Translating British to American

(and let us know if you think of more!) American to British Dictionary
 

British English	American English
1st year undergraduate	freshman (undergraduate)
2nd year (school)	sophomore (undergraduate)
3rd year (school)	junior (undergraduate)
4th year (school)	senior (undergraduate)
999 (help)	911 (help)
aerial (radio/TV)	antenna
allotment	community garden
alsation	German shepherd/ police dog
angry	mad/angry
anorak	parka
articulated lorry	trailer truck
aubergine	eggplant
autumn	fall
bank holiday	legal holiday
banknote	bill
bap	hamburger bun
bat	ping pong paddle
bath (noun)	bathtub
bath (verb)	bathe (verb)
bespoke/made to measure	custom made
big dipper	roller coaster
bill	check (restaurant)
bill/account	account
billion = million million	billion = thousand million
biscuit (sweet)	cookie
biscuit (unsweetened)	cracker
black or white?	with or without? (milk/cream in coffee)
black or white? (in coffee/tea)	cream or sugar? (in coffee/tea)
black treacle	molasses
blackleg	scab
blind (window)	shade (window)
block of flats	apartment house
blue jeans	dungarees/jeans
bomb (success)	bomb (disaster)
bonnet (car)	hood (car)
book	make reservation
boot (car)	trunk (car)
bootlace/shoelace	shoestring
bottom drawer	hope chest
bowler/hard hat	derby
box room	lumber room
braces	suspenders
brainstorm	muddled (mind)
break (school)	recess
bridge roll	hotdog bun
briefs	shorts/jockey shorts
brilliant	nice
brilliant idea	brainstorm (noun)
broad bean	lima bean
butter muslin/cheese cloth	cheese cloth
candy floss	cotton candy
car park	parking lot
caravan	trailer/camper/mobile home/recreation vehicle
caretaker/porter	janitor
catapult	slingshot
cattle grid	Texas gate
central reservation	median strip/divider (road)
centre (city/business)	down town
chairman	president (business)
chemist	druggist
chemist's shop	drugstore/pharmacy
chest of drawers	bureau/dresser
chicory	endive
chintzy	chintz-sprigged material
chips	French fries
chocolate/sweets	candy
cinema	movie house/theatre
cloakroom	coat check/hat check
cloakroom attendant	hat check attendant
clothes peg	clothes pin
collar stiffener	collar stay
collar stud	collar button
conscription	draft
contraceptive	rubber
convoy	caravan
cooker	stove
cornflour	corn starch
corporation	city/municipal government
cot/crib	baby bed/crib
cotton	thread
cotton reel	spool
cotton wool	cotton balls/absorbent cotton
courgettes	zucchini
courtshoe	pump
cow gum	rubber cement
cream cracker	soda cracker
crisps	chips (potato)
cul-de-sac	dead-end
cupboard	closet
curtains	drapes
desiccated (as iin coconut)	shredded (as in coconut)
detached (housing)	one-family house
diamante'	rhinestone
directory enquiries	information/directory assistance
district	precinct
diversion	detour
drain (indoor)	sewer pipe/soil pipe
draper	drygoods store
draught excluder	weather stripping
draughts	checkers
drawing pin	thumbtack
dress circle	mezzanine/loge
dressing gown	bathrobe
dual carriageway	divided highway
dummy	pacifier
dungarees	overalls
dustbin/bin	garbage can/ash can/ trash can
dynamo	generator
earth wire/earth	ground wire
eiderdown	comforter
endive	chicory
Esq./Mr	Mr.
estate agent	Realtor/real estate agent
estate car	station wagon
face flannel	washcloth
fair (fun)	carnival
fete	fair (fun)
fiddly	tricky (to do)
filling station	gas station
film	movie
first floor	second floor
fish slice	spatula/pancake turner
fitted carpet/wall to wall	wall to wall
flat	apartment/unit
flex	electric cord/wire
fly-over	overpass
football/soccer	soccer
fortnight	two weeks
foyer	lobby/foyer
full-stop	period (punctuation)
gallery	balcony (theater)
gangway	aisle
gaol	jail
garden	yard
gear lever	gear shift
geyser	water heater (gas)
gobsmacked	dumbstruck/amazed
goods truck (railway)	freight truck (railway)
goose pimples	goose bumps
gramophone/record player	phonograph/record player
green fingers	green thumb
green pepper	bell pepper
grill (verb)	broil
ground floor	first floor
guard (railway)	conductor
gym shoes/plimsolls/ tennis shoes/trainers	sneakers/tennis shoes
haberdashery	notions
hair grip/kirby grip	bobbie pin
hairslide	barette
handbag	purse/pocket book
hardware	housewares
headmaster/mistress	principal
hire purchase	time payment/instalment plan
holiday	vacation
homely-pleasant	homely-ugly
hoover (noun)	vacuum cleaner
hoover (verb)	vacuum (verb)
housing estate	sub-division
ice/sorbet	sherbet
iced lolly	popsicle
icing sugar	powdered sugar/ confectioner's sugar
identification parade	line-up
immersion heater (electric)	water heater (electric)
interval	intermission
ironmonger	hardware store
jab	shot (injection)
jeans	dungarees
joint (meat)	roast
jug	pitcher
jumper/sweater/pullover	sweater/pullover
kiosk (telephone/cigarette)	booth (telephone)
kipper	smoked herring
knock up (tennis)	warm up (tennis)
knock up (verb)	wake up (verb)
label	tag
larder	pantry
lavatory/toilet/w.c./loo	toilet/john/bathroom/rest room
lay-by	rest area/pull-off (road)
leader: (1) leading article in newspaper/ (2)1st violin in orchestra	(1) editorial (2) concert master
leader (1st violinist)	concert master
leader (newspaper)	editorial
left luggage office	baggage room
let	lease/rent
lift	elevator
limited (company)	incorporated
liver sausage	liverwurst
lodger	roomer
loo	rest room
lorry	truck
lost property	lost and found
lounge suite	business suit
mackintosh	raincoat
mad	crazy
make pregnant/put in the family way	knock up
marrow (similar)	squash (similar)
methylated spirits	denatured alcohol
mileometer	odometer
mince	hamburger meat
mincer	meat grinder
moped	motorbike
motorbike/motorcycle	motorcycle
motorway	freeway/super highway
nappy	diaper
neat (drink)	straight (drink)
newsagent	newsdealer/news stand
nought	zero
noughts and crosses	tic-tac-toe
number plate	licence plate
off licence/wine merchant	liquor store
shoddy/cheap	chintzy
oven gloves/cloth	pot holders/gloves
overtake/pass (vehicle)	pass (vehicle, etc.)
pack	deck (cards)
pantechnicon/removal van	moving van
pants	shorts (underwear)
paraffin	kerosene
parcel	package
pavement/footpath	sidewalk
pelmet	valence
personal call	person-to-person
petrol	gas
pillar box	mail box/mail drop
plus-fours	knickers
point/power point	outlet/socket
post (noun and verb)	mail (noun and verb)
postal code	zip code
postman	mail carrier
postponement	raincheck
pram (perambulator)	baby carriage/baby buggy
press studs	snaps
prison	penitentiary
public convenience (outdoors)	rest room/toilet/ comfort station/ladies or men’s room
public school/private school	private schoo/
pudding/dessert	dessert
purse	change purse
pushchair	stroller
put down/entered (goods bought)	charged (goods bought)
put through (telephone)	connect (telephone)
quay	wharf/pier
queue (noun)	line (noun)
queue (verb)	stand in line/line up
rasher (bacon)	slice (bacon)
reception (hotel)	front desk (hotel)
receptionist	desk clerk
removal van	moving van
return ticket	round trip ticket
reverse charges	call collect
reversing lights	back-up lights
ring up/phone	call/phone
road	pavement
robin (small red-breasted bird, symbol of Christmas)	robin (large red-breastedbird, symbol of 1st day of spring)
roof/hood	top (car)
roundabout/island (road)	traffic circle
rubber/india rubber	eraser
rubbish	garbage/trash
saloon car	sedan
scribbling pad/block	scratch pad
sellotape	scotch tape/cellophane
semi-detached	duplex
semolina	cream of wheat
service flats	apartment hotel
settee	love seat
settle up	pay
shop assistant	sales clerk
shopwalker	floorwalker
sideboard	buffet
sideboards	sideburns
silencer	muffler
single ticket	one way ticket
sitting room/lounge/ drawing room/living room	living room
skipping rope	jump rope
skirting board	baseboard
sledge/toboggan	sled
sleeping car	pullman/sleeper
smalls (washing)	underwear (washing)
sofa	davenport/couch
solicitor	lawyer/attorney
spanner	monkeywrench/wrench
spirits (drink)	liquor
spring onion (similar)	scallion
staff (academic)	faculty
stalls (theatre)	orchestra seats
stand (for public office)	run (for public office)
standard lamp	floor lamp
state school	public school
sticking plaster	adhesive tape
stone (fruit)	pit (fruit)
sultana	raisin
sump (car)	oilpan (car)
surgery (doctor’s/dentist’s)	office (doctor's/dentist's)
surgical spirit	rubbing alcohol
suspender belt	garter belt
suspenders	garters
swede	rutabaga/turnip
sweets/chocolate	candy
sweetshop/confectioner	candy store
Swiss roll	jelly roll
tadpole	pollywog
tap	faucet
tea trolley	teacart
teat (baby’s bottle)	nipple (baby’s bottle)
telegram	wire
term (academic -three in a year)	semester (school-two in a year)
tights	pantie hose
time-table	schedule
tin	can
tip (noun and verb)	dump (noun & verb)
toilet/cloakroom (indoors)	restroom
torch/flashlight	flashlight
traffic lights	stop lights/traffic signals/stop signals
trolley (shopping)	shopping cart
trousers/slacks	pants/slacks
truncheon	nightstick
trunk call	long distance
tube/underground	subway
turn-ups (trousers)	cuffs (pants)
unit trust	mutual fund
upper cirle	first balcony
valve (radio)	tube
van	delivery truck
vest	undershirt
visually position	eyeball (verb)
waistcoat	vest
wallet	billfold
wardrobe	closet (hanging clothes)
wash up	dishes, do the
wash your hands	wash up
washing up liquid	dish detergent
washing up powder	laundry detergent
wellies	boots
Welsh dresser	hutch
windcheater	windbreaker
windscreen	windshield
wing mirror	rearview mirror
wing/mudguard	fender
winker/indicator	blinker (car)
wonky	broken/twisted
Woolworths	dime store/five and ten
zebra crossing	crosswalk
zed (letter z)	zee (letter z)

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