American > British Glossary | W
Smoothing and improving transatlantic communication
| Index of Americanisms |
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O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | Briticisms |
 American
term or expression |
 British
equivalent, or explanation |
|---|---|
| wading pool | paddling pool |
| wait in line | queue, queue up |
| walk [slang] | be acquitted of a crime; walk free |
| walker
(handheld frame for anyone needing support when walking) |
walking frame, Zimmer frame™ |
| walking cane | walking stick |
| walking stick | stick insect |
| Walkman™ | personal stereo |
| wall outlet | wall socket,
mains
socket, plug socket, plug [colloq.], power point |
| Wall Street | New York's financial hub (compare City, the) |
| wall-to-wall carpet | fitted carpet |
| want ad | wanted ad |
| warrant officer (U.S. Army & U.S. Marine Corps) | warrant
officer
1st class or 2nd class (British Army & Royal Marines) |
| warrant
officer > master chief petty officer > senior chief petty officer (U.S. Navy) |
fleet chief petty officer (Royal Navy) |
| wash the dishes | wash up, do the washing up |
| wash up | freshen up, wash one's face and hands |
| washcloth | flannel, face flannel, facecloth |
| washer [colloq.] | washing machine |
| washroom [euphemism] | lavatory, toilet |
| wastebasket | wastepaper basket, wastepaper bin |
| water heater (electric) | immersion heater |
| waxed paper, wax paper | greaseproof paper |
| weather strip, weather stripping | draught excluder |
| weekly allowance (paid by parent to child | pocket money |
| whole note (in music) | semibreve |
| whole wheat (bread, flour, spaghetti, etc.) | wholemeal |
| windbreaker | windcheater, anorak |
| window shade | roller blind |
| windshield | windscreen |
| windshield wiper | windscreen wiper |
| Windy City, the [nickname] | Chicago, Illinois |
| winner-takes-all (candidate selection) | first-past-the-post (election system) |
| wire [colloq.] | telegram |
| wire mesh screen (over flame in science lab) | gauze |
| wire someone a message | send someone a telegram |
| wire someone some money | pay someone by electronic transfer |
| Wite-Out™, correction fluid | Tipp-Ex™ |
| witness stand | witness box |
| woods (larger than a copse, smaller than a forest) | wood, woods |
| woolen, wool (adj.) | woollen |
| work in process | work in progress |
| workday | working day |
| workweek | working week |
| world's record | world record |
| wrench (tool) | spanner |
| wringer | mangle |
| wrong way (traffic sign) | no entry |
