British > American Glossary | L
Smoothing and improving transatlantic communication
| Index of Briticisms |
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P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | Americanisms |
 British
term or expression |
 American
equivalent, or explanation |
|---|---|
| lacquer (hair lacquer) | hair spray |
| ladder (long vertical hole in stockings or tights) | run |
| ladies' hairdresser's, hairdressing salon | beauty parlor, beauty salon, beauty shop |
| ladybird | ladybug |
| lager | light-colored effervescent beer |
| lance corporal (British Army) | private 1st class (U.S. Army) |
| landlady, landlord | owner of pub, boarding house or lodgings |
| larder (cupboard or small room for food storage) | pantry |
| lark | rigmarole
(unenjoyable, pointless activity); something done for fun (same as American usage) |
| latch on to [colloq.] | figure out the meaning of something |
| launderette | Laundromat™, coin laundry |
| laundry basket, clothes basket | hamper, laundry hamper |
| lavatorial humour | scatological humor |
| layabout (habitual loafer or idler) | bum, bummer [both slang] |
| lay-by (roadside resting place or stopping area) | pull-off |
| lay something on | plan or arrange something |
| lay the table | set the table |
| leader | newspaper
editorial; concertmaster or leading violinist |
| leading seaman (Royal Navy) | petty officer 3rd class (U.S. Navy) |
| leaflet | flyer |
| lecturer (at college or university) | professor |
| left-luggage locker | coin locker |
| left-luggage office | baggage room |
| let, let out | lease or rent out property or land |
| letterbox | mailbox
(receptacle); mail slot (rectangular hole in door or wall of building) |
| level crossing | grade crossing, railroad crossing |
| lifebelt (buoyant belt-shaped life preserver) | life buoy |
| lift (n.) | elevator; ride (in someone else's car) |
| lightning conductor | lightning rod |
| like the clappers [colloq.] | like crazy [colloq.], very fast or hard |
| linctus | syrupy cough medicine |
| line, railway line | track, railroad track |
| line manager | (U.K.) supervisor one rank above those supervised; person in charge of key activity, such as production |
| liner, passenger liner | ocean liner |
| lino [abbr.] (floor-covering material) | linoleum |
| liquid lunch [humorous] | lunch consisting mainly or only of alcoholic drinks |
| liquidizer (kitchen gadget) | blender |
| litter bin (e.g. in the street, park, etc.) | public trash can |
| liver sausage | liverwurst |
| Liverpudlian | relating to (or resident of) English city of Liverpool |
| loaf [colloq.] (as in idiom 'Use your loaf!') | head, brain, common sense |
| locum | doctor who substitutes for another in their absence |
| lodger | roomer |
| loft | roomless attic |
| lollipop
man, lollipop lady [colloq.] (officially a 'school crossing patrol officer') |
crossing guard |
| lolly [C], ice lolly | popsicle |
| lolly [C], lollipop | hard candy on stick |
| lolly [U] [colloq.] (money) | dough [colloq.] |
| long-sighted | far-sighted |
| loo [colloq.] (lavatory) | john [colloq.]; bathroom, restroom |
| loony-bin [slang] (psychiatric hospital) | booby-hatch [slang] |
| loose cover (removable cover for chair, sofa, etc.) | slipcover |
| lorry | truck |
| lorry driver | truck driver |
| lose the plot [colloq.] | no longer able to handle a situation or act normally |
| loss adjuster (investigates insurance claims) | claims adjuster |
| lost property, lost property office | lost and found |
| loudhailer | bullhorn, megaphone |
| lounge suit | men's formal suit for day wear; business suit |
| love (form of address used by older shop clerks) | honey, hon' |
| low loader | lowboy trailer |
| L-plate | mandatory large red L on rear of learner-driver's car |
| Ltd.
(Abbreviation for 'Limited'. Ltd. company owners have limited personal liability in the event of bankruptcy.) |
Inc.
(Incorporated) |
| lucky dip | grab bag |
| lug [colloq.] | ear |
| lug stopper [colloq.] | earplug |
| luggage | baggage |
| luggage reclaim (at airport) | baggage reclaim |
| luggage van (on train) | baggage car |
| lughole [colloq.] | earhole |
