EFL teacher David Appleyard
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Smoothing and improving transatlantic communication
Index of Briticisms
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Americanisms

 

AmericanBritish term or expression BritishAmerican equivalent, or explanation
café, caff [colloq.] coffee shop or small eatery
cakehole [slang] (mouth) trap [slang]
calico (plain white cotton cloth) muslin
call box telephone booth, phone booth
Calor™ gas bottled gas
camiknickers (camisole + knickers) teddy, chemise (one-piece women's undergarment)
camper van, camper motorhome
camping site, campsite campground
camping stove camp stove
canoe kayak, canoe
canoodle [colloq.]  smooch [calloq.]
candyfloss cotton candy
car manufacturer auto maker
car park parking lot
caravan trailer, mobile home
caravan site trailer park, trailer camp, trailer court
caravanning trailer camping
card index card file
carer caregiver
caretaker janitor
carpet (v.)  [colloq.] harshly criticize or reprimand someone
carriage (on train) passenger car, railroad car
carrier bag   disposable shopping bag of paper or plastic
carsy [slang] john [slang], lavatory, outhouse
cash on delivery (COD) collect on delivery (COD)
cashier checker (supermarket);
teller (bank)
cashpoint, cash dispenser, cash machine ATM (automated teller machine)
casket small box for cremated ashes;
small ornamental box for jewelry, letters or valuables
caster sugar, castor sugar finely granulated white sugar
casualty (department, ward) emergency room (ER)
catapult (type used for shooting small stones) slingshot
Catseye™, cat's eye reflector built into center of road to aid night driving
cattle grid (grid over ditch to allow vehicles
                  but not sheep or cattle to pass)
Texas gate
caught short [colloq.] inopportunely in urgent need of visit to the restroom
cement mixer, cement lorry cement truck
central reservation (on motorway, dual carriageway) median strip (on freeway or divided highway);
island (on regular road)
chairman (of a company) president
champers [colloq.] bubbly [colloq.], champagne
changing room (at gym or sporting venue) locker room
chap guy, fellow
char [slang.] tea
char, charwoman [both colloq.] cleaning lady
chat show (TV) talk show
chat up talk flirtatiously to a female
chav [slang.] stereotypical white anti-social or delinquent juvenile
checked pattern check pattern
Cheerio! [colloq.] Bye!  
Cheers! [colloq.] Thanks!
cheese biscuit (unsweetened) cracker
chemist (licensed to sell and prepare medicines) pharmacist, druggist
chemist, chemist's pharmacy, drugstore
cheque check
cheque account (old name for 'current account') checking account
cheque book checkbook
chest of drawers bureau, dresser
chief constable police chief in English county or other region  
chief executive (managing director) chief executive officer (or CEO)
chief financial director (finance director) chief financial officer (or CFO)
chief technician (Royal Air Force) technical sergeant (U.S. Air Force)
chinwag [slang] friendly chat or gossip
chipolata small thin sausage
chippie, chippy [colloq.] fish and chips shop
chips (of potato) French fries, fries
chop [colloq.] (as in 'he was given the chop') dismissal from employment
chopping board cutting board
Christmas box small Christmas gratuity to milkman, trashman, etc.
Christmas season holiday season
chuck it in [colloq.]  (give up one's endeavours) quit, throw in the towel, throw in the sponge
chuffed [colloq.] (as in 'I was quite chuffed about it!') pleased or delighted
chum pal or buddy, especially a school friend
chunter [colloq.] mumble monotonously and usually complainingly
cinch [colloq.]  (very easy task) snap, breeze [both colloq.]
cinema movie theater; the movies
circle, dress circle (first balcony in theatre) mezzanine
City, the London's financial district (compare Wall Street)
city centre downtown
civvy street [colloq.] (as in 'it's great to be back
                                             on civvy street')
normal civilian life away from the military
clamp stand (in science lab) ring stand
clanger (n.) [slang] (as in 'to drop a clanger') clinker, howler, boner, blunder
clapped out [slang] worn out (esp. of machines)
cleg horsefly
clever dick, clever clogs  [colloq.] 
                    (a person who annoys others by never
                     hesitating to show how smart he is)
smart aleck
cling film plastic wrap
clinker (n.) [colloq.]  something excellent or outstanding
clippie [slang] formerly a female fare collector on city bus
cloakroom (in hotel, restaurant or theatre) checkroom
cloakroom [euph.] (especially in a public building) restroom, lavatory
cloakroom attendant coat check girl, hat check girl
clobber [colloq.]  (belongings and clothing
                             one has with one)
gear [colloq.]
close (n.) cul-de-sac, blind alley, dead-end road
clot [colloq.]  (foolish person) blockhead [colloq.]
cloth ears (n.), cloth-eared (adj.)  [colloq.]   describes someone who hasn't heard or understood what is said to them, probably through inattention 
clothes (esp. when sold in shop) apparel
clothes basket, laundry basket hamper, laundry hamper
clothes peg clothespin
coach (long-distance bus with extra comfort) bus
coach (railway carriage) passenger car, railroad car
coat hanger hanger
cobblers (from rhyming slang
                'cobbler's awls' for 'balls')
baloney, claptrap [both colloq.]
cock (adult male chicken) rooster
cock something up [slang] bungle something; do something badly or clumsily
cocktail cabinet liquor cabinet
cock-up [colloq.] (disorder caused by incompetence) goof-up, botch-up, screw-up [all colloq.]
codswallop [slang] (nonsense) baloney (or boloney) [slang]
coffin casket [euphemism]
cold table a selection of cold food dishes
collar (of meat) piece of meat rolled up and tied
collar stiffener collar stay
college fee-paying high-school;
institution providing vocational training after the U.K. basic school-leaving age of 16
collywobbles, the [colloq.] stomach discomfort caused by nervous apprehension
colour sergeant (Royal Marines) sergeant major > master gunnery sergeant
  (U.S. Marine Corps)
colour supplement free magazine included with Sunday newspaper
combine harvester (farm machine) combine
comforter (baby's dummy) pacifier
commercial traveller traveling salesman
common or garden [colloq.] ordinary, everyday  
common seal harbor seal
conductor (on city bus, etc.) fare collector
conker (the hard core of a horse chestnut) buckeye
conscript (person forced by law into military service) draftee
conscription (compulsory military service) the draft
consultant (medical) senior specialist doctor who places and bears overall responsibility for patients in hospital
consumer durables durable goods
container (for large-scale refuse disposal) Dumpster™
continental quilt comforter
convenience [euphemism] public lavatory or restroom
conveyancing [legal] transfer of property ownership
cooker kitchen stove with oven and grill
cookery book cookbook
cool box cooler
cop shop [slang] police station
copper [slang] cop [slang], police officer
Cor! [slang] (interjection expressing admiration,
                     disbelief, wonder or surprise)
Wow! Gee! Gee whiz!  
Cor blimey! [slang; corruption of 'God blind me!'] Good grief! Good God!
core time (in a British flexitime system)   central part of work day when all personnel, even those on flextime, are expected to be present
corker [slang] something or someone outstandingly good
corking (adj.) [slang] remarkably large or splendid
corn In the U.K., corn is the grain of any available plant that can be used to make flour, such as wheat, barley, oats or maize.
corn on the cob sweet corn
cornet ice-cream cone
cornflour cornstarch
corporal (British Army) corporal > specialist 4 (U.S. Army)
corporal (Royal Air Force) airman 1st class (U.S. Air Force)
corporation (of city, town or borough) municipal authorities, municipal government
cos lettuce romaine
cot baby's bed or crib with high sides
cot death, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) crib death
cotton (a reel of cotton) thread (a spool of thread)
cotton bud cotton swab
cotton on to something [colloq.]   begin to figure out, become wise to
cotton wool cotton, cotton balls, cotton batting
council estate, council flats
    (low-cost housing for the less affluent)
housing project
counterfoil, cheque stub check stub
courgette zucchini
courier messenger
court card (king, queen or jack in deck of cards) face card
court shoes pumps
covenant (finance) formal commitment to pay fixed amount regularly, usually to charity
cover (insurance) coverage
cover note [legal] temporary certificate of insurance coverage
covering letter (accompanies CV) cover letter (accompanies résumé)
cowboy [colloq.] unqualified repairman or tradesman who can undercut true professionals thanks to cheap materials, shoddy workmanship, or non-payment of taxes
cowboy film cowboy movie
cracker [colloq.]  (highly attractive female) honey, peach, stunner, goddess, knockout
crackers [colloq.] crazy
cracking [colloq.]  (as in 'a cracking good time') awesome [colloq.], outstanding
craft knife utility knife, box cutter
crash barrier guardrail
crayfish crawfish
cream bun bun filled or topped with cream
cream cracker (unsweetened cracker for cheese) soda cracker
cream tea traditional English afternoon tea with scones, jelly and clotted cream
crèche day nursery for pre-school kids
creditors (in accounting) accounts payable, payables
creek small bay or inlet narrower than a cove
Crikey! (euphemism for 'Christ!') Gosh! (euphemism for 'God!')
crisps chips, potato chips
crocodile [colloq.] line of children walking in pairs
crocodile clip alligator clip
cross-ply tyre bias tire, bias-ply tire
crossroad, crossroads intersection
crotchet  (in music) quarter note
Crumbs!  (exclamation of worry or surprise) Gosh! Wow!
crumpet [slang]  ('She's a nice bit of crumpet!' ) women seen as objects of male desire
crush bar bar serving drinks during theater intermissions
crush barrier barricade erected for crowd control
cup tie eliminating game between teams, esp. in soccer
cupboard cabinet, closet
cuppa [colloq.]  (as in 'I could do with a cuppa!') a cup of tea
curate's egg something that has both good and bad qualities
current account checking account
currently, right now presently
curriculum vitae, CV résumé, resume
curtain drape, drapery
cushy number [colloq.] (as in 'He's got himself a
                                               cushy little number!')
pleasant, undemanding job situation or sinecure
custom (as in 'we appreciate your custom') business patronage
cutlery (eating utensils) silverware, flatware
cycle lane bike lane, bicycle lane
cycling, to cycle bicycling, to bicycle
cyclist
bicyclist