British > American Glossary | J
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P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | Americanisms |
 British
term or expression |
 American
equivalent, or explanation |
|---|---|
| J Cloth™ | disposable household cleaning cloth |
| jab [colloq.] (injection) | shot [colloq.] |
| jacket potato | baked potato |
| jam | jelly |
| jammy [slang] | lucky |
| JCB™ (excavator, mechanical digger) | backhoe |
| jelly (fruit-flavoured gelatin dessert) | Jell-O™ |
| jelly (or gelly) [slang] | gelignite |
| jelly babies | baby-shaped fruit candy similar to U.S. jelly beans |
| jemmy (short crowbar used by burglars) | jimmy |
| jerry [slang] | chamber pot |
| Jerry [colloq.] | German (esp. in wartime context) |
| jersey | (U.K.) knitted woolen pullover or sweater |
| Jersey | light-brown dairy cow from Channel Island of Jersey |
| jewellery | jewelry |
| Jimmy,
Jimmy Riddle [rhyming
slang for 'piddle'] (act of urination) |
pee [colloq.] |
| jobseeker's allowance (JSA) | unemployment benefits, welfare (payments) |
| Jock [colloq.] (Scottish variant of 'Jack') | Scotsman |
| Joe Bloggs [colloq.] (your average citizen) | Joe Blow, John Doe [colloq.] |
| Joe Public, Jane Public (the common man/woman) | John Q. Public, Jane Q. Public |
| johnny [slang] | rubber [slang], condom |
| joiner | carpenter doing lighter woodwork |
| joiner [colloq.] | person always joining clubs, societies, etc. |
| joint (of cooked meat) | roast |
| jolly (adv.) | very, thoroughly |
| jolly (n.) [colloq.] | party, get-together, celebration |
| jotter, jotting block, scribbling block | scratch pad |
| journo [colloq.] | journalist |
| jug | pitcher |
| juggernaut (articulated lorry) | semi [colloq.], semi-trailer, tractor-trailer |
| jumble sale | rummage sale, charity bazaar |
| jump leads | jumper cables |
| jump the queue | cut in line |
| jumper | sweater |
| junction | intersection; highway interchange |
| junior | student at a 'junior school' (see below) |
| junior school (for children aged 7 to 11) | elementary school |
| junior seaman (Royal Navy) | seaman recruit (U.S. Navy) |
| junior technician (Royal Air Force) | rank between
airman first class
and airman second class (U.S. Air Force) |
