point a drainage basin/water catchment
 ridge of hills (which "sheds area (shift from orig. sense) *
water") separating two river
drainage basins; water parting
*(old-fashioned or nontechnical
in US; US usu. 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

well really (colloquial, used for adverb of good  

emphasis) ("that was well healthy, in good form
funny") pit sunk to obtain water or oil

wicked (interjection) used for something (adj.) evil; fierce; roguish; vile (adverb) very (esp. New
very good, astounding or England) ("Wicked good")
interesting ("Wicked!")*

wifebeater, (slang) the beer Stella (wife beater) one who beats up a sleeveless shirt (such as that
wife-beater Artois (perh. also related to "A his wife worn by Marlon Brando in "A
Streetcar Named Desire") Streetcar Named Desire") *(also
Scotland)

wing panel of a car that encloses the apparatus used to create lift in  
(vehicles) wheel area (US:fender) aeronautics
a type of spoiler (on racecars)
the act of carrying out an activity
with little or no planning, To
wing something, "Let's wing it!"
(slang)

wing air force officer rank (US   a duty title for an air force
commande equivalent: lieutenant colonel) officer, typically a full colonel or
r a brigadier general, who
commands a wing(Note
American wings are larger
formations than British wings)

wingnut (n.) derogatory term for a person (n.) a nut with projections to (n.) (mild) a crazy or strange
with prominent, sticking out, allow application of greater person
ears torque with the fingers
a type of tree
Wingnut (politics), an
uncomplimentary term for
 someone of right-wing or
conservative views

wink (n.) "winker", slang term for a (n. & v.) the closing of one eye  
turn indicator (US: seeblinker)
wrangle   to bicker or quarrel angrily and (esp. West) to herd horses or
(v.) noisily other livestock; back-formation
from wrangler
to achieve through contrivance;
to wangle
wreck (n.)   shipwreck a usu. major road, rail, or air
that which remains of something accident or collision
wrecked
someone who is unwell or out of
sorts (e.g. "nervous wreck")
wrench   a sudden pull or twist a tool used for tightening nuts
emotional distress 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)
[edit]Y

Meanings common to British

Word British English meanings American English meanings
and American English

yankee, (sometimes disparaging, esp. someone from the U.S. (n.)1. A patriot from the
yank when shortened toyank) American Revolution;
2. a New Englander; in the South,
someone from the Northern US
(often disparaging). A
Minnesotan would not consider
himself a Yankee or use the word
regularly, but would consider
someone from Connecticut to be
a yankee; a Texan would consider
both yankees, but not himself,
and would be much more likely
to use the word;
3. a player for the New York
Yankees baseball team

yard   a courtyard enclosed area of land surrounding

an enclosed space used for a a dwelling, usu.
particular activity (as a railway
service area, a lumberyard or
timber yard, ajunkyard, etc.)
a unit of length
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)
go yard, to hit a home run