Disclaimer: This list was imported from a different site in 1999 or 2000 and it is used for personal reference.

On the left: British (English) terms
On the right: American terms

English American 
Accelerator (car) Throttle (car) 
Addictive Addicting 
Advert Ad 
Aerial (radio/TV) Antenna (radio/TV) 
Aeroplane Airplane 
Aggressive Mean 
Alsation (dog) German shepherd 
Aluminium Aluminum 
American Football Football 
Anglepoise lamp Architect's lamp/swing-arm lamp 
Annoyed Ticked off 
Anorak Parka 
Anticlockwise Counterclockwise 
Apartment Flat 
Armchair Easy chair 
Arse (vulgar) Ass 
Artic (lorry) Semi (truck) 
Arsehole (vulgar) Asshole (vulgar) 
Athlete, keen Jock 
Aubergine Eggplant 
Autumn Fall 
Baby buggy/pushchair Stroller 
Bacon Streaky bacon 
Badge (pins on) Button (pins on) 
Baguette French bread 
Banister Stair rail 
Bank Holiday Federal holiday 
Bank note Bill 
Barf, puke, or throw (slang) Puke 
Bargain (noun) Steal (noun) 
Bat (table tennis) Paddle (table tennis) 
Bath Bath tub 
Beat up Beat on 
Bespoke/made to measure Custom made 
Bhindi (hindi)/okra/ladies fingers Ladyfingers 
Big dipper Rollercoaster 
Bill (restaurant) Check (restaurant) 
Bill/account Account 
Billion
(American usage is now more common) Trillion 
Biro (tm) Ballpoint 
Biscuits Cookies 
Black and white (metaphorical) Clear 
Black or white? (milk in coffee) With or without? (cream in coffee) 
Black treacle/molasses Molasses 
Blackberry/bramble Black raspberry (wild) 
Blackleg Scab 
Blind (window) Shade (window) 
Block of flats Apartment house 
Bloke Dude 
Bog (vulgar) Toilet 
Bogie Booga 
Bollocks (vulgar) Balls (testicles) 
Bomb (as in went like a bomb) A great success 
Bonnet Hood 
Boot Trunk 
Borough/town Council City corporation 
Bottom Fanny 
Bottom drawer Hope chest 
Bowler (hat) Derby 
Box room Lumber room 
Brace (of pheasants etc.) Two 
Braces Suspenders 
Bramble/blackberry Black raspberry (wild) 
Break (school) Recess (school) 
Breve (music) Double whole note (music) 
Brown goods Consumer electronics 
Bumbag Fanny pack 
Bumper Fender 
Bung Throw 
Butter bean White lima bean 
Cake (singular) English muffin 
Cakes Pastries 
Calabrese/broccoli Broccoli 
Camp bed Cot 
Camper van Recreational vehicle (RV) 
Candy Floss Cotton candy 
Car Park Parking lot 
Caravan Trailer 
Caravan park Trailer park 
Caretaker Janitor 
Carriage (train) Car (train) 
Cashier (supermarket)/teller (bank) Teller (supermarket, bank) 
Casualty (medical) Emergency room 
Catapult (noun) Slingshot 
Cattle grid Texas gate 
Central reservation Median strip 
Chaps (plural) Guys 
Charged (for goods or services bought) Put down/entered 
Chat up (slang) Try to pick up (slang) 
Chemist Druggist 
Chemist's shop Drugstore/pharmacy 
Cheque (money) Check (money) 
Chest of drawers Bureau 
Chicory Endive 
Chinese Whispers (game) Telephone game 
Chip pan Deep fryer 
Chips (potato) French Fries 
Chuck Throw 
Chuck out Force to leave 
Chuck steak Stewing steak 
Chuffed/dead chuffed (slang) Really pleased 
Cinema Movie house/theater 
Class/form (school) Grade (school) 
Clingfilm Saran Wrap (tm) 
Cloakroom Check room 
Cloakroom attendant Hat check girl 
Clothes peg Clothes pin 
Coach, bus Bus 
Coach
(long distance or private hire transport) Bus, long distance 
Collar stiffener Collar stay 
Collar stud Collar button 
Condom Rubber 
Conscription Draft (military) 
Contact lenses Contacts 
Cooker Stove 
Corn Cereal crop 
Cornflour Corn starch 
Cost plus contract Time and materials contract 
Cot Baby bed/crib 
Cotton bud Q-tip (tm) 
Cotton candy Candy floss 
Cotton wool Cotton batting/absorbing cotton 
Cotton/thread Thread 
Courage Spunk 
Courgettes Zucchini 
Court shoes Pumps 
Cow gum Rubber cement 
Cream cracker Soda cracker 
Creepy crawlies Bugs (insects) 
Crisps (potato) Chips (potato) 
Crotchet (music) Quarter note (music) 
Cul-de-sac Dead end 
Cupboard Closet 
Curling iron Curling tongs/hotbrush 
Current Account Checking Account 
Curtains Drapes 
Cutlery Flatware 
CV/Curriculum Vitae Resume 
Daddy, Dad Pop, Dad 
Deep fried cornmeal cake Hush puppie 
Dessicated coconut Shredded coconut 
Diamante Rhinestones 
Digger Backhoe 
Dinky (means small and cute) Dinky (means small and tacky) 
Dinner Jacket Tuxedo/Tux 
Directory enquiries (telephone service) Directory assistance (telephone service) 
Disaster Bomb (as in "it bombed") 
Dish cloth Dish rag 
Diversion Detour 
Dodgy (slang) Questionable 
Dog's bollocks (vulgar) A very good thing 
Dogsbody Gofer  
Dole Welfare (specifically for unemployment) 
Done both sides (fried eggs) Easy over (eggs, fried) 
Done on one side only (fried eggs) Sunny side up (eggs, fried) 
Drafting tape Masking tape 
Draper's shop Drygoods store 
Draught (unwanted ventilation) Draft (unwanted ventilation) 
Draught excluder Weather stripping 
Draughts Checkers 
Drawing pin Thumb tack 
Dress circle (theatre) Mezzanine/loge (theater) 
Dressing gown Robe 
Dual Carriageway Divided highway 
Dummy Pacifier 
Dungarees Overalls 
Dustbin Garbage can/trash can/ash can 
Duvet Comforter 
Dynamo Generator 
Earth (electrical) Ground (electrical) 
Economy (airfare) Coach (airfare) 
Eiderdown Comforter 
Elastoplast (tm)/plaster/sticking plaster Band-Aid (tm) 
Endive Chicory 
Estate agent Realtor 
Estate car Station Wagon 
Ex-directory (phone book) Unlisted (phone directory) 
Exhaust (includes silencer) Muffler (includes exhaust gas system) 
Face flannel Wash cloth 
Fag Cigarette 
Fag (public school qv) Gofer (private school qv) 
Faggot Pork and liver meatball 
Fairy lights Xmas lights 
Fanny (vulgar) Beaver (vulgar), twat 
Filling station/petrol station/garage Gas station 
Film Movie 
Fire engine Fire truck 
First floor, etc Second floor, etc 
First year undergraduate/Fresher Freshman 
Fish slice Pancake turner 
Fitted (carpet) Wall to wall 
Fizzy drink Soda 
Flat Apartment/condo 
Flex Electric cord/wire/cable 
Flies (trousers) Fly (pants) 
Flip side B side (of record/cassette) 
Flyover Overpass 
Football Soccer 
Football boots Cleats 
For a short time Momentarily 
Form/Class (school) Grade (school) 
Fortnight Two weeks 
Fourth year undergraduate Senior 
Foyer Lobby/foyer 
Freephone Toll-free call 
French stick French bread 
Fresher/1st year undergraduate Freshman 
Fried or saut‚ed potatoes Home fries 
Fringe (hair) Bangs (hair) 
From first to last Soup to nuts (metaphorical) 
Fruit machine (near equivalent) Slot machine (near equivalent) 
Full stop Period 
Funfair Carnival 
Funny bone Crazy bone 
Gallery (theatre) Balcony (theater) 
Gangway Aisle 
Gaol Jail 
Garage/filling station/petrol station Gas station 
Garden Yard 
Gateau Cake (large, for cutting
in portions, lots of cream) 
Gear lever Gear shift 
Get off with (slang) Hook up with (slang) 
Geyser (gas water heater on wall) Water heater (gas) 
Git (slang) Jerk 
Gob-smacked Astonished 
Golden syrup (near equivalent) Corn syrup (near equivalent) 
Goolies (vulgar) Testicles 
Gormless Brainless 
Got Gotten 
Grass/grass up (slang) Squeal 
Great! Neat! 
Green (or red) pepper Bell pepper 
Greenhouse Glasshouse 
Gregarious person Joiner 
Grill (verb and noun) Broil (verb) broiler (noun) 
Grit sheet Sandpaper 
Grotty Dirty, horrible 
Ground floor First floor 
Guard (train) Conductor (train) 
Guillotine Paper cutter 
Gyratory system Rotary 
Haberdashery Notions 
Hacked off Pissed 
Hair grip Bobby pin 
Hair slide Barrette 
Ham Bacon 
Handbag Purse 
Hard (type of person) Tough (type of person) 
Hardware Housewares 
Have it later Take a raincheck 
Headmaster/mistress Principal 
Hire purchase Time payment/installment plan 
Holiday Vacation 
Homely Pleasant 
Hoover (tm) (noun, verb) Vacuum (verb)/vacuum cleaner (noun) 
Horny (vulgar) Turned on (slang) 
Housecoat Dressing gown 
Housing estate Project 
Hundreds and Thousands Jimmy's/sprinkles 
Hurricane lamp Storm lantern 
Hush Puppy (tm) Comfortable, often dowdy shoes 
Ice lolly/Iced lolly Popsicle 
Icing suger Powder sugar 
Identification parade Line-up 
Immersion heater
(electric water heater in tank) Water heater (electric) 
Impregnate Knock up (slang) 
In advance Up front 
Intelligent Smart 
Interval Intermission 
Invigilate (verb) invigilator (noun) Proctor (verb/noun) 
Invitation Invite/invitation 
Ironmonger's shop Hardware store 
Jab (medical) Shot (medical) 
Jacket potato/baked potato Baked potato 
Jam Jelly 
Jammy (slang) Lucky 
JCB (tm) Backhoe 
Jelly Jell-O (tm) 
Jock Scotsman 
Jogging trousers Sweatpants 
Joiner Carpenter 
Journal Diary 
Jug Pitcher 
Juggernaut Large truck 
Jumper Sweater 
Kebab Kebob 
Kiosk (telephone, small shop) Booth (telephone) 
Kip (slang) Sleep 
Kipper Smoked herring 
Kitchen roll Paper towels 
Knackered (slang)/shagged out (vulgar) Exhausted 
Knickers Panties 
Knock up Awaken someone 
Knuckle duster Brass knuckles 
Label (noun) Tag (noun) 
Ladder (hosiery) Run (hosiery) 
Ladies fingers Ladyfingers 
Larder Pantry 
Later Presently 
Lay-by Pull-off 
Leader (newspaper article) Editorial 
Leader of the orchestra Concert master 
Leather over-trousers Chaps 
Lemonade Sprite (tm)/7-Up (tm) 
Let (verb) Lease/rent 
Letterbox (slot in door of house) Mailbox (outside house) 
Level crossing (railway) Grade crossing (railroad) 
Lifesavers (candy) Polos (sweets) 
Lift Elevator 
Limited (company), Ltd. Incorporated, Inc. 
Liver sausage Liverwurst 
Locomotive Train Engine 
Lodger Roomer 
Loo (toilet) John (bathroom) 
Look at Eyeball (verb) 
Lorry/Van Truck 
Lost property Lost and found 
Love bite Hickie 
M&Ms (candy) Smarties (sweets) (we also have M&Ms) 
Mac/Macintosh/raincoat Raincoat 
Made to measure/bespoke (clothes) Custom made (clothes) 
Mange tout peas Snow peas 
Manual (car) Stick shift (car) 
Marks (examination) Grades (examination) 
Marrow (near equivalent) Squash/large zucchini (near equivalent) 
Match Game 
Mate Buddy 
Mean Miserly 
Meccano set (tm) Erector set 
Medium wave AM radio 
Methylated spirits Denatured alcohol 
Mileometer Odometer 
Milky Way (astronomy) Big Dipper (astronomy) 
Milky way (candy) Mars bar (chocolate) 
Milliard Billion 
Mince (meat) Hamburger (meat) 
Mincer Meat grinder 
Minim (music) Half note (music) 
Mobile home Trailer home 
Momentarily Soon 
Motorway Freeway 
Movie theatre Cinema 
Muesli Granola 
Mum/Mummy Mom/Mommy 
Naff Tacky 
Nappy Diaper 
Near/far sighted Short/long sighted 
Near/far sighted Short/long sighted 
Net curtains Sheers/under drapes 
Newsagent News dealer/news stand 
Newsreader Anchor 
Nice Neat 
Nick (verb) Steal 
Nick (noun) Jail 
Nip (as in nip to the shops) Go right away (...to the store) 
No. (abbreviation for number) # (abbreviation for number) 
Note (as in œ5 note) Bill (as in $10 bill) 
Nought Zero 
Noughts and crosses Tic-tac-toe 
Number plate License plate 
Nursery school Kindergarten 
OAP/Old Age Pensioner Senior Citizen/Senior 
Off licence Liquor store 
Okra Ladyfingers 
Operating theatre Surgery 
Optician Optometrist 
Oven Stove/cooker 
Oven gloves Potholders 
Overhead/overhead slide Foil (for projection) 
Overtake (in a car on the road) Pass (in a car on the road) 
Pack (cards) Deck (cards) 
Packed lunch Sack lunch 
Paddle Wade in the sea 
Pantechnicon/removal van Moving van 
Pants, briefs Underpants, briefs 
Paper knife Letter opener 
Paraffin Kerosene 
Parcel Package 
Pavement Sidewalk 
Pelican crossing Cross-walk 
Pelmet (window) Valance (window) 
Pen knife Pocket knife 
Perspex (tm) Plexiglass (tm) 
Petrol Gas 
Petrol station/garage/filling station Gas station 
Pillar box Mail drop/mail box 
Pillock (slang) Jerk 
Pinafore dress Jumper 
Pinch (steal) Snag 
Pint (=20 fl. ozs/568 ml.) Pint (=16 fl.ozs/473ml.) 
Piss take Parody 
Pissed (drunk) Soused (drunk) 
Pissed off (angry) Pissed (angry) 
Plain Vanilla 
Plait (hair) Braid (hair) 
Plaster/sticking plaster/Elastoplast (tm) Band-Aid (tm) 
Plastic cheese (slang) Kraft Singles (tm) 
Playbill (theatre) Programme (theatre) 
Plimsolls Sneakers (canvas) 
Plonk Cheap red wine 
Plonker (slang) Idiot 
Plus Fours (Old-fashioned golf trousers) Knickers 
PMT (Pre-menstrual tension) PMS (Pre-menstrual syndrome) 
Pneumatic Drill Jackhammer 
Poppers/snaps Press studs 
Post Mail 
Postcode Zip code 
Postman Mailman 
Postponement Raincheck 
Potato crisps/crisps Potato chips/chips 
Poufter (slang) Fag/faggot (slang) 
Pram Baby carriage 
Prat Jerk 
Presently Soon 
Press-ups Push-ups 
Primary school Elementary school 
Prison Penitentiary 
Privy Outhouse 
Prostitute Hooker 
Pub Bar 
Pub crawl (noun) Bar hopping (verb) 
Public school/private school Private School 
Pudding/afters/sweet/dessert Dessert 
Pull (slang) Pick up (slang) 
Pullman car (in train) Sleeper (in train) 
Purse Wallet/changepurse 
Pushchair/baby buggy Stroller 
Put on the agenda Slated 
Put through (telephone) Connect (telephone) 
Quaver Eighth note 
Quay Wharf/pier 
Queue (noun and verb) Line (noun), wait in line (verb) 
Railway Railroad 
Randy (vulgar) horny (vulgar) 
Rasher of bacon Slice of streaky bacon 
Rawlplug (tm) Mollybolt (tm) 
Really get going Cooking 
Reception (hotel) Front desk (hotel) 
Receptionist Desk clerk 
Reel Spool 
Remote control/remote Zapper 
Removal van/pantechnicon Moving van 
Return ticket Round trip ticket 
Reverse the charges Call collect 
Reversing lights Back-up lights 
Road surface Pavement 
Robin Oriole 
Room mate Flatmate 
Roundabout (children) Carousel 
Roundabout (traffic) Circle (traffic) 
Rounders (near equivalent) Baseball (near equivalent) 
Rubber Eraser 
Rubbish Garbage/trash 
RV Camper van 
Saloon car Sedan 
Sandpit Sandbox 
Sanitory Towels (menstruation) Pads (menstruation) 
Sausage roll Pig in a blanket 
Scone (near equivalent; is usually sweet) Biscuit (near equivalent; is usually savory) 
Secateurs Gardening shears 
Second year undergraduate Sophomore 
Secondary school High school 
Sellotape (tm) Scotch tape (tm) 
Semi-breve (music) Whole note (music) 
Semi-detached (house) Duplex 
Semi-quaver Sixteenth note 
Semolina pudding Cream of wheat 
Serviced flats Apartment hotel 
Shag (vulgar) Have sex with 
Shattered Exhausted 
Shoelace Shoestring (but both nations
use the term "shoestring budget") 
Shop Store 
Shop assistant Sales clerk 
Shopping mall, shopping centre Mall 
Shopping trolley Cart 
Sideboard Buffet 
Silencer (car, not gun) Muffler 
Single ticket One-way ticket 
Skip Dumpster 
Skip (verb), skipping rope Jump rope (noun and verb) 
Skirting board Baseboard/mopboard 
Skive Goof off 
Slag Whore 
Slated Reviled 
Sledge/toboggan Sled 
Sleeping policeman Speed bump 
Slimy Icky 
Slip road On/off ramp 
Smarmy Ingratiating 
Smart Well-dressed 
Smarties (candy) Swizzlers (sweets) 
Snaps/poppers Press studs 
Snigger Snicker 
Snog (slang) Make out with (slang) 
Socks Stockings 
Sofa Davenport/sofa 
Solicitor Attorney/lawyer 
Sorbet Sherbet 
Spank Paddle 
Spanner Monkey wrench 
Speed hump Speed bump 
Spirits (drink) Liquor 
Spliff/joint Joint (marijuana) 
Split fire (auto) Spark plug (auto) 
Spring onion (near equivalent) Scallion (near equivalent) 
Spunk (vulgar) Jism (vulgar) 
Stalls (theatre) Orchestra (theater) 
Stand (for public office) Run (for public office) 
Standard lamp Floor lamp 
State school Public school 
Sticking plaster/plaster/Elastoplast (tm) Band-Aid (tm) 
Still lemonade Lemonade 
Stockings Thigh-highs 
Stone (in fruit) Pit (in fruit) 
Stone (weight) Fourteen pounds weight 
Straight (drink) Neat (drink) 
Subway Pedestrian underpass 
Sultana Golden raisin 
Sump Oil pan 
Sunglasses Shades 
Surgery (doctor,dentist) Office 
Surgical spirit Rubbing alcohol 
Suspender belt Garter belt 
Suspenders Garters 
Sweatshirt/tracksuit top Sweatshirt 
Swede Rutabaga 
Sweet Cute 
Sweetcorn Corn 
Sweets Candy 
Swiss roll Jelly roll 
Tadpole Pollywog/tadpole 
Take away (noun - food) Take out (noun, verb - food) 
Take out (meal) Take away (meal) 
Tap Faucet 
Tarmac Blacktop 
Tart (slang - may be used affectionately) Tramp (slang) 
Tea towel Dish towel 
Tea trolley Tea cart 
Teat (baby's bottle) Nipple (baby's bottle) 
Telegram Wire 
Telly TV 
Term (school/college - three in a year) Semester (school/college - two in a year) 
The Pictures The Movies 
Third year undergraduate Junior 
Tick (mark on paper) Check (mark on paper) 
Ticked off Scolded 
Tights Pantyhose 
Timber, wood Lumber, timber, wood 
Timetable Schedule (noun) 
Tin Can 
Tin opener Can opener 
Tip (noun/verb) Dump (noun/verb) 
Tipper truck Dumper truck 
Toboggan/sledge Sled 
Toilet Bathroom 
Torch Flashlight 
Town centre Downtown 
Town/borough Council City corporation 
Tracksuit bottoms Sweatpants 
Traffic light Stop light 
Train driver Engineer 
Trainers Sneakers 
Tram Streetcar 
Tramp Hobo/Bum 
Transport cafe Truck stop 
Treacle Molasses 
Trousers Pants 
Trunk call/long distance call Long distance call 
Trunk road NB: what the English think
of as an ordinary road can be called a
"two-lane blacktop" in the U.S.A. Interstate 
Turn-ups (trousers) Cuffs (pants) 
Twat (slang) Jerk 
Twit Jerk 
Tyre Tire 
Ugly Homely 
Underground/tube Subway 
Unhealthy Unhealthful 
Unit trust (near equivalent) Mutual fund (near equivalent) 
Upper Circle (theatre) Balcony (theater) 
Van/Lorry Truck 
Verge (road) Shoulder (road) 
Vest Undershirt 
Vet Veterinary surgeon 
Veteran Vet 
Video (noun) VCR 
Waistcoat Vest 
Wait in line Queue 
Wallet Billfold/changepurse 
Wardrobe Closet (for hanging clothes) 
Wash (hands) Wash up 
Wash cloth Flannel 
Wash up Do the dishes 
Washing powder Laundry detergent 
Wellingtons/Wellies Gumboots/Rubber Boots 
White (coffee, tea) With Milk 
White goods Major appliances 
Wholemeal Wholewheat 
Willy (slang) Penis 
Windcheater (clothes) Windbreaker (clothes) 
Windscreen  Windshield 
Wing mirror (mounted outside car) Rear view mirror 
Witter Ramble (talk) 
Y-Fronts (tm) Jockeys 
Zebra crossing Pedestrian crossing 
Zed Zee 
Zip Zipper 




American English 
# (abbreviation for number) No. (abbreviation for number) 
A great success Bomb (as in went like a bomb) 
Absorbing cotton/cotton batting Cotton wool 
Account Bill/account 
Ad Advert 
Addicting Addictive 
Airplane Aeroplane 
Aisle Gangway 
Aluminum Aluminium 
AM radio Medium wave 
Anchor Newsreader 
Antenna (radio/TV) Aerial (radio/TV) 
Apartment Flat 
Apartment hotel Serviced flats 
Apartment house Block of flats 
Apartment/condo Flat 
Architect's lamp/swing-arm lamp Anglepoise lamp 
Ash can/garbage can/trash can Dustbin 
Ass Arse (vulgar) 
Asshole (vulgar) Arsehole (vulgar) 
Astonished Gob-smacked 
Attorney/lawyer Solicitor 
Awaken someone Knock up 
Baby bed Cot 
Baby carriage Pram 
Back-up lights Reversing lights 
Backhoe JCB/Digger 
Bacon Ham 
Baked potato Jacket potato/baked potato 
Balcony (theater) Gallery/Upper Circle (theatre) 
Ballpoint Biro 
Balls (testicles) (slang) Bollocks (vulgar)/balls (slang) 
Band-Aid (tm) Elastoplast (tm)/plaster/sticking plaster 
Bangs (hair) Fringe (hair) 
Bar Pub 
Bar hopping (verb) Pub crawl (noun) 
Barrette Hair slide 
Baseball (near equivalent) Rounders (near equivalent) 
Baseboard/mopboard Skirting board 
Bath tub Bath 
Bathroom Toilet 
Beat on Beat up 
Beaver (vulgar) Fanny (vulgar) 
Bell pepper Green (or red) pepper 
Big Dipper (astronomy) Milky Way (astronomy) 
Bill(as in $10 bill) Bank note/note (as in £5 note) 
Billfold/changepurse Wallet 
Billion Milliard
(American usage is more common now) 
Biscuit
(near equivalent; is usually savory) Scone (near equivalent; is usually sweet) 
Black raspberry (wild) Blackberry/bramble 
Blacktop Tarmac 
Bobby pin Hair grip 
Bomb (as in "it bombed") Disaster 
Booga Bogie 
Booth (telephone) Kiosk (telephone, small shop) 
Braid (hair) Plait (hair) 
Brainless Gormless 
Brass knuckles Knuckle duster 
Broccoli Calabrese/broccoli 
Broil (verb) broiler (noun) Grill 
Buddy Mate 
Buffet Sideboard 
Bugs (insects) Creepy crawlies 
Bum Tramp 
Bureau Chest of drawers 
Bus Coach, bus 
Bus, long distance Coach
(long distance or private hire transport) 
Button (pins on) Badge (pins on) 
Cable Flex 
Cake (large, for cutting
in portions, lots of cream) Gateau 
Call collect Reverse the charges 
Can Tin 
Can opener Tin opener 
Candy Sweets 
Car (train) Carriage (train) 
Carnival Funfair 
Carousel Roundabout (children) 
Carpenter Joiner 
Cart Shopping Trolley 
Cereal crop Corn 
Changepurse/Wallet Purse 
Chaps Leather over-trousers 
Cheap red wine Plonk 
Check (money) Cheque (money) 
Check (mark on paper) Tick (mark on paper) 
Check (restaurant) Bill (restaurant) 
Check room Cloakroom 
Checkers Draughts 
Checking Account Current Account 
Chicory Endive 
Chips Crisps 
Chips (potato) Crisps (potato) 
Cigarette Fag (slang) 
Circle Roundabout 
City corporation Borough/town Council 
Clear Black and white 
Cleats Football boots 
Closet Cupboard 
Closet (for hanging clothes) Wardrobe 
Clothes pin Clothes peg 
Coach (airfare) Economy (airfare) 
Collar button Collar stud 
Collar stay Collar stiffener 
Comfortable, often dowdy shoes Hush Puppy (tm) 
Comforter Duvet/Eiderdown 
Concert master Leader of the orchestra 
Conductor (train) Guard (train) 
Connect (telephone) Put through (telephone) 
Consulting room (doctor, dentist) Surgery 
Consumer electronics Brown goods 
Contacts Contact lenses 
Cookies Biscuits 
Cooking (slang) Really get going 
Corn Sweet corn 
Corn starch Cornflour 
Corn syrup (near equivalent) Golden syrup (near equivalent) 
Cornstarch Cornflour 
Cot Camp bed 
Cotton batting/absorbing cotton Cotton wool 
Cotton candy Candy floss 
Counterclockwise Anticlockwise 
Crazy bone Funny bone 
Cream of wheat Semolina pudding 
Crib Cot 
Cross-walk Pelican crossing 
Cuffs (pants) Turn-ups (trousers) 
Curling iron Curling tongs/hotbrush 
Custom made (clothes) Made to measure/bespoke (clothes) 
Cute Sweet 
Davenport/sofa Sofa 
Dead end Cul-de-sac 
Deck (cards) Pack (cards) 
Deep fryer Chip pan 
Denatured alcohol Methylated spirits 
Derby (hat) Bowler (hat) 
Desk clerk Receptionist 
Dessert Pudding/afters/sweet/dessert 
Detour Diversion 
Diaper Nappy 
Dinky (meaning small and tacky) Dinky (meaning small and cute) 
Directory assistance (telephone service) Directory enquiries (telephone service) 
Dirty, horrible Grotty 
Dish rag Dish cloth 
Dish towel Tea towel 
Divided highway Dual Carriageway 
Do the dishes Wash up 
Double whole note (music) Breve (music) 
Downtown Town centre 
Draft (military) Conscription 
Draft (unwanted ventilation) Draught (unwanted ventilation) 
Drafting tape Masking tape 
Drapes Curtains 
Druggist Chemist 
Drugstore/pharmacy Chemist's shop 
Drygoods store Draper's shop 
Dude Bloke 
Dump (noun/verb) Tip (noun/verb) 
Dumper truck Tipper truck 
Dumpster Skip 
Duplex Semi-detached (house) 
Easy chair Armchair 
Easy over (eggs, fried) Done both sides (fried eggs) 
Editorial Leader (newspaper article) 
Eggplant Aubergine 
Eighth note Quaver 
Electric cord/wire/cable Flex 
Elementary school Primary school 
Elevator Lift 
Emergency room Casualty (medical) 
Endive Chicory 
Engineer Train driver 
English Muffin Cake (singular) 
Eraser Rubber 
Erector set Meccano set (tm) 
Exhausted Knackered
(slang)/shagged out (vulgar)/shattered 
Eyeball (verb) Look at 
Fag/faggot (slang) Poufter (slang) 
Fall Autumn 
Fanny Bottom 
Fanny pack Bumbag 
Faucet Tap 
Federal holiday Bank Holiday 
Fender Bumper 
Fire truck Fire engine 
First floor Ground floor 
Flashlight Torch 
Flatware Cutlery 
Flip side B side (of record/cassette) 
Floor lamp Standard lamp 
Fly (pants) Flies (trousers) 
Foil (for projection) Overhead/overhead slide 
Football American Football 
Force to leave Chuck out 
Fourteen pounds (weight) Stone (weight) 
Freeway Motorway 
French bread French stick/baguette 
French Fries Chips (potato) 
Freshman First year undergraduate 
Front desk (hotel) Reception (hotel) 
Game (sport) Match (sport) 
Garbage can/trash can/ash can Dustbin 
Garbage/trash Rubbish 
Gardening shears Secateurs 
Garter belt Suspender belt 
Garters Suspenders 
Gas Petrol 
Gas station Filling station/petrol station/garage 
Gear shift Gear lever 
Generator Dynamo 
German shepherd (dog) Alsation (dog) 
Glasshouse Greenhouse 
Go right away (...to the store) Nip (as in nip to the shops) 
Gofer Dogsbody 
Gofer (private school, qv) Fag (public school, qv) 
Golden raisin Sultana 
Goof off Skive 
Gotten Got 
Grade (school) Class/form (school) 
Grade crossing (railroad) Level crossing (railway) 
Grades (examination) Marks (examination) 
Granola Muesli 
Grit sheet Sandpaper 
Ground (electrical) Earth (electrical) 
Ground wire Earth wire 
Gumboots Wellingtons/Wellies 
Guys Chaps (plural) 
Half note (music) Minim (music) 
Hamburger (meat) Mince (meat) 
Hardware store Ironmonger 
Hat check girl Cloakroom attendant 
Have sex with shag (vulgar) 
Hickie Love bite 
High school Secondary school 
Hobo Tramp 
Home fries Fried or saut‚ed potatoes 
Homely Ugly 
Hood Bonnet 
Hook up with (slang) Get off with (slang) 
Hooker Prostitute 
Hope chest Bottom drawer 
Horny (vulgar) Randy (vulgar) 
Housecoat Dressing gown 
Housewares Hardware 
Hush puppie Deep fried cornmeal cake 
Icky Slimy 
Idiot Plonker (slang) 
Incorporated, Inc. Limited (company), Ltd. 
Ingratiating Smarmy 
Installment plan Hire purchase 
Intermission Interval 
Interstate Trunk road NB: what the English think
of as an ordinary road can be called a
"two-lane blacktop" in the U.S.A. 
Invite (noun)/invitation Invitation 
Jackhammer Pneumatic Drill 
Jail Gaol/nick (slang) 
Janitor Caretaker 
Jell-O (tm) Jelly 
Jelly Jam 
Jelly roll Swiss roll 
Jerk Git (slang)/Pillock (slang)/Prat/Twat/Twit 
Jimmy's/sprinkles Hundreds and Thousands 
Jism (vulgar) Spunk (vulgar) 
Jock Keen athlete 
Jockeys Y-fronts (tm) 
John (bathroom) Loo (toilet) 
Joiner Gregarious person 
Joint (marijuana) Spliff/joint 
Journal Diary 
Jump rope (noun and verb) Skip (verb), skipping rope 
Jumper Pinafore dress 
Junior Third year undergraduate 
Kebob Kebab 
Kerosene Paraffin 
Kindergarten Nursery school 
Knickers Plus Fours (old-fashioned golf trousers) 
Knock up (slang) Impregnate 
Kraft Singles (tm) Plastic cheese (slang) 
Ladyfingers Okra/Ladies fingers/Bhindi (hindi) 
Large truck Juggernaut 
Laundry detergent Washing powder 
Lawyer/attorney Solicitor 
Lease/rent Let (verb) 
Lemonade Still lemonade 
Letter opener Paper knife 
License plate Number plate 
Lifesavers (candy) Polos (sweets) 
Line (noun), wait in line (verb) Queue (noun and verb) 
Line-up Identification parade 
Liquor Spirits (drink) 
Liquor store Off licence 
Liverwurst Liver sausage 
Lobby/foyer Foyer 
Loge/mezzanine (theater) Dress circle (theatre) 
Long Distance call Trunk call/long distance call 
Lost and found Lost property 
Lucky Jammy (slang) 
Lumber, timber, wood Timber, wood 
Lumber room Box room 
M&Ms (candy) Smarties (sweets) (we also have M&Ms) 
Mail Post 
Mail box/mail drop Pillar box 
Mailbox (outside house) Letterbox (slot in door of house) 
Mailman Postman 
Major appliances White goods 
Make out with (slang) Snog (slang) 
Mall Shopping mall, shopping centre 
Mean Aggressive 
Meat grinder Mincer 
Median strip Central reservation 
Mezzanine/loge (theater) Dress circle (theatre) 
Milky way (candy) Mars bar (chocolate) 
Miserly Mean 
Molasses Black treacle/molasses 
Mollybolt (tm) Rawlplug (tm) 
Mom/Mommy Mum/Mummy 
Momentarily For a short time 
Monkey wrench Spanner 
Mopboard/baseboard Skirting board 
Movie Film 
Movie house/theater Cinema 
Movie theatre Cinema 
Moving van Pantechnicon/removal van 
Muffler (includes exhaust gas system) Exhaust (includes silencer) 
Mutual fund Unit trust 
Near/far sighted Short/long sighted 
Neat (drink) Straight (drink) 
Neat! Great! 
News dealer/news stand Newsagent 
Nipple (baby's bottle) Teat (baby's bottle) 
Notions Haberdashery 
Odometer Mileometer 
Off/on ramp Slip road 
Office Surgery (doctor,dentist) 
Oil pan Sump 
On/off ramp Slip road 
One-way ticket Single ticket 
Optometrist Optician 
Orchestra (theater) Stalls (theatre) 
Oriole Robin 
Outhouse Privy 
Overalls Dungarees 
Overpass Flyover 
Pacifier Dummy 
Package Parcel 
Paddle Spank 
Paddle (table tennis) Bat (table tennis) 
Pads (menstruation) Sanitory Towels (menstruation) 
Pancake turner Fish slice 
Panties Knickers 
Pantry Larder 
Pants Trousers 
Pantyhose Tights 
Paper cutter Guillotine 
Paper towels Kitchen roll 
Parka Anorak 
Parking lot Car park 
Parody Piss take 
Pass (in a car on the road) Overtake (in a car on the road) 
Pastries Cakes 
Pavement Road surface 
Pedestrian crossing Zebra crossing 
Pedestrian underpass Subway 
Penis Willy (slang) 
Penitentiary Prison 
Period Full stop 
Pharmacy/drug store Chemists 
Pick up (slang) Pull (slang) 
Pier/wharf Quay 
Pig in a blanket Sausage roll 
Pint (=16 fl.ozs/473ml.) Pint (=20 fl. ozs/568 ml.) 
Pissed (angry) Pissed off (angry)/hacked off 
Pit (in fruit) Stone (in fruit) 
Pitcher Jug 
Playbill (theatre) Programme (theatre) 
Pleasant Homely 
Plexiglass (tm) Perspex (tm) 
PMS (Pre-menstrual syndrome) PMT (Pre-menstrual tension) 
Pocket knife Pen knife 
Pollywog/tadpole Tadpole 
Pop/Dad Dad/Daddy 
Popsicle Ice lolly/Iced lolly 
Pork and liver meatball Faggot 
Potato chips/chips Potato crisps/crisps 
Potholders Oven gloves 
Powder sugar Icing suger 
Presently Later 
Press studs Poppers/snaps 
Principal Headmaster/mistress 
Private School Public school/private school 
Proctor (verb/noun) Invigilate (verb) invigilator (noun) 
Project Housing estate 
Public school State school 
Puke Barf, puke, or throw (slang) 
Pull-off Lay-by 
Pumps Court shoes 
Purse Handbag 
Push-ups Press-ups 
Put down/entered Charged (for goods or services bought) 
Q-tip (tm) Cotton bud 
Quarter note (music) Crotchet (music) 
Questionable Dodgy (slang) 
Railroad Railway 
Raincheck Postponement 
Raincoat Mac/Macintosh/raincoat 
Raisin (small) Sultana 
Ramble (talk) Witter 
Really pleased Chuffed/dead chuffed (slang) 
Realtor Estate agent 
Rear view mirror Wing mirror (mounted outside car) 
Recess (school) Break (school) 
Recreational vehicle (RV) Camper van 
Rent/lease Let (verb) 
Resume (noun) CV/Curriculum Vitae 
Reviled Slated 
Rhinestones Diamante 
Robe Dressing gown 
Rollercoaster Big dipper/rollercoaster 
Room mate Flatmate 
Roomer Lodger 
Rotary Gyratory system 
Round trip ticket Return ticket 
Rubber Condom 
Rubber Boots Wellingtons/Wellies 
Rubber cement Cow gum 
Rubbing alcohol Surgical spirit 
Run (for public office) Stand (for public office) 
Run (hosiery) Ladder (hosiery) 
Rutabaga Swede 
RV Camper van 
Sack lunch Packed lunch 
Sales clerk Shop assistant 
Sandbox Sandpit 
Saran Wrap (tm) Clingfilm 
Scab Blackleg 
Scallion (near equivalent) Spring onion (near equivalent) 
Schedule (noun) Timetable 
Scolded Ticked off 
Scotch tape (tm) Sellotape (tm) 
Scotsman Jock 
Second floor, etc First floor, etc 
Sedan Saloon car 
Semester
(school/college - two in a year) Term (school/college - three in a year) 
Semi (truck) Artic (lorry) 
Senior Fourth year undergraduate 
Senior Citizen/Senior OAP/Old Age Pensioner 
Shade (window) Blind (window) 
Shades Sunglasses 
Sheers/under drapes Net curtains 
Sherbet Sorbet 
Shoestring Shoelace (but both nations
use the term "shoestring budget") 
Shot (medical) Jab (medical) 
Shoulder (road) Verge (road) 
Shredded coconut Dessicated coconut 
Sidewalk Pavement 
Sixteenth note Semi-quaver 
Slated Put on the agenda 
Sled Sledge/toboggan 
Sleep Kip (slang) 
Sleeper (in train) Pullman car (in train) 
Slice of streaky bacon Rasher of bacon 
Slingshot Catapult (noun) 
Slot machine (near equivalent) Fruit machine (near equivalent) 
Smart Intelligent 
Smarties (candy) Swizzlers (sweets) 
Smoked herring Kipper 
Snag Pinch (steal) 
Sneakers (canvas) Plimsolls 
Snicker Snigger 
Snow peas Mange tout peas 
Soccer Football 
Soda Fizzy drink 
Soda cracker Cream cracker 
Soon Presently/momentarily 
Sophomore 2nd year undergraduate 
Soup to nuts (metaphorical) From first to last 
Soused (drunk) Pissed (drunk) 
Speed bump Sleeping policeman/speed hump 
Split fire (auto) Spark plug (auto) 
Spool Reel 
Sprite (tm)/7-Up (tm) Lemonade 
Spunk Courage 
Squash (near equivalent) Marrow (near equivalent) 
Squeal Grass/grass up (slang) 
Stair rail Banister 
Station Wagon Estate car 
Steal (verb) Nick (verb) 
Steal (noun) Bargain (noun) 
Stewing steak Chuck steak 
Stick shift (car) Manual (car) 
Stockings Socks 
Stop light Traffic light 
Store Shop 
Storm lantern Hurricane lamp 
Stove Cooker/oven 
Streaky bacon Bacon 
Streetcar Tram 
Stroller Baby buggy/pushchair 
Subway Underground/tube 
Sunny side up (eggs, fried) Done on one side only (fried eggs) 
Surgery Operating theatre 
Suspenders Braces 
Sweater Jumper 
Sweatpants Jogging trousers/tracksuit bottoms 
Sweatshirt Sweatshirt/tracksuit top 
Swing-arm lamp/architect's lamp Anglepoise lamp 
Tacky Naff 
Tag (noun) Label (noun) 
Take a raincheck Have it later 
Take out (meal) Take away (meal) 
Take out (noun, verb - food) Take away (noun - food) 
Take-out (food) Take-away (food) 
Tea cart Tea trolley 
Telephone game Chinese Whispers (game) 
Teller (supermarket, bank) Cashier (supermarket)/teller (bank) 
Testicles Goolies (vulgar) 
Texas gate Cattle grid 
The Movies The Pictures 
Thigh-highs Stockings 
Thread Cotton/thread 
Throttle (car) Accelerator (car) 
Throw Bung/chuck 
Thumb tack Drawing pin 
Tic-tac-toe Noughts and Crosses 
Ticked off Annoyed 
Tighty-whities (slang) Y-Fronts (tm) 
Time and materials contract Cost plus contract 
Time payment Hire purchase 
Tire Tyre 
Toilet Bog (vulgar) 
Toll-free call Freephone 
Tough (type of person) Hard (type of person) 
Trailer Caravan 
Trailer home Mobile home 
Trailer park Caravan park 
Train Engine Locomotive 
Tramp (slang) Tart (slang - may be used affectionately) 
Trash can/garbage can/ash can Dustbin 
Trillion Billion
(American usage is now more common) 
Truck Lorry/Van 
Truck stop Transport cafe 
Trunk Boot 
Try to pick up (slang) Chat up (slang) 
Turned on (slang) Horny (vulgar) 
Tuxedo/Tux Dinner Jacket 
TV Telly 
Twat Fanny 
Two Brace (of pheasants etc.) 
Two weeks Fortnight 
Under drapes/sheers Net curtains 
Underpants, briefs Pants, briefs 
Undershirt Vest 
Unhealthful Unhealthy 
Unlisted (phone directory) Ex-directory (phone book) 
Up front In advance 
Vacation Holiday 
Vacuum (verb)/vacuum cleaner (noun) Hoover (tm) (noun, verb) 
Valance (window) Pelmet (window) 
Vanilla Plain 
VCR Video (noun) 
Very good thing The dog's bollocks (vulgar) 
Vest Waistcoat 
Vet Veteran 
Veterinary surgeon Vet 
Wade in the sea Paddle 
Wait in line Queue 
Wall to wall (carpet) Fitted (carpet) 
Wallet/changepurse Purse 
Wash cloth Face flannel 
Wash cloth Flannel 
Wash up Wash (hands) 
Water heater (electric) Immersion heater
(electric water heater in tank) 
Water heater (gas) Geyser (gas water heater on wall) 
Weather stripping Draught excluder 
Welfare (specifically for unemployment) Dole 
Well-dressed Smart 
Wharf/pier Quay 
White lima bean Butter bean 
Whole note (music) Semi-breve (music) 
Wholewheat Wholemeal 
Whore Slag 
Windbreaker Windcheater 
Windbreaker (clothes) Windcheater (clothes) 
Windshield Windscreen 
Wire Telegram 
With Milk White (coffee, tea) 
With or without? (cream in coffee) Black or white? (milk in coffee) 
Wrench Spanner 
Xmas lights Fairy lights 
Yard Garden 
Zapper Remote control/remote 
Zee Zed 
Zero Nought 
Zip code Postcode 
Zipper Zip 
Zucchini Courgettes 
Zuchini (large) Marrow