Socket or Pulg

[oryx]

hello everyone,,

I want to ask English people,, what do you usually say: socket or pulg? I mean informal

And,, Is it correct to say: plug it in or plug it out?


Many thanks

[Barb_D]

The "plug" is (oddly) both the metal tines that go into the wall, and informally, the thing you plug it into. For example, if I'm holding my phone charger in my hand and looking around the room, I may say "Where's a plug I can use?"

Rarely do I say "socket" for that, but I will often refer to that as the wall "outlet." (I'm more likely ask if there's a convenient outlet than I am a convenient plug.)

You plug something in, and you unplug it. You don't (even though you would think it logical) "plug it out."

[5jj]

The "plug" is (oddly) both the metal tines that go into the wall, and informally, the thing you plug it into. [...] You plug something in, and you unplug it. You don't (even though you would think it logical) "plug it out."

It's the same in BrE for that.

If we are going to use a more technically correct word for the thing we Brits plug the plug into, it's a socket, not an outlet.

[SoothingDave]

A plug goes into a socket. Plugs tend to be male and sockets female, but this is not always the case. The plug is the moveable part, usually on a wire or cable. The socket would be the fixed part.

I agree that we Americans would tend to call a power socket an "outlet."

For something like a phone or MP3 (i.e. communications and not just power), I would say it plugs into a USB "port."