What is the word for different meanings

  • #1

What is the english word for something which has different meanings ?
Thanks in Advanced.

  • bibliolept


    • #2

    It could be a «homonym» (two words that look and sound alike but have different meanings).
    Of course, there is also a term, double entendre, (borrowed from the French) for what we wall a «double meaning»; this is a word or phrase that has one normal meaning and a second one that might be more objectionable or sub rosa. Here one meaning is evident, but the other is hidden; these are then simultaneous, rather than alternative meanings. This is more of a literary concept rather than the grammatical one I described in the first paragraph.

    sdgraham


    • #3

    What is the english word for something which has different meanings ?
    Thanks in

    Advanced

    advance.

    Hi
    You might be more precise about what «something» might be and provide context.

    In any event, we say phrasing or a word is ambiguous when it can be read to have more than one meaning.

    Example. «I showed my wife my our new puppy. She was happy to see her.» (was it the puppy or the wife that was happy?)»

    • #4

    Thank You both.
    :)

    bibliolept


    • #5

    Hi
    You might be more precise about what «something» might be and provide context.

    In any event, we say phrasing or a word is ambiguous when it can be read to have more than one meaning.

    Example. «I showed my wife my our new puppy. She was happy to see her.» (was it the puppy or the wife that was happy?)»

    Excellent, sdgraham; you mentioned an option I had ignored.
    In this example, M-W, you could use «vague» also, but «ambiguous strikes me as a richer word.

    se16teddy


    • #6

    The swastika means one thing to Hindus, and meant something quite different to the Nazis, and has been used in various other ways too over the centuries. I suppose you could call the swastika multivalent or polyvalent. Multi-functional might be used in some contexts.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika

    cfu507


    • #7

    Example. «I showed my wife my our new puppy. She was happy to see her.» (was it the puppy or the wife that was happy?)»

    1. Wouldn’t you use «it» for a puppy?

    2. I can’t see how ambiguous this sentence. For me it is clear that your wife was happy. If you showed you wife the puppy than she saw. Isn’t it right? Why would you think that the puppy saw? (I hope I wrote my point clearly).

    bibliolept


    • #8

    I understood your question, cfu507. To be succinct, it is possible to use «he» and «she» for an animal. Yes, one might likely assume that the wife was happy rather than the dog; the point, though, is that one could interpret the sentence in two different manners.

    JamesM


    • #9

    As an example of deliberately ambiguous sentences, here’s the output from a performance appraisal generator fournd on a website:

    «His usefulness to the division is self evident. His name is frequently mentioned in executive meetings. As an employee, he is a management textbook example. There is no doubt about his future with our company.»

    Each one of these statements can be read as a compliment or an insult, depending on the assumption you make about the person’s actual performance.

    • #10

    A joke where there are two meanings for the same word is called a pun.

    Example:
    Research and development came up with the design for a new sailboard, and when it went to the experimental phase, the researchers were blown away with its performance.

    bibliolept


    • #11

    There is also doublespeak, which is related to JamesM’s excellent «corporatese» example. Doublespeak can be defined as deliberately ambiguous language designed to deceive or to misrepresent the situation. Of course, this brings you quite close to actual lying, though it is lying through obfuscation rather than by either omission or commission. This is a «cousin» of the concept of euphemism.

    loladamore


    • #12

    Let’s not forget the concept of polysemy. A polyseme is a word with many different but related meanings as opposed to homonyms which have different origins.

    alexacohen


    • #13

    And a sentence which can be read in two different ways is an amphiboly.

    bibliolept


    • #14

    When it comes down to it, all language is a pale and idealistic abstraction. Let’s not forget sarcasm, a deliberate use of irony in order to achieve bitter, caustic, or sharp humor. (This is putatively humorous, though I rarely find it so in real life.)

    JamesM


    • #15

    Well, I suppose the original poster’s question is a good example of an ambiguous question. :) All these excellent but varied answers leads me to wonder what MOST-WANTED…. wanted.

    As always, context or an example would have helped greatly.

    Packard


    • #16

    OK. I tried to offer up an example of a «pun» but it got bounced because it contained a foreign word. I will make another attempt now. I will use no foreign words whatsoever.

    Here goes:

    A duck walks into a bar. He orders a drink. He spies a beautiful and extremely well-endowed blond at the end of the bar. He tells the bartender that he would like to buy a drink for the blond.

    The bartender delivers the drink to the blond with the enormous bosom and the duck thereupon introduces himself. They chat a while and the duck buys her several more, very strong drinks. She is quite inebriated and seeing that, the duck suggests that it might be advantageous for them to retire to his apartment. She agrees.

    They are about to walk out of the bar when the bartender shouts, «Hey you can’t leave now! You owe me thirty-seven dollars.»

    The duck responds, «Put it on my bill.»

    And that is a pun, with absolutely no foreign words used at all.

    bibliolept


    • #17

    So are homophones, homograms, and homonyms polysemies, which would in turn be likely to turn a sentence into an amphiboly?

    loladamore


    • #18

    I don’t think anybody has mentioned heteronyms yet, have they? Here’s a bit of revision for those who are having trouble remembering the difference between all those lovely words: homograph, homogram, homophone, homonym, and heteronym.

    EmilyD


    • #19

    I want to throw oxymoron into the mix.

    Oxymorons are usually phrases though…»jumbo shrimp», «military intelligence». The example the WR dictionary gives is: «a deafening silence»…

    This is one rocking thread!

    Nomi

    • #20

    I believe it is called «antonym» which means a word of opposite meaning. For example, dog is an antonym of cat. Both the words dog and cat are antonyms.

    Let us wait for the more experienced speakers of English have to say.

    Packard


    • #21

    I believe it is called «antonym» which means a word of opposite meaning. For example, dog is an antonym of cat. Both the words dog and cat are antonyms.

    Let us wait for the more experienced speakers of English have to say.

    An antonym is a word that means the opposite. Dog and cats are not opposites. Cold and hot are opposites; wet and dry are opposites; funny and sad are opposites; dogs and cats seriously differ but are not opposites.

    english words with multiple meanings

    By
    Last updated:

    January 31, 2022

    Once upon a time, there was a fair boy at the fair, and he was really fair!

    There was also a bat flying around a bat, a friend of mine in a mine and a man with a bow bowing to an audience.

    Welcome to the Polysemy (when a single word or phrase has multiple meanings) Fair where nothing is what it seems, and words get crazy different meanings just for the sake of fun.

    But before you come in, you have to tell me what homophones, homographs and homonyms are.

    If you do not know what they are (or even if you do!), you had better read this post before you enter the Fair unprepared and get lost forever!


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    What Are Homophones, Homographs and Homonyms?

    They may sound dangerous and creepy, but homophones, homographs and homonyms are part of our daily life, regardless of what your mother language is.

    Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings.

    When you say “I have only one eye,” however weird that sentence might sound, the words I and eye sound exactly the same, but they obviously have different meanings.

    The same happens with words such as break and brake, here and hear or hour and our, just to give you a few examples.

    On the other hand, homographs are words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciations.

    Take the verb read as an example.

    The infinitive is pronounced /ri:d/ (with a long i), but the past tense and the past participle are pronounced /red/, as in the color red. They are written in the exact same way, but their pronunciations are different.

    Finally, we have homonyms. They are words that either sound or are spelled identically but have different meanings.

    Homonyms can be homophones, homographs or both, so to make things easy for you, we will be calling this post’s words homonyms unless stated otherwise.

    Every language has homonyms, and language learners tend to have a rough time when trying to learn them.

    Let’s have a look at the title of this post: The fair boy at the fair is really fair.

    If it is the first time you have seen the word fair, you are probably having a language heart attack right now.

    If you have seen this word before, though, you most likely know its meaning as a noun (funfair, carnival). But what about the other two? Keep reading!

    There are several methods to learn the different meanings of words. You can look them up (search) in a dictionary, check an online translator or even ask a friend if they are around and able to help you.

    From Fairs to Novels: 21 Everyday English Words with Multiple Meanings

    The following 21 words are common English words that have different meanings and/or pronunciations. They can be a little tricky sometimes, but thanks to this post, you will be able to master them in no time. So, let the fun begin!

    1. Fair

    As you have already seen in the introduction, this word can have different meanings depending on whether it is a noun or an adjective. You know its meaning as a noun, and you probably also know one of its meanings as an adjective, but I am sure you would have never thought a carnival and a hair/skin color were spelled the same in English.

    Meaning #1: a carnival; a public event where there are games, competitions, rides and entertainment

    Also, in the United States, a fair is an event where farm products and animals are shown and judged.

    The boy showed his horse and his two pigs at the state fair.

    Meaning #2: treating someone right or in a way that does not favor other people

    The boy at the fair is very fair with his siblings when they play games together.

    Meaning #3: having light skin and/or hair

    The fair boy at the fair is very fair with his siblings.

    Since her skin is so fair, she has to be careful when she goes in the sun.

    2. Saw

    You probably know this word as the past tense of the verb to see, but did you know it can also be a tool and the infinitive of another verb?

    Saw comes from the Old English word saga (to cut), but also from the Middle English word sawen (knife), hence its different meanings nowadays.

    Meaning #1: a device or tool with sharp teeth, typically made of metal

    He used a saw to cut the branch of the tree.

    Meaning #2: to saw, to cut with a saw

    He is going to saw the tree down with a saw.

    Meaning #3: past tense of the verb to see.

    I saw the saw he used to saw the tree down.

    3. Fell

    Now this one’s tricky.

    A lot of my beginner students think this is the past tense of to feel, but actually it is the past tense of the verb to fall. What not many non-native speakers know is that it can also be the infinitive form of a different verb, and also a formal adjective!

    Meaning 1: past tense of the verb to fall

    The girl fell on the floor and started crying.

    Meaning #2: to fell, to knock or cut down, to cause to fall

    He used an ax to fell the tree.

    Meaning #3: (formal) fierce, cruel, savage

    He was imprisoned by his fell enemy.

    4. Found

    This word is another example of the past tense of a verb that is also the infinitive of a different verb.

    Meaning #1: past tense and past participle of the verb to find (to come upon by chance, to locate)

    I found a lot of old books in the attic yesterday.

    Meaning #2: to found, to set up or establish, to base on, to provide a basis for

    We want to found a new translation company.

    5. Bow

    Bow is a word that can have several different meanings. It is a homograph because the pronunciation is slightly different between the noun and verb form.  As a noun, for example, you can wear one around your neck or use one to attack someone. As a verb, you can use it to show respect.

    Don’t you love English!

    Meaning #1: to bow, to bend forward at the neck or waist in order to greet someone or show respect

    We must all bow before the queen.

    Meaning #2: a knot made by tying a ribbon into two or more loops, often referred to as bow tie

    He is wearing a green bow tie.

    Meaning #3: a weapon used for shooting arrows

    The hunter had a bow and many arrows.

    6. Crane

    I still remember when I learned this word myself. I imagined a giant machine that transformed into a bird. I have never forgotten this word!

    Meaning #1: a big machine with a long arm used by builders to lift or move big objects

    I think we are going to need a crane to lift that statue.

    Meaning #2: a tall bird that has a long neck and long legs; it lives near water

    It is impossible to observe (see) a crane here. There is no water around.

    7. Date

    This is an easy one.

    If you are a romantic person, this word will probably make you think of special occasions with a partner. If time is important for you, you will see a date as a day on a calendar. Both options are correct, but there is more!

    Meaning #1: a specific day of a month or year

    What is the date today?

    Meaning #2: a situation where two people who have or want to have a romantic relationship do some activity together

    I would love to go on a date with you.

    Meaning #3: the person you go on a date with

    Mary is my date for tonight.

    Meaning #4: to date someone, to do some kind of activity with a person you have or want to have a romantic relationship with.

    Mary and I are dating.

    Meaning #5: to date something, to write the date on something

    Please, do not forget to sign and date your exam.

    8. Minute

    Here we have a homograph. Minute is pronounced /minit/ when it refers to time. It can also refer to size, in which case it is pronounced /mai’niut/.

    Meaning #1: a unit of time equal to 60 seconds

    We have been waiting for 20 minutes.

    Meaning #2: always in the plural (minutes), the official record of everything that is said and done during a meeting

    Ms. Roche will be taking the minutes during the meeting.

    Meaning #3: an adjective meaning tiny, very small

    With this new device, we are able to see even the most minute particles.

    9. Second

    If you are interested in etymology (study of words), you will like this word!

    Second has two main meanings, one referring to time and one referring to something or someone coming after first. I was surprised to find out both these meanings come from the same Latin word secundus (following, next in time or order).

    Apart from being a noun, second can also be a verb.

    In this case, the origin of the word is from the Latin word secundare (to assist, to make favorable).

    Meaning #1: occupies the second position in a series, importance or rank

    Soup is my second choice.

    Meaning #2: (always plural) another serving of food taken after you have finished the first one

    Do you want seconds?

    Meaning #3: a unit of time equal to 1/60 of a minute

    It took him 35 seconds to open the box.

    Meaning #4: to second, to approve something, to agree with somebody

    I am tired. Let’s go home.

    I will second that.

    10. Type

    They say that everyone has a type, but what exactly does that mean?

    You can type in different kinds of types, enjoy different types of food and have different types in reference to people. It all depends on the meaning of type you are referring to.

    Meaning #1: a particular kind of thing or person

    I do not like this type of food. It is too greasy.

    Meaning #2: the kind of person someone likes

    Bea is totally my type.

    Meaning #3: the different kinds of printed letters

    Please, do not use the italic type. Use bold.

    Meaning #4: to type, to write with a typewriter or a computer keyboard

    I can type 200 words per minute.

    11. Nail

    Every time I hear the word nail, I think about the program “Nailed it!,” which I really recommend you watch if you love cooking and comedy, and you want to listen to some American English to improve your language skills.

    Meaning #1: a piece of metal that is sharp at one end and flat at the other, usually used to attach things to wood

    I used the biggest nail I had to hang the picture frame.

    Meaning #2: the hard covering at the end of our fingers and toes

    Sarah gets her nails painted every Tuesday.

    Meaning #3: to nail, to attach something with a nail

    We need to nail those boards.

    Meaning #4: (slang) to nail, to do something perfectly or in an impressive way

    I nailed the final test. I am so proud of myself!

    12. Bark

    What do dogs and trees have in common? Dogs bark and trees have bark!

    I find it very interesting that a tree’s bark and to bark come from different origin words.

    The hard covering of plants probably comes from the Old Norse word börkr (bark, likely related to the word birch). The sound dogs make comes from the Old English word beorcan (to bark, to utter an abrupt, explosive cry).

    Meaning #1: the outer covering of a tree

    Some types of bark are very beautiful.

    Meaning #2: the loud sound made by a dog

    His dog gave a very loud bark.

    Meaning #3: to bark (from a dog or a person), to make a short loud sound

    If her dog does not stop barking, I will call the police.

    Stop barking at me and try to calm down.

    13. Mine

    If I tell you I like to mine in this mine because it is mine, you may or may not understand what I am saying, but you will after you have a look at the following meanings of the word mine.

    Meaning #1: that which belongs to me

    I like to mine in this mine because it is mine.

    The blue bike is mine.

    Meaning #2: a tunnel from which minerals are taken

    I like to mine in this mine because it is mine.

    He works in a gold mine.

    Meaning #3: to mine, to dig a mine or to take away from a mine

    I like to mine in this mine because it is mine.

    She likes to mine for crystals.

    14. Season

    Even though the two main meanings of the word season do not seem to be related, they have an almost common ancestor, and once you understand its origin, it totally makes sense.

    Season comes from the Old French word seison (a period of the year, proper time).

    To season comes from the Old French word assaisoner (to ripen, to improve the flavor of).

    These two Old French words are related. When the time was right (seison), fruits and vegetables grew ripe (assaisoner), which made them more palatable (tasty). Neat!

    Meaning #1: one of the four periods into which the year is divided; a particular period of time during the year.

    My favorite season is winter.

    It is flu season.

    Meaning #2: to season, to add salt, pepper or other spices to give something more flavor

    Season to taste and serve hot.

    15. Bat

    Did you know that Batman got his name from an animal? Have you ever seen Batman use a bat to bat someone? No, not the animal, the stick!

    Notice how, similarly to nail with a nail, you can say to bat with a bat. Do you see a pattern already?

    Meaning #1: a long rounded stick used to hit a ball

    Mendoza gave me his baseball bat.

    Meaning #2: to hit with a bat

    I want to bat next.

    Meaning #3: an animal with wings and a furry body

    I am afraid of bats.

    16. Row

    The main meaning of this word is a line of people or things that are next to each other.

    Additionally, row can also be a verb that means to move a boat through the water with the use of oars.

    Meaning #1: a straight line of people or things that are next to each other; a row of seats (in a theater or stadium).

    We are going to arrange the desks in five rows of six desks each.

    Meaning #2: to row, to move a boat through water by using oars

    I like to row my boat in the calm lake.

    17. Water

    I love looking at my students’ faces when I tell them that water can be a verb.

    Indeed, as it happens with many words in English, nouns can be used as verbs. In this case, the noun water, which we all know, can be used to mean to pour water on something, as on a plant, for example.

    Meaning #1: a clear liquid with no color, smell or taste that falls from clouds in the form of rain, forms seas and lakes and is used for drinking, bathing, washing, etc.

    I love drinking water in the morning.

    Meaning #2: to water, to pour water on something; to give an animal water to drink

    Please, water my plants while I am in Spain.

    18. Boot

    Some of us know the verb to boot means to start a computer.

    British people call the trunk of a car a boot, and Americans often use this word when talking about cowboy boots.

    But there is more you can learn about this word.

    Meaning #1: a covering for the foot normally made of leather or rubber

    I cannot find my winter boots anywhere.

    Meaning #2: the trunk of a car

    They found the missing money in the boot of his car.

    Meaning #3: to boot, to force to leave a place; to fire

    They booted James yesterday!

    Meaning #4: to boot, to lock a Denver boot onto the wheel of a car so that it cannot move.

    The parking attendant booted my car.

    19. Club

    Club has several meanings, ranging from a group of people who participate in a specific activity to a place where you can listen to music, eat some food and drink alcohol.

    Other meanings include a metal stick used in golf, a wooden stick used as a weapon and even a suit in a deck of cards! That is polysemy at its finest!

    Meaning #1: a group of people who meet to participate in an activity

    The chess club has 200 members already.

    Meaning #2: the place where members of a club meet

    I will meet you in front of the chess club at 7 p.m.

    Meaning #3: a business that provides entertainment, music, food, drinks, etc.

    They are opening a new dance club near your house next weekend.

    Meaning #4: a metal stick used for hitting a golf ball

    My daughter is using my golf clubs. Can I borrow yours?

    Meaning #5: a heavy wooden stick that is used as a weapon

    One of the attackers hit me with a club.

    Meaning #6: (plural) one of the suits in a deck of playing cards

    I got the ten of clubs.

    Meaning #7: to club, to hit a person or an animal with a stick or object

    He clubbed the poisonous snake in his bedroom.

    20. Key

    What if I told you that the main definition of the word key is just one of over a dozen?

    Do not panic, I will not make you learn all the different meanings of key, but it would be awesome if you learned the main ones.

    Meaning #1: a device you use to open a lock or start a car

    I think I have lost my keys.

    Meaning #2: something that is necessary to do or achieve something

    The key to learning English is practicing every day.

    Meaning #3: any of the buttons of a typewriter or computer

    I love typing without looking at the keys.

    Meaning #4: used as an adjective to mean extremely important

    He is a key worker in our company.

    Meaning #5: (informal) to key, to have the most important part in something

    Marcus keyed the victory for the Eagles.

    21. Novel

    We normally think of books when we hear the word novel, but novel can also be used as an adjective to mean that something is new and different.

    Meaning #1: a long written story, normally dealing with imaginary people and events

    I have published five novels so far.

    Meaning #2: new and different from what has been known before

    His novel approach to the problem helped us find a solution.

    Phew! There you have it, 21 everyday English words with multiple meanings!

    My advice is that you learn all the different meanings of a word at once when you are acquiring (learning) new vocabulary (or expanding your word bank).

    If a word is very polysemic, at least learn its main meanings. This will save you time when you come across that word again in the future.

    As you have been able to see in this post, by learning just one of the meanings of a word you are leaving a lot of information behind. In order to avoid that, one of the best solutions is to spend a little more time with each word you learn.


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    Many English words have multiple meanings. This means that the same word, with the same spelling and pronunciation may have more than one meaning. Sometimes the meanings may be very different. This can be confusing for people learning English. You may wonder,” How do I know what the meaning is?” The best way is rely on context, illustrations, or diagrams in the text. However, if you still are not sure of the meaning, look it up. A dictionary will tell you all the meanings of any word. This posting cannot discuss every word with multiple meanings. There are simply too many of them. In this posting, however, I talk about 25 common words with multiple meanings. These are word you may see and hear in your daily life. I show you parts of speech, definitions, and example sentences for each meaning of each word.The download at the end will give you additional practice understanding words with multiple meanings.

    Here is the free English video lesson I taught on YouTube:

    Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see all of our lessons and get the latest videos right away!

    You can download the practice sheet NOW!

    Below is a list of common words with multiple meanings.

    B

    1. bank

    2. bark

    3. bill

    4. break

    5. bug

    C

    6. charge

    7. company

    8. current

    D-H

    9. date

    10. fair

    11. fast

    12. fly

    13. hit

    J-N

    14. jam

    15. left

    16. mine

    17. nail

    P-R

    18. patient

    19. pool

    20. pupil

    21. run

    S-T

    22. season

    23. set

    24. take

    25. turn

    You now know many common English words with multiple meanings. Often you can guess the meaning of the word through context. If that is not helpful, however, don’t hesitate to look the word up. The download will give you additional practice understanding words with multiple meanings.

    You can download the practice sheet NOW!

    Idioms of the day

    1. no picnic–This means something is difficult and not pleasant. I’m glad I moved, but making all the preparations was no picnic
    2. turn a blind eye to–This means to not notice a very obvious problem. Her husband comes home drunk every night, but she turns a blind eye to his problems. She insists that he’s not an alcoholic. 

    In the children’s book series, Amelia Bedelia, Amelia is often asked to complete tasks in which she takes the instructions literally. For example, she’s asked to dress the chicken. What does she do? Amelia literally puts a little green pair of shorts and a pink top on the chicken. 

    Was that what her instructions meant? Of course not! She was supposed to prepare the chicken for cooking. But that’s just it:  The English language is complex because sometimes the same word can be used in a different context and have a whole new meaning. This is what’s referred to as a homonym or homophone. Let’s dive into the most frequently used English words that have double or multiple meanings.

    • What are homonyms?
    • What are homophones?

    Start your journey to reach fluency


    Most frequently used English words with multiple meanings 

    It’s vital to understand and recognize homophones and homonyms when in conversation with someone because you wouldn’t want to mistakenly dress a chicken up in clothing, would you?

    Exactly!

    Let’s first analyze homonyms. 

    What are Homonyms?

    Homonyms are words that are spelled the same and sound the same but mean something different. We’ve compiled a list of common homonyms below.

    1. Jam 

    When used as a noun, jam means the sweet Smucker strawberry jelly you smudge on your PB&J sandwich. 

    The verb jam could also have numerous meanings. For one, it could be used to refer to playing music. Here’s an example, “I got my drums and he’s got his guitar… it’s time to jam”. 

    2. Pool

    Pool can mean the body of water in a backyard that’s used to swim in. 

    For example: “After a long day at work, I relaxed in my pool.”

    The other version is the game of billiards or using a stick to push a ball into a specific corner of the playing table. When you play pool, you’re competing against another person to get as many of your color balls into the hole first as possible. 

    3. Season

    The smell of freshly cut grass and distant giggles of kids splashing about in their pool are all sounds of summer. Summer is a season just like winter, fall and spring. Because the Sun and Earth are constantly moving, the sun shines differently across different areas on Earth. This creates different temperatures during the time periods we call seasons. 

    But “season” is a word with a double meaning: Indeed, you can season your food with salt and pepper to give it a bit of spice and pizazz! 

    4. Read

    This word is special because it means the same thing in context but the way you say it indicates either past tense or present. The present tense version of “read” means to utter aloud, as in “I am going to read you this story right now”. 

    The other option, “read”, is pronounced like the color red. It means to have already studied or read aloud. 

    5. Letter

    A letter can be a written note typically delivered via email or the symbols we use to make up words. To illustrate, “I wrote a letter to my brother while he was away at war”.

    6. Nail

    A nail is a protective layer of hard skin on your fingers and on most other mammals such as gorillas or cats. Some prefer to paint their nails to give them some spunk!  

    On the other hand, a nail could be a piece of metal used to keep two objects together. Nails are used to secure paintings to the wall or piece together bits of furniture. 

    7. Bat

    A bat is a nocturnal bird-like animal, while the other type of bat is a wooden object used to hit a baseball.

    8. Fly

    In the sentence, “I will fly a plane someday” the word “fly” is used as a verb. Whereas, if I say “That tiny buzzing fly landed on my fresh food while I was eating”, I’m using the word fly as a noun. 

    These are only some of the most frequently used homonyms out of many.

    What are homophones?

    Homophones are words that are spelled differently and have different meanings but sound the same. Below are some of the most common ones:

    1. One vs won

    You might have one single pet or you may have won your last basketball game. One is a single unit of something and won is a victory.

    2. Aloud vs allowed

    Do you have kids? If so, let’s say you’ve put this rule into place: you aren’t allowed to eat chocolate ice cream before bed. The word allowed in this sentence means not permitted. 

    In contrast, the word aloud means to be audible. For instance, “the teacher assigned Juliet to read chapter 8 of Charlotte’s Web aloud”. 

    3. Affect vs effect

    Affect means to make a difference. Effect on the other hand is a result. These words go hand in hand because to be affected means to have an effect. Let me clarify with an example. 

    Amanda wondered if Crest White Strips would affect her teeth.

    Crest White Strips had the promised effect on Amanda’s teeth. 

    4. Here vs hear

    Can you guess the difference between the meaning given these two sentences?

    • Can you come over here and help me fix this sink?
    • I can’t hear what you said because I’m too far away.

    In the first sentence, “here” suggests a location, and the person who needs help is in a different place than the person they need help from. 

    You’ll notice in the second statement, “hear” suggests he or she cannot perceive what is being said because of the distance. 

    5. Buy vs by vs bye

    Did you just sing the “Bye Bye Bye” NSYNC song in your head? Yeah, me too. The “bye” used in that song implies a farewell greeting and is short for goodbye. Use the word “buy” when you need to purchase something and the word “by” to refer to a location. Let me further explain with a couple of sample sentences:

    • I got back on the plane and said bye to my boyfriend after a lovely trip together.
    • I had to buy some fresh oranges from the store.
    • Can you get her purse? It’s right by the door. 

    6. Your vs you’re

    “You’re” is a contraction of the words “you are”. A contraction is a select group of words that are shortened and replaced with an apostrophe. A good way to see if you should use your or you’re is to revert to “you are” instead of “you’re” and see if it makes sense in the sentence. 

    For example, which sentence sounds correct:

    • Is that your coat over there?
    • Is that you are (you’re) coat over there?

    The first one, right!? The one your in the first sentence symbolizes belonging. What belonged to the person? The coat belonged to the person. 

    7. Ate vs eight

    I ate pizza for dinner. Here, the word ate means to consume and is the past tense version of eat. The other version, eight, is the number after seven and before nine. 

    8. Eye vs I

    An eye is the body part you use to see the world, while “I” is a pronoun that’s used when you’re talking about yourself. Here are some examples:

    • I was running late for my date because there was a traffic jam.
    • I saw the magic trick with my very own eyes.

    Start your journey to reach fluency

    From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    This is the List of words having different meanings in British and American English: A–L. For the second portion of the list, see List of words having different meanings in British and American English: M–Z.

    Asterisked (*) meanings, though found chiefly in the specified region, also have some currency in the other region; other definitions may be recognised by the other as Briticisms or Americanisms respectively. Additional usage notes are provided where useful.

    A[edit]

    Word British English meanings Meanings common to British and American English American English meanings
    AA The Automobile Association (US: AAA) Alcoholics Anonymous American Airlines
    A&E the accident and emergency (casualty) department of a hospital (US: emergency room, ER)[1]   Arts & Entertainment (name of a television network)[1]
    accumulator rechargeable battery[2] (technical)

    a type of bet[3] (US: parlay)

    one that accumulates, as a type of computer processor register or a hydraulic accumulator[2]  
    ace good, excellent (informal) a one in a suit of playing cards
    someone who is very good at something
    (tennis) a winning serve in which the receiver does not touch the ball
    fighter pilot who has shot down at least 5 enemy aircraft
    an asexual person (slang)
    (v.) to perform outstandingly *; esp., to achieve an A (on a school exam)
    (n.) the best starting pitcher in a rotation on a baseball team
    advert (n.) a contraction of advertisement[4][5][6][7][8] (US: ad) (v.) to turn the attention to or refer to something[9][4][5][6][8]
    advocate (n.) Scottish, also Isle of Man, Channel Islands or South African, lawyer who appears in higher courts (rest of UK: barrister) someone who supports or speaks for a particular position
    generic term for a lawyer
    (v.) to recommend or support
     
    air marshal a senior air force officer (equivalent to a USAF Lt. General)* an undercover law 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)
    allotment a parcel of land in a community garden the amount of something allocated to a particular person  
    alternate   (adj.) done or occurring by turns; every second, every other («on alternate weeks»)
    (n.) one that alternates with another
    (adj.) constituting an alternative, offering a choice (UK usu. & US also alternative) («use alternate routes»)
    «alternative», unconventional («alternate lifestyles»)

    (n.) an alternative *; a substitute

    amber orange-yellow traffic light (US: yellow light) orange-yellow colour
    fossilised resin
    a material used in the construction of some tobacco pipes’ stems

    (Amber) female given name
    (sealed in amber) state of being oblivious to changing circumstances

     
    anaesthetist (UK), anesthetist (US) physician trained to induce anaesthesia (US: anesthesiologist) someone who induces anesthesia. a critical care experienced graduate level educated Registered Nurse who is nationally certified to induce anesthesia
    anchor   a position in a tug of war team
    device for mooring ships by providing a firm fix to the seabed
    (anchorman/anchorwoman) the last member of a relay team to compete
    a type of radio or TV presenter («a news anchor»). See news presenter for a description of the different roles of a newscaster, an American news anchor, and a British newsreader.
    A dowel or fastener, usually made of plastic, that enables a weight-bearing screw to be attached to a wall (UK: wall plug); Rawlplug (trademark)
    anorak a parka
    (slang) a socially awkward person obsessively interested in something (syn. US: geek, nerd; dweeb; etc.)
    hooded, rainproof outerwear that lacks a full-length zipper in the front (UK: cagoule)  
    apartment suite of rooms set aside for a particular person (rare), usu. rented housing unit in a larger building implying luxury (In other words, a narrower definition than the US.) (Overlapping with the rare usage in reference to stately homes or historic properties which have been converted into residential units.)   usu. rented housing unit in a larger building, regardless of luxury level (usu. flat in UK)– cf. s.v. condominium
    appropriate (v.), appropriation (n.) to take (money) to oneself, to filch or misappropriate to take (money) (there is considerable overlap but difference of emphasis) to dispense (money), to budget
    Asian originating from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka (South Asian) originating from the continent of Asia originating from East Asia or continental Southeast Asia
    ass   donkey
    slow-witted or stupid person, often in combination (dumb-ass)
    unpleasant or unthinking person (less common colloquially) («you ass»)
    (often vulgar) buttocks (UK: arse); also, by synecdoche, the person («your ass is dead»); also (vulgar) anus (short for asshole)
    (vulgar) sex («get some ass»)
    (adv.) a postpositive intensive (i.e., to add emphasis to an adjective) («He drove a big-ass truck»)

    badass: someone of formidable strength or skill, e.g. «such a badass guitar player»[10]
    kick-ass: to beat up or beat, e.g. «I am going to kick his ass» or, more positively, something that beat (did better than) everything else, e.g. «The opening band was kick-ass.»
    (vulgar) someone acting inappropriately or offensively («That guy was an ass!»)

    athletics Sport comprising the events in track and field, cross country running, road running and racewalking   Athletic sports in general, (e.g. College athletics)
    attorney   an agent or representative authorised to act on someone else’s behalf («attorney-in-fact», «power of attorney»)
    (Attorney General) main legal advisor to the government
    (or attorney-at-law) a lawyer (UK: barrister (England, Northern Ireland, Wales)/advocate (Scotland) or solicitor, depending on the actual profession)
    (District attorney, prosecuting attorney) local public official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminals (archaic in Br. Eng. for lawyer)
    aubergine the plant Solanum melongena, or its fruit (US: eggplant) an aubergine-like colour (US also: eggplant)

    B[edit]

    Word British English meanings Meanings common to British and American English American English meanings
    backside (n.) posterior, buttocks (as two words, back side) rear of anything[11][12][13][14]
    banger (n.) a sausage, as in «bangers and mash»
    an old motor car in a state of disrepair (US: beater or jalopy)
    a type of firework a particularly club-friendly beat or song
    a gang member (gang-banger)

    a party- usually a youth party

    bang(s)   small explosions or reports;
    (v.) have sexual intercourse with (vulgar slang)
    locks of hair on forehead (UK: fringe)
    banker a railway locomotive that temporarily assists the train hauled by another up a gradient (US: helper) one who works in a bank  
    base   foundation, starting point; many meanings in sciences, architecture, politics, military installation, etc.; see base in baseball, one of the three places a runner can stand in safety; hence in many fig. senses, off one’s base (crazy), to get to first base (esp. in neg. constr., to get a first important result); more recently (slang), a metaphor for one of three different stages in making out (q.v.) – see baseball metaphors for sex; more s.v. home run
    bash Have a go – to try to achieve something, as in «have a bash at this crossword» to strike physically
    to attack verbally
    a party or celebration «they’re having a little bash this weekend» (orig. US, but now probably more common in UK than US)
     
    bath (pl.) swimming pool
    (v.) to bathe, or give a bath to, example have a bath (US: take a bath meaning bathe)
    (n.) plumbing fixture for bathing *(US: bathtub)
    (n.) the act of bathing
    (n.) a bathroom (esp. a half bath which has a sink and toilet but no shower stall or bathtub, or a 3/4 bath which has a sink, toilet, and shower stall, but no bathtub)
    bathroom room containing a bath (US: bathtub) or shower, other washing facilities, and usu. (but not necessarily) a toilet   room, in a home or hotel room, containing a toilet, related washing facilities, and often, but not necessarily, a shower or bathtub (Hence «Going to the bathroom» is a euphemism for relieving oneself, regardless of place, such as «I went to the bathroom in my pants»*)
    beaker drinking vessel without a handle, or one (with or without handles) made of unbreakable plastic for the use of children (US: sippy cup) flat-bottomed vessel, with a lip, used as a laboratory container.  
    beater   person who flushes game from concealment so it can be shot at by ‘the guns’
    something or someone that beats
    used car or bicycle in very poor condition (UK: banger)
    (slang) wifebeater (q.v.)
    a sleeveless undershirt (from the stereotype that poor men who wear them beat their wives, perhaps from Jackie Gleason in «The Honeymooners» TV series (50s/60s US) or more likely from the costume of the character Stanley Kowalski in the play «A Streetcar Named Desire») (UK: vest)
    beaver beard; a bearded man (archaic slang) aquatic rodent known for building dams
    woman’s undepilated external genitalia (obscene slang)
    vagina (slang)
    bender derogatory expression for a gay man, referring to the act of bending over to permit buggery. an expression for a binge drinking spree.
    bespoke (esp. of apparel) made to the customer’s specification (US: custom-made, tailor-made) pret. of bespeak  
    bill The Bill=the police (slang, poss. from Old Bill) invoice; request for payment (also US: check, tab)
    a proposed law before it is voted on by a legislature
    a piece of paper money (UK: note/banknote)
    billion (very obsolete) a million millions (1012) (UK and US: trillion) thousand million (109) (now standard in both UK and US) (traditional UK[citation needed]: milliard) (see also Long and short scales) 109
    bin (v.) to throw away.
    (bread bin) container for storing bread (US: breadbox)
    (1) a waste container (2) a usu. large receptacle or container for storage («a grain bin»; «Scrooge McDuck’s money bin»)  
    bird (np.) one’s girlfriend or any young female (slang; getting rarer[15] and considered derogatory by some)
    prison sentence (slang)
    a feathered animal of the class Aves
    an aircraft (aviation slang)
    insulting hand gesture involving shaking one’s fist towards someone with knuckles pointing towards the person being insulted and the middle finger extended (used chiefly in «flipping someone the bird») (slang)
    biscuit (n.) baked sweet or savoury cake-like item, usu. flat, which is hard when baked and softens over time (colloquially bikkies for sweet biscuits) (US: cookie (sweet biscuit), cracker savoury biscuit)
    (to take the biscuit) to be very surprising (US: take the cake)
    a piece of wood used in joinery to join two larger pieces together type of quick bread served with savory foods (UK: similar to a savoury scone, or similar in consistency to a croissant)
    blinder (n.) excellent performance in a game or race (slang) «e.g. he played a blinder»   either of two flaps on a horse’s bridle to keep it from seeing objects at its sides (UK: blinker, also used in US)

    (wear blinders) (colloq.) state of being oblivious, unresponsive to changing circumstances. Myopic, tunnel vision.

    blinkers leather flaps on a bridle used to restrict a horse’s lateral vision*(US usu.: blinders)   lights on a car that indicate the direction about to be taken *(UK: indicators)
    block (n.) a building (block of flats, office block) a solid piece of something
    to obstruct
    (basketball) a blocked shot, or (plural) in the low post position near the basket, as in «on the blocks»
    in a city, the portion of a street between adjacent intersections or an informal rough unit of distance derived from the length of the same. The usage to mean a single large building was common in the Western US until the early 20th century.
    bloody expletive attributive used to express anger («bloody car») or shock («bloody hell»), or for emphasis («not bloody likely») (slang, today only mildly vulgar) *(similar US: damn («damn car»)) having, covered with or accompanied by blood considered a euphemism for more emphatic swear words
    blow off to break wind to perform oral sex upon to fail to turn up to meet somebody, to disavow or fail to meet an obligation (UK: blow out) («I’m just too busy, I’ll have to blow you off for this evening.»)
    bog (n.) toilet (slightly vulgar slang)
    (bog off) go away (slightly vulgar slang, often jocular)
    wetland that accumulates appreciable peat deposits A plot of artificially floodable farmland used to grow cranberries
    (a cranberry bog)
    bogey dried nasal mucus usu. after extraction from the nose (US: booger) (informal) the score of one over par in golf an unidentified aircraft, often assumed to be that of an enemy

    alternate spelling of «Bogie» (nickname of Humphrey Bogart)

    boiler (n.)
    1. an old fowl best cooked by boiling;
    2. (derogatory) an ugly woman (usually in the phrase «old boiler»)
    1. device (usu. oil or gas-fired) for heating water for central heating or hot water *, «central heating boiler» (US furnace);
    2. vessel in which steam is generated
    A car (1930s slang)
    bomb a striking success; used in the phrases «go (like) a bomb» and «go down a bomb»; Go like a bomb also means, when used of a vehicle, to go very fast an explosive weapon (v.) to be a failure («the show bombed»); also as n.
    (n., used with the) something outstanding («that show was the bomb»); sometimes spelled da bomb
    bombardier corporal in the Royal Artillery – see Bombardier (rank)   crew member of a bomber responsible for assisting the navigator in guiding the plane to a bombing target and releasing the aircraft’s bomb load – see Bombardier (air force) (UK: bomb aimer)
    bonk act of sexual intercourse, or to have sexual intercourse (slightly vulgar slang) (US: boink) blow to the head
    (n. and v.) to suffer glycogen depletion in an endurance sporting event; see hitting the wall
     
    bonnet hinged cover over the engine in a car (US: hood) hat tied under chin worn by a baby or (archaically) a woman  
    boob (n.) a mistake (slang); (v.) to make a mistake (US: blooper) woman’s breast (slightly vulgar slang) stupid person
    boob tube woman’s shoulderless, strapless top (US: tube top)   (the boob tube) television (slang)
    boost   to (figuratively) lift up; to improve, increase, revitalize. to (literally) lift up, especially a person: booster cushion*, a cushion used to increase the height of a seat (esp. in a car)
    to steal, especially from a retail establishment (i.e., shoplift)
    boot storage compartment of a car (US: trunk) footwear covering lower leg
    to kick something hard
    to start up a computer
    (Denver boot, car boot) device used to render cars immobile (UK: wheel clamp)
    to expel (UK: give someone the boot *)(«I have been given the Order of the Boot», Winston Churchill)
    to vomit (slang)
    to shoot up (with intravenous drugs) (ex: to boot cocaine or heroin; slang)
    booty treasure or the proceeds of looting (African American Vernacular English, but widely appropriated elsewhere), esp. female buttocks as in «Shake that booty»
    (booty call) invitation to a sexual encounter (slang)[16][17]
    boss   the person you report to at work cool, totally awesome (slang) e.g. «That is a boss Zefron poster»
    bottle courage («he’s got some bottle») (slang) (US: moxie)
    to fail to do something through fear («he’s bottled out», «he bottled it») (slang)
    to attack somebody with a broken bottle (slang)
    container for liquids
    (the bottle) alcohol, heavy drinking (synecdochical slang)
    box a gift in a box, hence Boxing Day
    genital protector used in cricket (US similar: protective cup)
    (the box) television set (slang) (US: idiot box, boob tube)
    a box stall in a barn
    any of various box-like structures, such as:
    signal box (US: switch/signal/interlocking tower)
    telephone box (US & UK also: telephone booth), more at call box
    witness box (US: witness stand)
    either one of the two marked areas adjacent to the goalmouth on an association football pitch (see here)
    see also box junction
    (n.) rigid container
    (v.) to attack using one’s fists
    (n.) general-purpose computer (e. g. «this box needs its hard disk re-formatted»)
    any of various areas on a baseball diamond (as for the batter, or the pitcher, the catcher, etc.)
    female genitalia (obscene slang) *
    (box canyon) a canyon with vertical walls
    (boxcar) a type of enclosed railroad freight car (UK: goods van)
    a three-ball «frame» for one player in candlepin bowling (New England)
    the genital area (ex: kicked in the box; vulgar slang)
    brace bracers braces over-the-shoulder straps to support trousers *(US usu. suspenders, q.v.) support that steadies or strengthens something else

    devices for straightening teeth
    a pair or couple of something, typically game birds or animals[18][19]

    leg supports (UK: callipers)
    tertiary enclosing punctuation: { } (UK: curly brackets)
    brackets enclosing punctuation: ( ) (US & UK also: parentheses); more at braces supports for shelves, etc. attached to a wall

    enclosing punctuation: square brackets [] (US: brackets/crochets), curly brackets {} (US: braces)

    secondary enclosing punctuation: [] (UK: square brackets)
    brew (n.)   tea beer

    coffee

    brilliant excellent, of the highest quality (rarely sarcastic) very bright (of a light or a brain)
    very intelligent
     
    bud   undeveloped shoot which normally occurs in the axil of a leaf or at the tip of a plant stem marijuana (slang)
    hand-rolled marijuana cigarette (slang), compare joint
    shortening of ‘buddy’, used to address strangers assuming a non-existent familiarity (UK: similar: mate)
    buffet railway carriage containing a refreshment counter selling snacks and drinks, esp. on a train on which a full restaurant car (US: dining car) service is not provided refreshment counter or bar;

    a meal set out on a table, etc. for diners to serve themselves

    a type of sideboard
    bug   insect of the order Hemiptera
    pathogen, bacteria, germ
    covert listening device (orig. US)
    defect in software (orig. in a machine) (orig. US)
    an enthusiast of something (orig. US)
    Volkswagen Beetle
    (v.) to apply a covert listening device (orig. US)
    (v.) to annoy (colloquial)
    any of various insects *(nontechnical usage)
    an important person («a big bug»); also, someone crazy (as in «firebug», a pyromaniac)*
    to go away, depart, also from a responsibility (used with out)
    (bug off) to go away (often as a command) (from UK bugger, q.v.)
    bugger (buggered) 1. broken, not working (typically of mechanical devices, e.g. «the engine’s buggered») (slang); 2. syn. for bothered (e.g. «I didn’t do it. I couldn’t be buggered.») (slang)
    (bugger up) to make a mess of something (slang)
    (bugger off) (imperative) go away, leave me alone (slang)
    (usually vulgar) to engage in, or someone who engages in, anal sex[20][21][22][23]
    a form of address for either a person or item, either jocular («he’s a generous bugger», «I finally found the little bugger!») or less so («he’s a mean bugger») (slang)
    term of endearment, often used for children (slang)

    a bug (insect)

    buggy 2-wheeled horse-drawn lightweight carriage
    baby transport vehicle also called (UK) pushchair (US: stroller)
    any of various light cart or cars («a golf buggy»)
    (slang) an automobile (orig. US)
    see baby transport for details
    see also dune buggy
    4-wheeled horse-drawn lightweight carriage
    baby transport vehicle also called (US) baby carriage (UK: pram)
    regional (esp. South) for shopping cart (UK: trolley)
    (marsh/swamp buggy) a type of motor vehicle for marshland
    (slang) caboose
    (horse and buggy) something obsolete (as from before the invention of the automobile)
    bum to engage in anal sex (vulgar slang) to cadge («can I bum a cigarette off you?») (slang)

    buttocks[24][25] (colloquial) (US: butt)

    hobo, homeless person
    poor quality (slang)
    to sadden (often used with «out»)
    injured or lame («a bum knee»)[26]
    bumps a type of rowing race
    a method of marking someone’s birthday (see Birthday customs and celebrations)
    a set of small protuberances
    bunk to be absent without authorization:

    bunk off, to play truant from school (US: play hooky)
    do a bunk, to abscond (US: go on the lam)

    type of bed, where two small beds are stacked on top of each other (UK bunk (up) with implies sharing a bed, rather than merely a room)
    nonsense as in «History is bunk» (from bunkum)
    group of plain beds used as no-frills lodging (UK: dormitory, q.v.); also used as a verb («I bunked with them in their room»; «The cabin could bunk about 18»)
    bureau a type of writing table a public office or government agency a type of chest of drawers
    burn (n.) (Scotland and Northern England) narrow river, stream – more s.v. creek wound caused by heat, or chemical agents, etc. (n.) clearing (as in a forest) made by burning vegetation
    bus (v.)   to travel by bus to clear (as tables) in a restaurant; to work as a busboy
    butcher (have a butcher’s) to have a look (rhyming slang: butcher’s hook=look) to kill and cut up an animal for meat
    to kill messily, or someone who does so
    one who cuts and sells meat
    to make a big mess of things; botch («butcher it up»; «I butchered the spelling»)
    butchery (n.) slaughterhouse, abattoir a cruel massacre
    a butcher’s trade
    a botch
    butt (n.)   (n.) the (larger) end of anything, a stub; also, a cigarette
    a sudden blow given by the head of an animal
    a large wooden cask
    a person mocked by a joke
    (v.) to strike bluntly (as with the head)
    (butt in) to interfere when uncalled for (orig. US)
    (colloquial) buttocks (UK usu. bum); hence butthead *
    (n.) (butt-in) one who butts in
    (v.) to cut off the end (of a log)
    (butt out) to stop interfering
    buzzard a bird of prey of the genus Buteo   vulture (slang)

    C[edit]

    Word British English meanings Meanings common to British and American English American English meanings
    calipers (n.) (n.) A metal support for a person’s leg and/or ankle. (US: ankle braces, leg braces)[27][28] (n.) An instrument for measuring external or internal dimensions, having two hinged legs resembling a pair of compasses and in-turned or out-turned points.[27]  
    callbox (n.) telephone booth (UK also telephone box)   roadside emergency telephone
    call for (v.)   to require or advocate to predict or anticipate («The forecast calls for rain»)
    campsite (n.) area or park for people to camp in (US: campground)   spot for a particular person or group to camp, often within a campground (UK: pitch)
    can   (n.) small metal container
    (v.) to place in such a container
    (modal v.) to be able to
    (v.) to fire someone from a job (UK: sack)
    (n.) toilet (slang), jail
    (n.) buttocks[29]
    canteen (n.) food service location usually at a work place or institution (US: cafeteria) a box with compartments for storing eating utensils, silverware etc.
    a military mess kit
    water bottle, typically used for military or camping purposes.
     
    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) (v.) to sugarcoat, or boil with sugar (as fruit)
    to sweeten

    edible, sweet-tasting confection containing sugar, or sometimes artificial sweeteners, and often flavored with fruit, chocolate, nuts or artificial flavours; a piece of candy (UK: sweets, confectionery)

    (eye candy) (derog.) someone who is physically attractive (See also arm candy.)
    canfield (n.) a patience (solitaire) card game (US: Klondike)   a patience (solitaire) card game (UK: Demon)
    car (n.) railway vehicle, only in combination (e.g. «restaurant car», except London Underground «carriage»)

    (archaic) street tramway vehicle

    motorcar (n.) (UK, q.v.)/automobile 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
    caravan towed recreational vehicle containing accommodation (US: travel trailer)
    to take such a vehicle on holiday
    overland trading convoy a type of minivan sold in the United States (see Dodge Caravan)
    caretaker (n.) one who takes care of a building, e.g. a school (US: janitor; cf. s.v. custodian)
    one put in charge of a farm after eviction of tenant
    one who takes care of someone or something
    stopgap government or provisional government
    one who takes care of real estate in exchange for rent-free living accommodations *
    carnival (n.) a street festival typically involving music, dancing and processions (adj.) suggesting a festive atmosphere (n.) a travelling circus or fair (UK: funfair) comprising amusement rides
    carousel (n.)   a moving luggage/baggage display unit, most often at airports a rotating fairground ride (UK: merry-go-round, roundabout)
    carriage (n.) railway coach (q.v.) designed for the conveyance of passengers
    the conveying of goods or the price paid for it («carriage-paid»); «handling»
    4-wheeled horse-drawn private passenger vehicle (baby carriage) baby transport vehicle featuring the infant lying down facing the pusher (UK: perambulator, pram) – more s.v. buggy
    a shopping cart (primarily in North Atlantic states)
    carry on, carryon (informal) have a love affair[30] (colloquial) carrying-on, unruly behaviour
    (v.) continue (Keep Calm and Carry On)
    luggage that can be carried aboard an aircraft, bus, or train (UK: hand luggage or baggage)
    cart usu. 2-wheeled one-horse vehicle (as that used in farming) a lightweight wheeled vehicle, as for shopping, serving, carrying baggage, etc. (UK: trolley)
    cartridge (primarily related to video games)
    casket (n.) a small box, as for jewels, particularly an antique   The type of coffin with upholstery and a half-open lid, any coffin
    casualty (person) often, someone who has been wounded; hence casualty department (US: emergency room) generally, someone who has been injured or killed often, someone who has been killed; see also casualty insurance
    catapult small Y-shaped handheld projectile weapon often used by children (US: slingshot) a type of medieval siege engine
    an aircraft catapult
    (v.) rise quickly
    chaps [?] men or boys (but increasingly used for people of either sex; in the singular it still almost exclusively 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
      leather leggings originally worn by cowboys and designed to protect the legs against thorns (sometimes pronounced shaps), short for «chaparajos», or the similar items worn by motorcyclists as a form of leg protection
    check   examine for a particular purpose
    a pattern of coloured squares
    a warning given in chess
    leave items in the care of someone else (e.g. at a cloakroom; hence checkroom)
    (also check mark) mark used to denote ‘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 who checks (e.g. an inspector) a store or shop cashier (almost always a grocery store)
    (checkers) a popular board game (UK: draughts)
    to mark with alternating colored squares (UK: chequer)
    cheers (interjection) said to express gratitude, or on parting (slang). Also cheerio. used as a toast or valediction  
    chemist pharmacist, pharmacy (US similar: druggist, drugstore) student or researcher of chemistry  
    chew a chewy sweet[31] (US: taffy) to break down food with the teeth, masticate
    (chew on something, chew something over) (colloquial) to consider or discuss [31][32]
    referring to or using chewing tobacco
    chip in to express one’s opinion (as in a conversation); to «chime in» to contribute (as money) (orig. US)  
    chips (food) Long cuts of deep fried potato, usu. thick cut resembling American steak fries French fries, in (orig. UK) phrase fish and chips thin slices of fried potato*(UK: crisps)
    chippie, chippy carpenter (slang);
    fish-and-chip shop (slang) (Ire: chipper)
    (adj.; chippy only) aggressively belligerent, especially in sport loose woman (dated slang);
    the N. American bird Chipping sparrow
    chum friend (sometimes sarcastic) (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 from apples (US: hard cider)   unfiltered, unpasteurized, unfermented apple juice[33]
    Cinderella a team which underachieves, or is overshadowed by successful neighbouring rivals* fairy tale character a lowly sports team or individual which enjoys an unexpectedly good run in a tournament
    city a large town, in particular a town created a city by charter and/or containing a cathedral. (Some cathedral cities, such as St Asaph, St David’s and Wells, are mere villages.)
    «The City»: the City of London, London’s financial centre, hence financial markets and investment banking more generally (c.f. US Wall Street)
     A human settlement with a large population a usually large or important municipality governed under a charter granted by the state (however some smaller towns in the US are cities); an element of a standard mailing address (UK «postal town»)
    clerk   administrative worker (or salesclerk) store or shop worker (UK: shop assistant)
    hotel employee at the reservation desk (US & UK: receptionist)
    closet any small room (esp. Northern England, Scotland, & Ireland); hence water closet, a room containing a flush toilet, later the toilet itself a private chamber for retirement
    in secret; (come out of the closet) to reveal what was secret (especially in relation to homosexuality)
    (closet queen) (colloq., disparaging) someone who keeps their homosexuality secret[34][35][36]
    a cabinet or wardrobe, as for utensils or apparel; in the latter case oftenest built-in; hence e.g. walk-in closet, linen closet, and skeleton in the closet *(UK also: in the cupboard) *
    coach bus with a higher standard of comfort, usually chartered or used for longer journeys*
    tutor, usu. private, who prepares pupils for examinations*
    railway carriage*
    enclosed horse-drawn passenger carriage
    sports trainer
    extracurricular sports teacher at a school (UK: PE teacher)
    lowest class on a passenger aircraft (UK: economy)
    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»)
    The portion of a corn plant around which the kernels grow.
    a building material
    a type of horse
    a male swan
     
    cock (n.) form of address to a man to gain attention or greet e.g. «Wotcha cock!»[37][38][39][40]
    a popular personage e.g. Cock o’ the North
    (v.) (cock up) * to make a mess of things; cock-up[38] (n.) is the act or the resulting state of affairs
    (n.) a male bird; esp., an adult male chicken (US oftenest rooster)[41][37][38][39][40]
    (n.) nonsense[38][41]
    (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).
     
    collect To win a bet (from the idea of picking up the winnings) (v.) to gather together, to pick up; (orig. US) to pick up a person or thing
    (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.
    (adj., adv.) charged to the receiver («to call collect», to reverse the charges) («a collect call») [from collect on delivery]
    college part of the name of some state secondary schools (US approx.: high school) and many independent schools (US approx.: prep school) constituent part of some larger universities, especially ancient universities

    educational institution between school and university (e.g. sixth form college (UK), technical college, college of further education (UK), community college (US))

    vocational training institution (technical college in the US)

    professional association which usu. grants some form of professional 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) granting bachelor’s degrees
    generic term for higher education, but only at the undergraduate level
    comforter a baby’s dummy (q.v.) one who comforts quilted bedspread (UK: duvet)
    commissioner professional head of the Metropolitan Police Service and City of London Police (US: chief of police)   A civilian public official in charge of a municipal governmental department, and particularly of a police department
    member of any commission
    commode   small cabinet
    portable toilet for use in a room without plumbing
    normal toilet, in a bathroom (q.v.)
    compensation   the act of compensating
    damages awarded for a legal wrong
    (workers’ compensation) payment to injured workers
    remuneration received by employees
    (unemployment compensation) compensation paid to an unemployed person (as a laid-off worker), arising from government resources
    concession reduction in price (discount) for a certain category of person the action of conceding
    in politics, the action of a candidate yielding to another
    an area within one country that is administered by another
    a lease or grant of premises or land for a particular use, or the so contracted-out service, as in concession 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
    condominium a political territory (state or 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 (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
    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)   peace officer in a township without an organised police department
    official who serves summonses (UK: bailiff or sheriff’s officer)
    construction   the act or process of building or constructing; a structure; the construction industry
    from construe: the assigning of meaning to ambiguous terms
    road construction and maintenance work; roadwork («a construction area/zone») (UK: roadworks)
    cooker an appliance for cooking food (US: cookstove, stove, range)
    a cooking apple, a large sour apple used in cooking
    a pot or utensil for cooking in («pressure cooker», «rice cooker», «slow cooker») a person who cooks (UK: cook)
    cookie a bun (Scotland)

    a biscuit of a particular variety, usually containing chocolate chips (often referred to as a «chocolate chip cookie»)

    a small packet of information stored on users’ computers by websites 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 or Culinary Specialist (Army and Navy slang)
    cop to take («cop a look at this», «cop one of these») (slang)
    to be blamed for, be caught («he’ll cop it!») (slang)
    police officer (short for «copper») (slang)
    (cop a feel) to grope (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
    (cop a squat) to take a seat (slang)
    copper low value coin, brown or ‘copper’ coloured (currently 1p and 2p coins)
    large copper vessel used for heating water and washing clothes (archaic)
    the metallic element copper
    police officer (slang, orig. UK)
     
    coriander the leaves of the coriander plant, used as a herb (US: cilantro or Chinese parsley) the plant Coriandrum sativum
    dried seeds of this plant
     
    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)

    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
    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
    cot infant bed; hence cot death (US: crib) camp bed  
    cotton wool soft cotton wadding, used for cleaning wounds or make-up (US: Absorbent cotton, cotton ball)[42][43][44][45][46] raw cotton[42][43][44]
    coulee   a (solidified) stream of lava (chiefly Western, orig. Canadian) a deep steep-sided ravine formed by erosion, or a small valley or stream
    course the entire degree programme a student takes at university an individual subject a student takes at university
    court shoe a women’s dress shoe with a heel (US: pump, q.v.)   a type of athletic shoe used for sports played on an indoor court, such as volleyball or squash (UK similar: plimsoll or regionally pump)
    cowboy an unscrupulous or unqualified tradesman a legendary archetype found in Wild West genre works

    (derog.) one who is reckless, uncontrollable.

    a cowhand working with livestock (UK: drover)
    cracker small parcel that makes an explosive report when pulled from both ends, traditionally pulled at Christmas
    attractive woman (slang)
    anything good («the new product is a cracker») (slang)
    thin, hard, unsweetened biscuit (formerly chiefly US, now common everywhere)

    a person who commits illegal acts by exploiting security flaws in a computer system

    an unsophisticated, typically rural white person (also white cracker; derogatory slang, southeastern US)
    crèche day care, day nursery   nativity scene, manger scene, crib (q.v.) *
    creek tidal channel through a coastal marsh (orig. sense)   any inland stream of water smaller than a river (other terms: UK: rill, gill; N. Eng. & Scot.: burn; Eng. & New Eng.: brook; Midland US: run)
    crew   body of people manning a 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»)
    rowing as a sport
    crib (n.) nativity scene, crèche (q.v.) * a manger or rack, or stall for cattle
    a plagiarism, as of a student («crib sheet»)
    cribbage
    small enclosed bedstead for a child; hence crib death (UK: cot)
    (informal) one’s house or apartment
    a bin for storing maize
    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, sometimes with flavour (US: potato chips) brittle, crunchy, dry, firm[47][48]
    crumpet an attractive female (slang) A savoury waffle-like cake made from flour or potato and yeast[citation needed]  
    cubicle A compartment in a bathroom with low walls that contains a toilet. (US: stall) A compartment in a larger area separated from similar adjoining compartments by low walls, such as in an office area.  
    cuffs   The ends of a garment’s sleeves, furthest from the wearer
    short for handcuffs
    An arrangement at the bottom of trouser-legs, in which the material is folded back upon itself to form a trough externally around the bottom of the leg. (UK: turn-ups)
    cunt offensive (or sometimes indulgent) term often applied to men vagina (usu. obscene) offensive, obscene term usu. applied to women
    cupboard a place to store things (US: closet)[49] a cabinet or small recess with a door and typically shelves, used for storage[49]
    custodian an association football goalkeeper a keeper or guardian of a person or thing one who cleans and maintains a building; a building superintendent, a janitor

    D[edit]

    Word British English meanings Meanings common to British and American English American English meanings
    daddy longlegs, daddy-long-legs crane fly daddy long-legs spider Opiliones
    dead (of a cup, glass, bottle or cigarette) empty, finished with
    very, extremely («dead good», «dead heavy», «dead rich»)
    deceased
    completely, perfectly («dead straight», «dead on», «dead right»)
    extremely quiet (e.g. business or nightlife)
    (dismissive usage) boring
     
    dead beat, deadbeat exhausted (slang) (US: dead tired)   an idler; someone who does not pay their debts, often in construction («deadbeat dad») (slang)
    DC Detective Constable, a police officer who works in or with a branch of CID. direct current
    (see also other expansions)
    District of Columbia
    deck   (n.) the floor or level of a ship or other types of vehicles
    the roadway of a bridge
    a recording device
    (v.) to decorate for a festivity («deck the halls with boughs of holly», «decked out with flags»)
    to hit a person hard enough such that they fall to the floor (orig. US)
    a pack of cards
    a wooden, raised platform adjoining a house, usu. enclosed by a railing
    a packet of narcotics (slang)
    (v.) to pile up (logs) on a deck of logs or a skidway
    (on deck) in baseball, the hitter due up next («Albert is on deck, so they must be careful to not walk this batter.»). A general usage connotes availability, e.g. «Who’s on deck?» (Who is available to do this?). Occasionally used to indicate who is next in line.
    deductible   (adj.) able to be deducted or allowable as a deduction, particularly of tax[50][51] (n.) an insurance excess[50][51]
    Dennis the Menace a character and comic strip developed by Ian Chisholm and Davey Law, debuted in March 1951 (US: Dennis)   a character and comic strip developed by Hank Ketcham, debuted in March 1951
    depot a location (large building or piece of land) where buses, trams or trains are stored when not in use and maintained
    (pronounced /ˈdɛpoʊ/)
    a storehouse or depository; a location for the storage of military or naval supplies
    (pronounced /ˈdɛpoʊ/ in BrE, /ˈdiːpoʊ/ in AmE)
    A slow-release drug injection (usu. psychiatric)
    (pronounced /ˈdɛpoʊ/ in both dialects)
    a railroad station or bus terminal or station; also, an air terminal
    (pronounced /ˈdiːpoʊ/)
    derby rivalry between two sports teams of close proximity or that frequently meet, especially in football a type of horse race; by extension, any organised race a bowler hat
    DI Detective inspector (police)   Drill instructor (military)
    diary personal calendar *(US: appointment book, appointment calendar, datebook) personal journal  
    digital radio   any radio that receives a digital signal a radio with a digital display
    dim (trans. v.), dimmer (switch)   to reduce the intensity of a domestic, industrial or other light; hence dimmer (switch) to lower a vehicle headlight’s beam, typically when approaching vehicles travelling in the opposite direction at night (UK: dip); hence dimmer switch (UK: dip switch)
    diner   one who dines railroad dining car (UK: restaurant car)
    a type of restaurant, traditionally but not necessarily often resembling a dining car
    dinky small and cute[52]   disappointingly small and worthless[52]
    dip (trans. v.), dip switch to lower a vehicle headlight’s beam, typically when approaching vehicles travelling in the opposite direction at night (US: dim); hence dip switch (distinguished from DIP switch) (US: dimmer switch)
    (n.) a pickpocket (slang)
    to lower into a liquid; esp., a sheep or dog in chemical solution; to lower and then raise to use smokeless tobacco
    dirt   substance(s) rendering something unclean
    incriminating evidence («we’ve got the dirt on him now»)
    earth, soil *[53]
    [54] Used in special senses in American English, in combinations such as dirt farmer, dirt floor, dirt roof, dirt road[55]
    diversion circuitous route to avoid roadworks (US: detour) deviation; recreation; tactic used to draw attention away from the action  
    dock water between or next to a pier or wharf (US: berth, also used in UK, or slip)
    section of a courtroom where the accused sits during a trial *
    (v.) to reduce an employee’s wages, usu. as discipline constructed place to moor a boat or engage in water sports (largely interchangeable with pier or wharf, although often with a modifier, such as «ferry dock», «swimming dock», etc.)
    docker dockworker, stevedore *(US: longshoreman) one who docks (as tails of animals)  
    dogging various kinds of public sexual activity pursuing diligently or persistently, as a dog would insulting in a persistent fashion, often referring to the dozens
    dollar 5 shilling coin or equivalent amount (obsolete; used in slang until the early 1970s, especially in «half-dollar»=half-crown, but some re-stamped Spanish dollar coins were used in the UK in the late 18th/early 19th century) major unit of currency of the US  
    dormitory, dorm (n. or usu. adj.) (part of) a town where commuters live, usually dormitory town (US: bedroom or bedroom community) (n.) large sleeping-room with many beds,*typically in a boarding school («a sleeping dormitory»; usu. abbreviated to dorm) building with many small private rooms, as for housing the students of a college (UK: hall(s) of residence, hostel)

    dormitory car — railway sleeping car

    drape   (v.) to hang limply (n., usu. pl.) curtain
    draw (n.) an act of drawing, or something drawn
    a game result in which no player/team wins (also tie)
    to suck smoke from a cigarette etc.
    a ditch that draws water off an area of land
    a shallow valley or gully. (n.)
    dresser (furniture) a type of cupboard or sideboard esp. for kitchen utensils *   a chest of drawers, usu. with a looking glass (mirror) (UK: dressing-table)
    drop (of liquid) several (fluid) ounces («just a drop of tea, please») (meiotic usage) droplet (less than a milliliter)  
    duck a score of zero by a batsman in cricket, supposedly derived from the zero-like shape of a duck’s egg. Hence to «break one’s duck»: to score one’s first run. c.f. US: «get the monkey off one’s back»

    a term of endearment

    (n.) a bird of the family Anatidae

    (v.) to lower the head or body suddenly, to dodge
    (v.) to plunge under the surface of water
    (n.) a heavy cotton fabric

    (v.) Leaving very quickly. «He ducked out like five minutes ago»
    duff of poor quality
    non-functional
    (up the duff) pregnant (slang, originally Australian)
    a type of pudding
    coal dust
    vegetable matter on the forest floor

    buttocks[56][57]

    dummy rubber teat for babies (US: pacifier), a feint (esp. in association football) mannequin, especially for automobile crash tests
    fake, usu. legal
    idiot (slang)
    the contract bridge player who faces his hand after the bidding/auction
     
    dungarees   sturdy protective bib trousers (cf. s.v. bib overall) (slightly dated) jeans (blue denim jeans)
    duplex   composed of two parts
    two direction (electronical signalling)
    (or duplex house) an often vertically divided two-family dwelling *
    (or duplex apartment) an apartment on two levels *
    (duplex locomotive) a large steam locomotive with two sets of driving wheels

    E[edit]

    Word British English meanings Meanings common to British and American English American English meanings
    earth safety connection of an electrical circuit, or to connect (an electrical device) to this (US: ground) the planet Earth
    soil
    the burrow of some animals
     
    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 driver; see L-plate the letter L an elevated railway (as that of Chicago or the now-defunct Third Avenue El in New York City)
    elevator   flap on the back of an aeroplane used to control pitch
    moving belt to transport grain, hay bales, etc.
    platform or cage moved vertically 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 species of deer   wapiti (Cervus canadensis), the second largest species of deer
    engaged (adj.) in use – of a toilet/bathroom stall (US: occupied; but the opposite is vacant in both); of a telephone line (US & UK also: busy), hence engaged tone (US: busy signal) committed; involved in something
    betrothed
     
    English   of or pertaining to England
    the English language
    (adj.) the foot-pound-second system of units[citation needed] (UK: Imperial)
    English (n.) spin placed on a ball in cue sports (UK: side)
    engineer a technician or a person who mends and operates machinery one employed to design, build or repair equipment
    practitioner of engineering
    one who operates an engine, esp. a locomotive (UK: engine driver)
    entrée starter (q.v.) of a meal (traditionally, the course served between the fish and the joint, but now used for any starter) (usu. «the entrée») right of entry, insider-type access main course of a meal
    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 plant
    eternally youthful, new etc.
    (n.) branchlets or sprigs of an evergreen tree, usually a conifer such as pine, spruce or fir, often used as a Christmas decoration wrapped around human-made structures
    expiration   the exhalation of breath [58][59][60][61] (UK: expiry)[60][62][63][64]

    F[edit]

    Word British English meanings Meanings common to British and American English American English meanings
    faculty   division of a university, dealing with a specific group of disciplines (e.g. faculty of arts) academic staff of a school, college or university
    fag cigarette (slang) *
    (in England; obs.) young public schoolboy who acted as a servant for older pupils
    drudgery, chore («it is such a fag – I come back tired to death» – J. Austen)
    male homosexual; vulgar slur (short for faggot) In American English «fag» always has the pejorative meaning of male homosexual. Use of the Americanism in the media has rendered it contextually understood by Britons.
    faggot kind of meatball (see faggot (food)), old musical instrument similar to the bassoon (often spelled faggott) male homosexual; vulgar slur (see faggot (slang)), bundle of sticks, usu. for use as firewood (old-fashioned; often spelled fagot)  
    fall to become pregnant. (as in ‘I fell pregnant’); descend or tumble
    become sick, come down with an illness («he fell ill») (uncommon in US)
    prove attractive («fall for someone», «fall in love»)
    autumn
    fancy (v.) (v.) exhibit a fondness or preference for something; exhibit an interest in or willingness to: date/court someone, commit some act, or accept some item of trade   US colloq. equiv. of «to fancy» is «to like» something or someone (or regarding tastes and preferences, «to love»); «fancy» as a verb is now used in the US almost solely by UK ex-pats, but was once oft-used by Southern gentility (landed gentry)
    fancy dress a costume worn to impersonate a well-known character, animal etc., typically at a fancy dress party (US: costume party)   (colloq.) «formal» wear (usu. tuxedos for men and ball gowns for women.)
    fanny vagina (slang), vulva (vulgar slang)
    (fanny about or fanny around, vulgar slang) to mess about or procrastinate («Stop fannying about and hit it with the hammer»)
      buttocks (colloquial); hence fanny pack (UK: bum bag)
    featherbed bed or mattress stuffed with feathers (usually 2 words)[65]
    (v.) to pamper, to spoil
    (v.) to require that more workers are hired than are needed, often by agreement with trade unions quilt, or comforter, stuffed with feathers for use on top of the mattress (but underneath a sheet and the sleeping person) (UK: mattress topper)
    fender   a fire screen
    a cushioning device to protect the side of a boat, ship, or dock
    a brand of electric guitar, from its manufacturer, the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation[66]
    fender (vehicle): the part of an automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle body that frames a wheel well (UK: mudguard or wing)
    a frame fitted in front of a vehicle (locomotive or automobile) to absorb shock (UK: bumper – see Bumper (automobile))
    fifth   ordinal number 5
    one of five equal parts into which something is divided
    bottle of spirits («a fifth of bourbon»), traditionally 1/5 of a US gallon, now the metric near-equivalent of 750 mL

    to «plead the Fifth (Amendment)», i.e. refuse to testify against oneself in an incriminating manner

    filth (the filth) the police (derogatory slang) dirt, disgusting substance
    obscene material
     
    first degree   the least serious category of burn (see article) the most serious category of a crime; of murder, carries a lifetime prison- or death-sentence (also informal murder one; see article)
    first floor (of a building) the floor above ground level (US: second floor)   the floor at ground level (often, but not always, the same floor as a building’s lobby) (UK: ground floor)
    fit (adj.) (of a person) attractive, sexy (slang) (of a person) in good physical condition
    suitable for some purpose (usu. followed by for or to)
     
    fix (v.) to make firm, fasten, or attach *(the original sense, no longer very common in US)
    to set or arrange (as a date) *(«A time has been fixed»)
    to repair (orig. US)
    to sterilise (an animal)
    to manipulate usually underhandedly («To fix a fight by paying a boxer to take a dive.»)
    to adjust or prepare, esp. food or beverage *(«I’ll fix you a sandwich»)
    (esp. South) to get ready («I’m fixing to retire»)
    to get even with (someone) [67]
    (fix up) to provide
    flapjack flat oat cake (US: granola bar)   pancake
    flannel a cloth for washing the face or body (US: washcloth) particular type of fabric/material used for the manufacture of trousers or suits, but more commonly recognised in America as a fabric used in warm winter night clothes and sheets  
    flat (n.) self-contained housing unit (US: apartment)
    (adj., of a battery) discharged, exhausted, dead
    (adj.) level and smooth
    structured at a single level, not hierarchical
    (n.) a flat tyre/tire *
    an apartment that occupies the entire floor of a small building (San Francisco and upstate New York); used also in phrases such as railroad flat
    flip-flop   a type of footwear
    a type of electronic circuit
    an about-face or U-turn (UK also: about-turn), as in politics
    fluid ounce (fl. oz.) liquid measure equal to 28.41 millilitres   liquid measure equal to 29.57 milliliters
    flyover elevated road section (i.e. long road bridge, US: overpass)   ceremonial aircraft flight (UK: flypast)
    an elongated left-turn ramp passing over or under the whole highway interchange
    Flyover country is a term for (unsophisticated, poor, rural) middle America, as distinct from the ‘coasts’.
    football (usually) association football (US: soccer). Less frequently applies to Rugby football (espec. Rugby union in English private schools).   American football
    footpath a paved strip for pedestrian use, especially along the side of a road (US: sidewalk) a narrow trail suitable only for foot traffic  
    forty (40)   the number 40 a 40-acre (160,000 m2) parcel of land, specifically one sixteenth of a section, constituting the smallest unit of agricultural land commonly surveyed («back 40», «front 40»).
    an undeveloped plot of land (as on a farm, ranch, etc.) of unspecified size.
    in an urban or youth setting, «a 40-ounce beer».

    fourth

      next after third (e.g. the fourth person, fourth floor)

    A musical interval

    one of four equal parts into which something is divided (UK & US sometimes also quarter, q.v.).
    (proper noun, used with the) short for The Fourth of July (America’s Independence Day)
    fringe arrangement of locks of hair on the forehead (US: bangs) the outer area of something
    a decorative border e.g. on clothing
    holding an extreme political position («lunatic fringe»)
    (rare vulgar; chiefly 1980s) vulva («He’s gonna get some fringe.») q.v., US: trim
    frock (or smock-frock) outer garment formerly common in rural Europe, see also overall

    (also short frock) indoor garment for children and young girls *
    a woman’s dress or gown (dated) *

    habit of monks and friars

    (also frock coat) a style of gentleman’s jacket or coat, cut at knee length, usually worn as an outer garment.

     
    frog French person (insulting slang)* an amphibian
    part of the mechanism of railway points/a railroad switch
    (Slang) A US Navy SEAL[citation needed]. Shortened from «Frogman»
    full stop punctuation mark used at the end of a sentence, sometimes used in speech for emphasis («Whom does he support? Arsenal, full stop!») (US: period, q.v.)   the state of automobiles barely moving in heavy traffic (also, a «dead stop») [68]
    furnace   large hearth or container for heating or melting metal, usually for an industrial process principal domestic heat source in central heating. (UK: boiler)

    G[edit]

    Word British English meanings Meanings common to British and American English American English meanings
    gagging (especially as in gagging for it) desperate, especially for sex (colloquial) choking;
    fighting the urge to vomit («that was so disgusting, I was gagging»)
     
    gallon 4.54609 litres (about 6/5 of US gallon)   3.78541 liters (about 5/6 of UK gallon)
    gangbanger a participant in a «gang bang», a group sex activity   gang member; group rapist
    garage
    (see also pronunciation differences)
    fuel filling station, e.g. «a Texaco garage» (also petrol station, US: gas station)
    a genre of music
    place where vehicles are repaired;
    building attached to or in the grounds of a residence for storing a car
    (parking garage) building serving as a public parking facility (UK: multistorey car park or just multistorey)
    garbage (n.) piece of nonsensical prose, sequence of meaningless words household waste (UK «rubbish»)
    garden (n.) area around a residential structure (US: yard)   area within a yard (land) for growing plants or vegetables (UK: vegetable garden, vegetable patch)
    garnish   (n. (v.)) (to add) decorative or savory touches to (food or drink)
    (v.)to furnish
    (v.) to take (as a debtor’s wages) by legal authority
    gas   (n.) state of matter (see gas)
    (n.) natural gas
    (v.) to attack or kill with poisonous gas (state of matter)
    (v.) to emit gas (state of matter)
    (n.) gasoline, hence gas station (UK: petrol)
    (n.) gas pedal* (may be applied in the UK in the context of a driving lesson, for brevity; UK: accelerator)
    (n.) flatulence
    (n.) air trapped in the stomach or intestines (UK: wind)
    geezer gangster, man (esp. Cockney)   old person (derogatory; UK: old geezer [not derog.])
    give way to give the right of way (to vehicles, pedestrians, etc.);[69] hence give way sign (US: yield [the right of way] sign) to retreat; to break down  
    glass (v.) to hit someone with a broken bottle or drinking glass [70] (n.) a brittle, hard, transparent substance usually made from sand heated with soda or potash; (n.) drinking vessel made of glass  
    glaze   general term for thin shiny coatings applied to food, painted surfaces, clayware, etc.; a glossy surface a slippery coating of ice (also known as sleet, q.v.); a stretch of ice
    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 be accepted or remembered (e.g. go down in history)
    to fail, esp. of a computer
    go down on, to engage in oral sex
    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?»)
    goods items to be transported (as by railway) («a goods train») (US & UK also: freight) useful objects or services; products; merchandising; personal property
    incriminating evidence («we have the goods on him»)
     
    gooseberry supernumerary third person preventing a couple from courting (US: third wheel) a green hairy summer fruit
    (Ribes hirtellum in the USA),
    (Ribes grossularia in Europe)
     
    governor boss (sometimes shortened to guv’nor), colloquial a local official the top official in a US state
    government the cabinet or executive branch (US: the administration)
    the political party supporting the cabinet in parliament
    the act or office of governing the collective agency through which government is exercised (UK: the state)
    all such individual agencies (UK: the public sector)
    Grading in education a level of music examination («Guitar grade 4»). Usually refers to ABRSM or Trinity College London examinations. (n. & v.) teacher’s assessment of a student’s work (UK also mark) level or year of a student in elementary, middle, or high school («in 10th grade») (UK equiv.: year); hence grader, a student in a specified grade («a 10th grader»)
    (grade school, the grades) elementary school
    see also Grade Point Average
    grade (other)   (n.) a rating, degree, or level; (v.) to lay out in grades
    [US meaning generated grade separation and the idiom make the grade]
    (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.) (education)
    graduate (adj.) (education)
    to finish university with a degree
    relating to a student at the point of gaining, or who has recently completed, a degree
    to move from a lower to higher stage; to effect change in steps; to mark with units of measurement or other divisions. to finish studying at any educational institution by passing relevant examinations
    relating to a student taking a higher degree (UK equiv.: «postgraduate»), e.g. graduate school
    graft hard work to join or connect two separate but similar items (typically in biology, especially medicine and horticulture) a form of political-economic corruption
    grass an informant (often to the police)
    (to grass on) to tell on somebody (US: to squeal, narc)
    green ground cover
    marijuana
    grazing; to feed (livestock) with grass (UK: at grass, to put out to grass)
    grammar school a type of secondary school, normally a selective state funded school   elementary school (less common today)
    grill to cook directly under a dry heat source (US: broil) to question intensely (informal).

    to interrogate.

    to cook over a gas or coal fire (UK and US: barbecue)
    a flat cooking surface
    a restaurant (freq. as «bar and grill»)
    ground floor (of a building)   the floor at ground level (US usu.: first floor) lower of two floors that are each at a different ground level due to sloping terrain (UK: lower ground floor)
    guard the official in charge of a railway train (US & now UK also: conductor) to watch over for security
    one who guards
    a protective device

    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) and shooting guards (more often score-first).

    military division used to help the country after a disaster

    in (American) football, one of two offensive positions on either side of the center or a defensive position across from the center (nose-guard)

    guff extraneous or useless things, ideas, or paperwork/documentation; also to break wind («Have you guffed, Dr Watson?»)   nonsense, insolent talk, back talk
    gum cement consisting of a sticky substance that is used as an adhesive (US usually: glue) 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)
     
    gutted disappointed and upset (informal) 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)
     
    gyro (see also giro) gyroscope a sandwich, the Greek gyro, more familiar to Americans than the similar Turkish döner kebab, which is more common in Britain

    H[edit]

    Word British English meanings Meanings common to British and American English American English meanings
    haberdasher a dealer in small items and accessories, as for sewing; hence haberdashery (US: notions)   a dealer in men’s apparel and accessories; hence haberdashery
    half half pint of beer, cider or lager
    a single measure of whisky or other distilled spirit (used mostly in Scotland, derived from the Scots word ‘hauf’)
    fifty percent/0.5 times. large bottle of spirits («a half of bourbon»), traditionally 1/2 of a US gallon, now the metric near-equivalent of 1750 mL; also «handle» as such large bottles often have a handle
    halfway house a place where victims of child abuse, orphans or teenage runaways can stay, a shelter drug rehabilitation or sex offender centre. (Archaic) An inn halfway between two towns, still seen in many pub names. a place for ex-convicts to live while readjusting to society.
    hamper large basket for food (especially picnic hamper, Christmas hamper) to impede or hinder basket for clothes that need washing (UK: Linen basket or laundry basket)
    hash number sign, octothorpe (#) (US: pound sign). Also ‘to make a hash’ of something is to mess it up. hashish
    Hash (food), beef and other ingredients mashed together into a coarse paste
     
    herb culinary or medicinal herb, leaves of plants used to flavour food or treat ailments any herbaceous plant
    highway (chiefly in official use) public road; see Highway Code (highway robbery) something too expensive; see also highwayman main road (as between cities)
    (divided or dual highway) a road with two roadways and at least four lanes (UK: dual carriageway, motorway)
    (highway post office) in the past, a bus transporting mail that was sorted en route
    hike   a usu. recreational walk an increase in amount (as in wages) *
    (to take a hike) to go away (also used as a command)
    hire to rent moveable property (e.g. a car) *; rental
    (hire purchase) a purchase carried out over time by making regular payments (US: installment plan)
    to employ, recruit * a person who is recruited
    hob the flat top surface of a cooking stove (US: cooktop)
    a part of a fireplace
    an elf
    trouble (as in «raising hob» – chiefly US)
        (UK has less common «playing hob»)
     
    hock a German wine («down their four-and-twenty throats went four-and-twenty imperial pints of such rare old hock» – Charles Dickens) (US: Rhine wine)
    Hocktide, an ancient holiday
    hock (zoology) pawn (n. & v.) («I can borrow a dime from the barber, an’ I got enough junk to hock for a blowout» – Jack London); prison (both from Dutch) *
    debt
    the end of a smoked ham *
    to hock-a-loogie, to spit (esp. mucus as opposed to saliva).
    hockey hockey played with a ball on grass (field hockey) * hockey played on a hard surface (e.g. concrete) or indoors hockey played on ice with a puck (ice hockey) *
    hog (dialect, also hogg) a yearling sheep adult pig, esp. domesticated, castrated male reared for slaughter
    to take more than one’s fair share of something
    (road hog) motorist who holds up other traffic by driving slowly or out of lane; any bad driver
    motorcycle, especially a large one such as a Harley-Davidson (derived from Harley Owners Group, a club for Harley-Davidson motorcycle owners.)
    hole-in-the-wall automated teller machine, cash machine (informal)   a small, out-of-the-way place, as a restaurant, with a negative connotation. However, often used to preface a compliment, e.g. «just a hole-in-the-wall place you’ve never heard of, but they serve the best steak in the city.»
    holiday see Bank holiday
    (often pl.) time taken off from work, school, etc., including the period between school terms (US: break, vacation)
    recreational trip away from home (US: vacation)
    day when people are generally exempt from work, school, etc. see Federal holidays in the United States
    (the Holidays) the days comprising Christmas and New Year’s Day (and Hanukkah), and often also Thanksgiving (used esp. in the phrase «happy Holidays»)

    festival, whether or not generally entailing a public holiday: «Halloween is my favorite holiday»

    home (noun): condition of domesticity, or one’s permanent and regular shelter, but not the physical structure or property.   In AmE widely used also to mean the physical structure and property, and references to them, e.g., «home loans», «homeowners», and «tract homes». This usage is overwhelmingly predominant in commercial language and public discourse, e.g. «the home mortgage crisis».
    home run final part of a distance, final effort needed to finish (US: homestretch) a success (from baseball) (also homer) a four-base hit in baseball
    (slang) sexual intercourse; more s.v. base
    homely (of a house) comfortable, cozy, rustic (US: homey)
    (of a person) home-loving, domesticated, house-proud
      (only used of a person) plain, ugly
    hood the folding fabric top on a convertible car (US: convertible top) head covering forming part of a garment
    component of academic regalia
    hinged cover over the engine in a car (UK: bonnet)
    a contraction of neighborhood, especially regarding a poor neighborhood
    short for hoodlum, a tough, destructive young man, or generically any criminal
    hoo-ha argument   female genitalia
    hooker in rugby football, the player position in the centre front of the scrum   prostitute (informal) *
    hooter steam whistle or siren in a factory or other large workplace sounded as a signal for beginning or ceasing work
    car horn
    nose
      (hooters) female breasts (vulgar slang)
    hull (Hull) Kingston-upon-Hull, a large city in the north-east of England* the outer skin of a ship, tank, aeroplane, etc. the seed-case of various edible plants (maize, nuts, etc.)
    (v.t.) to remove the seed-case from (a nut, etc.)
    hulled (adj.) (of a nut, etc.) having the seed-case removed (UK: shelled)
    hump a state of depression (dated) («to be in a hump»)
    a state of annoyance («to get the hump»)
    a traffic calming tool («a speed hump») *(US & UK: speed bump)
    to move a heavy load by human effort a short distance
    a rounded mass sticking out from its surroundings
    (v., vulgar slang) engage in sexual intercourse, animals breeding or trying to breed
    see also Glossary of rail terminology
    (n. & v.) (to make) a vigorous effort («hump yourself», «to get a hump on») (regional)
    (n.) a mountain barrier to be crossed (as by air)
    (hump day) Wednesday

    I[edit]

    Word British English meanings Meanings common to British and American English American English meanings
    icebox   cabinet containing ice for food refrigeration refrigerator
    Indian corn   Zea mays (historical or technical; usually, UK maize or sweetcorn, US corn, q.v.) A particular variety of maize/corn, with multicolored kernels, used for decorations
    indicator direction-indicator light on a vehicle (US: turn signal) one that indicates  
    inspector (police) lowest supervisory rank above sergeant (rough US equivalent: lieutenant)   senior rank in some police departments (rough UK equivalent: superintendent)
    inside lane the part of the road nearest the edge, used especially by slower-moving vehicles (US: outside lane) (in both cases the term applies to the lane in the direction concerned) the part of the road nearest the vehicles going in the opposite direction, used especially by faster vehicles (UK: outside lane)
    intern (n.) (rare or obsolete) a person living in an institution; esp. a pupil who is resident at a school, a boarder.[71]

    The American graduate usage is becoming more common in the UK, sometimes replacing the term «work placement».[72][73]

    (v.) to confine (as during a war, or to a hospital)
    (adj., archaic) internal
    (n.) one (as a graduate or college student) temporarily employed 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
    international a contest between national sports teams or representatives; a member of such a team[74][75] Pertaining to or common to more than one country. Foreign, not from the US. («International version of software for country xxx«, in British English this is a contradiction in terms.)
    interval break between two performances or sessions, as in theatre (US: intermission) a gap in space or time; see interval (music), interval (mathematics), interval (time) (esp. New England, also spelled intervale) low-lying land, as near a river (US also bottomland)
    inventory   itemisation of goods or objects (of an estate, in a building, etc.) the stock of an item on hand in a store or shop
    the process of producing an inventory in a store or shop (UK: stocktaking)
    IRA Irish Republican Army [not abbreviated in US without context]   Individual Retirement Account

    J[edit]

    Word British English meanings Meanings common to British and American English American English meanings
    jab an injection with a hypodermic needle, as in the case of an inoculation (US: shot) (informal) to stab, thrust, or penetrate. biting remark, sarcasm.
    a straight punch used in various martial arts
     
    janitor an officer in a Masonic Chapter (specialist language) a person employed to oversee the cleaning and security of a public building, e.g. a school. a person employed to oversee the cleaning and security of a building (UK: caretaker, especially for private residences; for schools etc. janitor is also used in the UK)
    jelly a fruit flavoured dessert set with gelatin (US: Jell-O (trademark))
    a type of condiment, e.g. mint jelly
    a clear or translucent preserve made from the liquid of fruits boiled in sugar and set with pectin, specifically without pieces of fruit (e.g. ‘crab apple jelly’) (occasionally) fruit preserve with fruit pieces (UK: Jam)
    Jersey A British Crown dependency off the coast of France.

    Also, a kind of buttonless, pullover shirt.

    An athlete’s uniform shirt, also called a kit in British English. A colloquial term for the state of New Jersey
    Jesse (often as Big Jesse, derogatory insult for a man) Non-macho, effeminate, sometimes gay. A male name (uncommon in the UK).
    A shortening of the female name Jessica (usually spelled «Jessie»).
     
    jock a Scotsman (slang)
    a Scottish private soldier (slang) (UK: squaddie)
      slang term for an athlete
    slang term for the undergarment called an athletic supporter or jockstrap
    joint piece of meat for carving *
    (slang) hand-rolled cigarette containing cannabis and tobacco
    connection between two objects or bones
    an establishment, especially a disreputable one («a gin joint»; «let’s case the joint») (slang, orig. US)
    (slang) hand-rolled cigarette containing only cannabis
    (slang) prison («in the joint»)
    jolly very (informal) (as in jolly good)
    an excursion or trip, usually at another’s expense («off on a jolly»)
    happy; jovial  
    jug any container with a handle and a mouth or spout for liquid (US: pitcher) (jugs) breasts (slang) large container with a narrow mouth and handle for liquids (similar to UK pitcher)
    jumper a knitted upper body garment (US: sweater) jump shot in basketball
    Non-permanent electrical connection, especially on a PCB
    pinafore dress
    jump suit
    jumper cable
    jumping jack a form of jumping firework[76] a toy figure whose limbs are moved by string or a stick[76] a form of exercise (UK star jump)[76]
    just (When used at the end of a sentence, as in: «I survived, but only just») barely fair, equitable
    merely, simply, exactly, barely (when used before word it modifies)
     

    K[edit]

    Word British English meanings Meanings common to British and American English American English meanings
    kebab commonly a döner kebab (sometimes doner or donner kebab), strips of meat (usu. lamb or chicken) grilled by being heated on a revolving device and served stuffed in a pita bread (In the US, the Greek varieties souvlaki or gyro are better known than the Turkish döner) (often spelled «kabob» in the US) meat served on a skewer together with onions, tomatoes, etc. (e.g. shish kebab)  
    keen very low or competitive (price) eager or intent on, example: he is keen to get to work on time. desirable or just right, example: «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 gamekeeper or a warden) a type of play in American 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 (e.g. football kit) any of various sets of equipment or tools
    a set of parts to be assembled, e.g. into a scale model
    a group of person or objects («the whole kit and (ca) boodle/billing»)
    kitty   affectionate term for a housecat

    collective source of funds (esp. for a group of people)

    piggy bank
    vagina (vulgar slang) («Singin’ ‘hey diddle diddle’ with your kitty in the middle» – Aerosmith, Walk this Way)
    knickers women’s underwear (US: panties)   knickerbockers
    knob The penis, or specifically the glans (slang, vulgar) («polishing the knob» * ) a rounded door handle

    fool, idiot, dim-witted person

     
    knock over   to tip over something

    to cause an object to fall over.

    to rob (esp. a store, slang) («He knocked over a gas station.»)
    knock up to practise before tennis
    to awaken or summon by knocking
    to prepare quickly («Knock us up something to eat» — L.M. Alcott)
    to impregnate, esp. unintentionally* (slang, sometimes vulgar)

    L[edit]

    Word British English meanings Meanings common to British and American English American English meanings
    ladder a run (vertical split) in the fabric of tights a vertical or inclined set of rungs or steps.  
    lavatory toilet closet in passenger vehicles (e.g. trains) containing a toilet and washbasin/sink. washbasin, place for washing
    lay by (v.), lay-by (n.) (n.) roadside parking or rest area for drivers (US: rest stop) (v.) to lay aside
    to stow
    (n.) a last cultivating in the growing of a crop
    (v.) to cultivate (a crop) for the last time
    lead (rhyming with «speed») a cable (US: cord), or a dog’s leash to guide through (n.) a clue or potential source of information (esp. in context of journalistic investigation) *
    leader newspaper editorial
    main violin in an orchestra (US: concertmaster)
    see also Leader of the Opposition
    one who leads a pipe for carrying water («rain water leader»)
    lecturer the entry-level academic rank at a university (below Senior Lecturer, Reader, and Professor) someone who gives a lecture the entry-level academic rank at a university (below Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor)
    lemonade clear, carbonated, lemon-flavoured drink similar to Sprite and 7 Up (lemon and lime flavoured)   non-carbonated drink made by mixing lemon juice, sugar, and water (UK: traditional lemonade)
    let to rent out (as real property, and denoting the transaction from the owner’s perspective); Tenants «take» or «rent» the property being let. *(«rooms to let»)

    (n.) the act of renting; rented premises
    (let out) to reveal

    allow, give permission.
    leave (as in let him be or let it be)
    ease (as in let up on the accelerator)
    indicate (as in don’t let on)
    a first bad serve which is allowed to be retaken, as in tennis, table tennis, and volleyball
    (let out) to end (of school, meetings, etc.)
    levee an early afternoon assembly held by the King or Queen, to which only men were admitted (Always levée, with accent) a reception in honour of a particular person an embankment on a river (as the Mississippi River)
    the steep bank of a river, or border of an irrigated field
    (esp. Southern & Western US) a landing place or quay
    leverage   mechanical advantage of a lever take advantage of a capability (business)
    the use of debt finance (UK: gearing)*
    knowledge not immediately revealed to be used to one’s advantage *
    liberal (politics) a person who generally supports the ideas of the UK Liberal Democrats, a centre-left party a person who holds the political ideals of Liberalism. a person who advocates modern liberalism; see also Liberalism in the United States for historic background
    life preserver a type of weapon for self-defence (US: blackjack)   life vest, personal flotation device (UK: lifebelt or lifejacket)
    lift (n.) platform or cage moved vertically in a shaft to transport people and goods to various floors in a building (US: elevator) ride as a passenger in a vehicle (as in, to give someone a lift)
    item placed in shoe to increase the height of the wearer, normally plural (lifts, elevator shoes)
    an elevation in mood, «I got a lift just talking with her.»
    line (see also track) a breadthless length a group of persons, usually waiting for something, arranged in order of arrival (UK: queue)
    a lie, short for a line of bull
    a phrase used for hitting on women, short for pickup line
    to hit a line drive (a hard straight shot) in baseball
    liquor the broth resulting from the prolonged cooking of meat or vegetables. Green liquor is traditionally served with pie and mash in the East End of London   a distilled beverage *
    (hard liquor) strongly alcoholic beverage; spirits
    (liquor store) retail establishment selling liquor (usu. for consumption off the premises) (UK similar: off-licence) («I held up and robbed a hard liquor store» – Paul Simon)
    (malt liquor) a type of beer with high alcohol content
    loaded   the state of a firearm with bullets or shells in its firing chamber.
    bearing a load.
    (slang; of a person) rich
    drunk or high
    lolly Frozen water-based dessert on a stick (US: popsicle). (short for lollipop) candy on a stick.  
    lot (a lot) a great deal
    a number of things (or, informal, people) taken collectively
    fate, fortune
    a prize in a lottery
    (the lot) the whole thing
    a measured plot of land; a portion of land set for a particular purpose («a building lot»), e.g. for parking («parking lot») or selling («used car lot») automotive vehicles. But also a «vacant lot»
    a film studio
    lounge a room for relaxation and entertainment in a house
    (lounge bar) part of a pub
    a room for relaxation in a public place a bar
    love (in addressing people) informal term of address beloved person, darling (often a term of endearment)  
    loveseat a seat which accommodates two people facing in opposite directions. Can be wooden or padded.   a two-seater couch
    lox   liquid oxygen (engineering) thin-sliced smoked salmon, commonly consumed on bagels; Yiddish from German ‘Lachs’, salmon.
    lugs (n.) ears (lugholes) a small projection (engineering) a lug nut fastens a wheel to the hub, (UK wheel nut).
    a «big lug» is usually a term of endearment for a large shy, goofy man.
    lumber (n.) disused items (as furniture)*; hence lumber room
    (v.) to encumber (as with such items) («I was lumbered with work»)
    (v.) to move awkwardly or heavily («he lumbered out the door») (n.) timber that has been sawed and (partly) prepared for construction or woodworking; hence lumberyard (UK: timberyard), lumber camp, lumberjack, lumberman, lumber wagon, lumber town, etc.
    (v.) to log and prepare timber
    to make a rolling sound (dated)
    lush (slang; of a person) attractive (usu. used by women in reference to men – principally West Country) luxuriant an alcoholic *especially female

    See also[edit]

    • List of words having different meanings in British and American English: M–Z
    • List of American words not widely used in the United Kingdom
    • List of British words not widely used in the United States

    References[edit]

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    Further reading[edit]

    Note: the below are general references on this topic. Individual entries have not yet been audited against the references below and readers looking for verifiable information should consult the works below unless individual entries in the article’s table are properly sourced.

    • Bickerton, Anthea (1985). American-English, English-American : a two-way glossary of words in daily use on both sides of the Atlantic. ISBN 978-0-902920-60-6.
    • Davies, Christopher (2005). Divided by a Common Language: A Guide to British and American English. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 978-0-618-00275-7.
    • Hargraves, Orin (2003). Mighty Fine Words and Smashing Expressions: Making Sense of Transatlantic English. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-515704-8.

    External links[edit]

    • The Septic’s Companion: A British Slang Dictionary – an online dictionary of British slang, viewable alphabetically or by category

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