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British Terms

Miscellaneous

A-LevelsAdvanced - high school graduation examinations
Agony Auntadvice columnist
Barristertrial lawyer, attorney who argues cases in court, but doesn't do the paperwork. Cases are referred to barristers by solicitors.
Berkderogatory, from "Berkley hunt" rhyming slang, jerk
Bespokecustom tailored
Biroballpoint pen, a brand name
Carthorsedraft horse, like the Clydesdale or Belgian Grey
Catapultslingshot
Chemistpharmacist
Chuffeddelighted, happy
Cow Gumrubber cement
Crackera tube wrapped in colorful paper that contains small toys, a paper hat, and a joke or fortune, which pops when the ends of the wrapping paper are pulled to open it [associated with Christmas]
Dearexpensive
Drawing Pinthumb tack
Elastic Bandrubber band
Plasterband-aid
Fluttersmall bet
Fruit Machineslot machine, one-armed bandit
Gitderogatory, similar to 'jerk'
Ground Floorthe first floor of a building causing the numbering of floors in Britain to be one less than in the US. The US second floor is the first floor in Britain.
Hardwarehousewares
Head Boy/Girlthe student leader[s] of a school, chosen by the faculty
High Streetthe main shopping street in a town or village
Holidaysvacation
Ironmongerhardware store
Kipa verb meaning to sleep, especially in non-standard situations, as in camping
Landlordowner/manager of a Pub, sometimes referred to as a Publican
Liftelevator
Loorestroom
Marqueea large tent with open sides
Mickey"take the mickey" - ridicule
Moggycat
Naughtzero
Off-licenseliquor store
O-LevelsOrdinary - entrance examinations for last two years of high school
Paddockcorral, a small field normally used for pasturing livestock, especially horses, surrounded by a fence or hedge to prevent animals from wandering into neighboring fields
Paraffinkerosene
Prefectthe student leader of an individual residential house at a boarding school, chosen by the faculty
PubPublic house - a tavern
Public Schoola private boarding school normally divided into residential houses
Robina smaller red-breasted bird than the American robin and associated with Christmas rather than spring.
Rubberpencil eraser
Sealed Knothistorical reenactors who stage the English Civil War
Sellotapetransparent tape, a brand name
Shyverb, to throw
Skiveplay hookey, skip school
Solicitorattorney who handles everything but trials. Solicitors are required for all legal matters, but barristers are only involved with actual trials.
Sticking Plasteradhesive tape/band-aid
Stoneunit of weight equal to 14 pounds, normally used for the weight of people
Surgeryoffice of a doctor or dentist
Tannoypublic address system, a brand name
Tincan
Toe-ragderogatory, a scrounger, tramp using rags instead of socks
Torchflashlight
W.C.water closet - restroom
WirelessRadio
Zedthe letter Z

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Clothing

Anorakparka
Balaclavaski mask
Bracessuspenders
Court shoewoman's high heel pump
Dressing gownbathrobe
Dinner Jackettuxedo
Frockdress
Jerseysweater
Jumpersweater
Knickerswomen's underpants
Knickerbockersknee length trousers, called 'knickers' in the US
Macintosh/Macraincoat
Mufflerbig, fluffy scarf
Nappydiaper
Pantsunderwear shorts
Pinaforejumper
Plimsollssneakers
Pumpssneakers
Suspendersgarter belt
Trainerssneakers
Trouserspants
Vestsleeveless undershirt
Waistcoatvest
Wellingtons/Welliesrubber boots

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Home

Block [of Flats]apartment house
Closettoilet, half-bath
Cookerstove
Cupboardcloset, or small room for storage
Dressera sideboard or china cabinet
Dust Bingarbage can
Flannelwashcloth
Flatapartment
Flexelectric cord
Gardenthe yard around a house or cottage
Geysergas hot water heater
Hooverfrom the vacuum cleaner brand name, used as both a noun and a verb
Hosepipegarden hose
Immersion Heaterelectric hot water heater
Loungeliving room
Lumber Roomspare/storage room in a house
Pointelectric socket
Semi[-detached]duplex
Tapfaucet
Terracea grouping of row houses
Wardrobeclothes closet, either built-in or a large cabinet serving the same purpose

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Food

Aubergineegg plant
Bangerlarge sausage in a casing, similar to a hot dog
Biscuitcookie or cracker
Black Puddingmixture of bread cubes, oatmeal, barley, suet¹ and pig's blood that is baked. It is cut into squares and fried before eating
Blanc Mangemilk and gelatin mold, like vanilla Jell-O
Blood Sausageblood pudding [see above] that is put in a sausage casing.
Boiled Sweethard candy
Bubble and Squeakfried potatoes and cabbage, normally leftovers
Buffetsnack bar
Candy Flosscotton candy
ChipFrench fry
Chipolatasmall sausage in a casing, cocktail sausage
Christmas Puddingplum cake with a sauce that has a coin baked in for luck
Clooty Dumpling²sweetened boiled bread [Scottish]
Clotted Creamcream that has been briefly boiled
Cornany grain [wheat, rye, barley, corn]
Courgetteszucchini
Crisppotato chip
Crumpetsmall pancake made with a yeast-raised batter
Currantsmall red or black berry
Dinnermay be the noon meal in some areas. It is the evening meal when guests are invited to eat, i.e. a dinner party
Elevenestea break at 11am that usually includes scones or crumpets
Fairy Cakesunfrosted cupcakes
Fish Slicespatula
Fizzy Drinkcarbonated beverage, soda pop
Fry-upfull English breakfast that can include fried tomatoes, baked beans, fried blood sausage, kippers [salted herring] in addition to the standard eggs, fried potatoes, bacon and sausages
Gammonham
Humbugblack and white striped hard candy flavored with peppermint oil
Jellygelatin dessert, Jell-O
Jointpot roast
Kedgereerice, chopped hard boiled egg, chopped fish and spices
Marrowsquash
Mealsthe names of the midday and evening meals varies by region and social class. Lunch/tea, dinner/supper, lunch/dinner, and lunch/supper are all possible combinations.
Meringuesmall tart with a crust of baked meringue (egg whites and sugar) and a sweet, usually fruit, filling
Mixed Grillall fried together: sliced tomato and mushrooms plus several of the following: liver [calves or lamb], steak, chop [lamb or pork], sausages, bacon, kidneys [lamb's preferred]
Ploughman's Lunchsmall loaf, cheese, pickled onions, and a pint of bitters
Porridgeoatmeal
Prawnshrimp
Puddingused generically to mean dessert
Rock Cakedrop cookie containing white raisins and currants
Salad Creamsalad dressing, not to be confused with mayonnaise
Saveloypre-cooked, smoked sausage
Sconebaking powder biscuit with dried fruit, usually currants
Shepherd's Piemeat pie with a mashed potato crust
Sherbetpowdered, fruit flavored candy
Slumpieground beef and mushroom hash [Scottish]
Smartiescandy similar to M&Ms
Soldierstrip of toast, generally dipped in egg yolk at breakfast
Sorbetsherbet
Spotted Dickcylindrical dumpling with currants (the 'spots'), sliced and served with custard or a sweet sauce
Squashsoft drink usually made with citrus juice
Steak & Kidney Piemeat stew in a piecrust, a pot pie
Stodgeplain dumpling
Sultanaraisin of white grapes
Supperevening meal, often much later than in the US
Swederutabaga turnip
Sweetcandy
Takeawaya to-go/take-out order
Teameal in the early evening or the afternoon tea break
Treaclesugar syrup, the dark type is essentially molasses
Trifledessert consisting of layers of custard and rum or liqueur soaked sponge cake
Welsh Pastyan individual meat pie, meat stew in a crust for one
Whiskeyrye whiskey
WhiskyScotch whiskey
Yorkshire Puddingdumplings flavored with roast beef drippings

1. Suet is rendered beef fat, as opposed to lard, which is rendered pork fat. Rendering is nothing more than heating pieces of fat and pouring off the liquid. The best fat for rendering is from around the kidneys.

2. A dumpling is boiled bread dough.

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Automobile

Accumulatorbattery
Bonnethood
Boottrunk
Car Parkparking lot
Central Reservationmedian strip on a divided highway
Coachbus
Dampershock absorber
Dynamogenerator
Estate Carstation wagon
Hoodroof
Lorrytruck
Mileometerodometer
Panda Carpolice car
Petrolgasoline
Punctureflat tire
Saloonsedan
Silencermuffler
Spannerwrench
Sumpoil pan
Windscreenwindshield
Wingfender

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