davilan
Member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2011
- Member Type
- Other
- Native Language
- English
- Home Country
- United States
- Current Location
- Russian Federation
Just a scratch on the surface:
List of words having different meanings in British and American English
A&E
the accident and emergency (casualty) department of a hospital (US: emergency room, ER)
Arts & Entertainment (name of a television network)
accumulator
rechargeable battery (archaic)
a type of bet (US: parlay)
one that accumulates, as a type of computer processor register or a hydraulic accumulator
ace
good, excellent (1980s slang)
a one in a suit of playing cards
someone who is very good at something. A term in tennis for a point won for the server without the opponent returning his or her serve.
fighter pilot who has shot down at least 5 enemy aircraft
(v.) to perform outstandingly *; esp., to achieve an A (on a school exam)
the best starting pitcher in a rotation on a baseball team
advocate (n.)
Scottish also the Isle of Man, Channel Islands and South African lawyer who appears in higher courts (rest of UK: barrister)
someone who supports or speaks for a particular position
generic term for a lawyer
(v.) to recommend or support
air marshal
a senior air force officer (equivalent to a USAF Lt. General)
an undercover law enforcement officer on board a commercial aircraft, also known as a sky marshal
à la mode
fashionable
with ice cream (ex. Apple pie à la mode)
alternate
(adj.) done or occurring by turns; every second, every other ("on alternate weeks")
(n.) one that alternates with another
(adj.) constituting an alternative, offering a choice (UK usu. & US also alternative) ("use alternate routes")
"alternative", unconventional ("alternate lifestyles")
(n.) an alternative *; a substitute
amber
traffic light of this colour (US: yellow light)
orange-yellow colour
fossilised resin; a material used in the construction of some tobacco pipes' stems, female given name; (sealed in amber) state of being oblivious to changing circumstances
anæsthetist (UK), anesthetist (US)
physician trained to administer anaesthesia (US: anesthesiologist)
a critical care experienced graduate level educated Registered Nurse who is nationally certified to administer anaesthesia
anchor
(1) a position in a tug of war team
(2) device for mooring ships by providing a firm fix to the seabed (3)(anchorman/anchorwoman) the last member of a relay team to compete
a type of radio or TV presenter ("a news anchor"). See news presenter for a description of the different roles of a newscaster, an American news anchor, and a British newsreader.
anorak
a parka
(slang) a socially awkward person obsessively interested in something (syn. US: geek, nerd; dweeb; etc.)
hooded, rainproof outerwear that lacks a full-length zipper in the front (UK: cagoule)
apartment
suite of rooms set aside for a particular person (rare),
usu. rented housing unit in a larger building implying luxury (In other words a narrower definition than the US.)
usu. rented housing unit in a larger building (usu. flat in UK)– cf. s.v. condominium
appropriate (v.), appropriation (n.)
to take (money) to oneself, to filch or misappropriate
to take and assign (money) (there is considerable overlap but difference of emphasis)
to dispense (money), to budget
Asian
originating from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka (South Asian)
originating from the continent of Asia
originating from East Asia or continental Southeast Asia
ass
donkey
slow-witted or stupid person, often in combination (dumb-ass)
(often vulgar) buttocks (UK: arse); also, by synecdoche, the person ("your ass is dead"); also (vulgar) anus (short for asshole)
(vulgar) sex ("get some ass") (note: the American usage of ass is becoming more common in British English)
(adv.) a postpositive intensive (i.e., to add emphasis to an adjective) ("He drove a big-ass truck")
kick-ass: to beat up or beat, e.g. "I am going to kick his ass" or, more positively, something that beat (did better than) everything else, e.g. "The opening band was kick-ass."
(vulgar) someone acting inappropriately or offensively ("That guy was an ass!")
athletics
Sport comprising the events in track and field, cross country running, road running and racewalking
Athletic sports in general, (e.g. College athletics)
attorney
an agent or representative authorised to act on someone else's behalf ("attorney-in-fact", "power of attorney")
(Attorney General) main legal advisor to the government
(or attorney-at-law) a lawyer (UK: barrister (England, Northern Ireland, Wales)/advocate (Scotland) or solicitor, depending on the actual profession)
(District attorney, prosecuting attorney) local public official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminals (archaic in Br. Eng. for lawyer)
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List of words having different meanings in British and American English
- Asterisked (*) meanings, though found chiefly in the specified region, also have some currency in the other dialect; other definitions may be recognised by the other as Briticisms or Americanisms respectively. Additional usage notes are provided when useful.
Word
British English meanings
Meanings common to British and American English
American English meanings
the accident and emergency (casualty) department of a hospital (US: emergency room, ER)
Arts & Entertainment (name of a television network)
accumulator
rechargeable battery (archaic)
a type of bet (US: parlay)
one that accumulates, as a type of computer processor register or a hydraulic accumulator
ace
good, excellent (1980s slang)
a one in a suit of playing cards
someone who is very good at something. A term in tennis for a point won for the server without the opponent returning his or her serve.
fighter pilot who has shot down at least 5 enemy aircraft
(v.) to perform outstandingly *; esp., to achieve an A (on a school exam)
the best starting pitcher in a rotation on a baseball team
advocate (n.)
Scottish also the Isle of Man, Channel Islands and South African lawyer who appears in higher courts (rest of UK: barrister)
someone who supports or speaks for a particular position
generic term for a lawyer
(v.) to recommend or support
air marshal
a senior air force officer (equivalent to a USAF Lt. General)
an undercover law enforcement officer on board a commercial aircraft, also known as a sky marshal
à la mode
fashionable
with ice cream (ex. Apple pie à la mode)
alternate
(adj.) done or occurring by turns; every second, every other ("on alternate weeks")
(n.) one that alternates with another
(adj.) constituting an alternative, offering a choice (UK usu. & US also alternative) ("use alternate routes")
"alternative", unconventional ("alternate lifestyles")
(n.) an alternative *; a substitute
amber
traffic light of this colour (US: yellow light)
orange-yellow colour
fossilised resin; a material used in the construction of some tobacco pipes' stems, female given name; (sealed in amber) state of being oblivious to changing circumstances
anæsthetist (UK), anesthetist (US)
physician trained to administer anaesthesia (US: anesthesiologist)
a critical care experienced graduate level educated Registered Nurse who is nationally certified to administer anaesthesia
anchor
(1) a position in a tug of war team
(2) device for mooring ships by providing a firm fix to the seabed (3)(anchorman/anchorwoman) the last member of a relay team to compete
a type of radio or TV presenter ("a news anchor"). See news presenter for a description of the different roles of a newscaster, an American news anchor, and a British newsreader.
anorak
a parka
(slang) a socially awkward person obsessively interested in something (syn. US: geek, nerd; dweeb; etc.)
hooded, rainproof outerwear that lacks a full-length zipper in the front (UK: cagoule)
apartment
suite of rooms set aside for a particular person (rare),
usu. rented housing unit in a larger building implying luxury (In other words a narrower definition than the US.)
usu. rented housing unit in a larger building (usu. flat in UK)– cf. s.v. condominium
appropriate (v.), appropriation (n.)
to take (money) to oneself, to filch or misappropriate
to take and assign (money) (there is considerable overlap but difference of emphasis)
to dispense (money), to budget
Asian
originating from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka (South Asian)
originating from the continent of Asia
originating from East Asia or continental Southeast Asia
ass
donkey
slow-witted or stupid person, often in combination (dumb-ass)
(often vulgar) buttocks (UK: arse); also, by synecdoche, the person ("your ass is dead"); also (vulgar) anus (short for asshole)
(vulgar) sex ("get some ass") (note: the American usage of ass is becoming more common in British English)
(adv.) a postpositive intensive (i.e., to add emphasis to an adjective) ("He drove a big-ass truck")
kick-ass: to beat up or beat, e.g. "I am going to kick his ass" or, more positively, something that beat (did better than) everything else, e.g. "The opening band was kick-ass."
(vulgar) someone acting inappropriately or offensively ("That guy was an ass!")
athletics
Sport comprising the events in track and field, cross country running, road running and racewalking
Athletic sports in general, (e.g. College athletics)
attorney
an agent or representative authorised to act on someone else's behalf ("attorney-in-fact", "power of attorney")
(Attorney General) main legal advisor to the government
(or attorney-at-law) a lawyer (UK: barrister (England, Northern Ireland, Wales)/advocate (Scotland) or solicitor, depending on the actual profession)
(District attorney, prosecuting attorney) local public official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminals (archaic in Br. Eng. for lawyer)
sorry I can not get this to format correctly