EARTH (Electrical)
GROUND. Incidentally, the British electrical system uses 240 Volts, 50 Hertz. The high voltage requires the use of larger plugs, especially as each plug contains its own fuse. When first purchased, no appliance comes complete with a plug, so you have to put one on! Oh, and the cord is usually too short, too! (See FLEX)
EAST END
The less affluent side of London. (See WEST END)
EATER or EATING APPLE
Apple best eaten raw rather than cooked in a pie, etc. There are several varieties in the UK which are not commonly known in the US. The ones that are include the RED DELICIOUS and GOLDEN DELICIOUS.
EIDERDOWN
Down-filled QUILT or COMFORTER. (See also CONTINENTAL QUILT)
ELASTOPLAST
BAND-AID. Some trade names are common to the two countries, but Band-Aid is only a recent product in the UK, where the most common product is Elastoplast. (See PLASTER)
ELBOW
HOLE IN THE GROUND! At least, to the extent that somebody dense is said to have difficulty in differentiating between his elbow and another part of his anatomy!
ELEVEN
TEAM. As in “The England eleven to play Scotland was announced today. Whether you are talking about cricket or football (See FOOTBALL) there are eleven players on a side.
ELEVENSES
Mid-morning tea or coffee break.
EMULSION [PAINT]
LATEX PAINT.
ENDIVE
CHICORY. (See CHICORY)
ENGAGED (Telephone)
BUSY.
ENGINE (Railway)
LOCOMOTIVE.
ENGINE DRIVER (Railway)
ENGINEER.
ESPECIALLY
SPECIALLY.
ESTATE
The word ESTATE is used in two distinctly different ways. A wealthy landowner will talk of his or her ESTATE, but a housing development is also known as a [HOUSING] ESTATE.
ESTATE AGENT
REALTOR.
ESTATE CAR
STATION WAGON. (See also SHOOTING BRAKE)
EX-DIRECTORY (Phone number)
UNLISTED.
EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE
STYROFOAM. (See also POLYTHENE and TERYLENE)
F
FAG (Slang)
Slang term for a CIGARETTE. (See SNOUT) Historically, it also describes the servile role of a junior student in a Public School. (See PUBLIC SCHOOL and PUPIL)
FAG-END (Slang)
CIGARETTE BUTT. (See also DOG-END)
FAGGED OUT (Slang)
EXHAUSTED. (See TIRED OUT)
FAGGOT
FAG and FAGGOT are not used in the UK as you might hear them in the States. FAGGOT is a term which describes both a spiced meatball and a bundle of firewood or kindling. The former is only marginally more tasty than the latter. It is sometimes used, almost as a term of endearment, when addressing an old friend, as in “How are you getting on, you old faggot?”
[FUN] FAIR
CARNIVAL.
FAIR (Hair)
BLOND.
FANCY DRESS PARTY
COSTUME PARTY.
FANNY (Slang)
This is a word that should not be used in polite company in the UK. The nearest equivalent to the American word “fanny” would be “bottom”. In the UK, FANNY is a crude, slang term for an even more intimate part of a woman’s anatomy.
FEIGHNIGHTS or FEINIES
TIME OUT or KINGS. The British words are pronounced “fay’-nites” or “fay’-nees”, and have no universally agreed spelling. The word is used by children to claim temporary immunity during a game of tag, etc. (See IT)
FILLET
FILET, but pronounced “fill’-it”.
FILM
MOVIE. Britons seldom use the word “movie” and I’ve never heard the term “motion picture” used in the UK. (See also FLICKS and PICTURES)
FIRE ENGINE
FIRE TRUCK.
FIREWORKS NIGHT
See GUY.
FIRST FLOOR
See GROUND FLOOR.
FISH FINGERS
FISH STICKS.
FIVESTONES (Game)
JACKS.
FIZZOG (Slang)
FACE. Presumably from physiognomy.
FIZZY DRINK
SPARKLING DRINK. Like cola or lemonade. (See LEMONADE)
FLAT (Accommodation)
APARTMENT. Here we have a problem. A flat is a place you rent and not a problem with your tire (see TYRE and PUNCTURE). It can, however, also be used to refer to the state of your battery -- see below.
FLAT (Battery)
DEAD. There is a story of the Briton visiting the US who had a dead battery in his rental car (see HIRE CAR). He went to the gas station (see PETROL), and was about to say to the mechanic “I think my battery is flat...”, when he suddenly remembered “Ah! They don’t use the word “flat” over here.” So he said “Excuse me, but I think my battery is apartment”.
FLEX (Electrical)
CORD.
FLICKS (Slang)
MOVIE THEATER.
FLIES (In Trousers)
FLY. (See ZIP)
FLOG (Slang)
SELL.
FLYOVER
OVERPASS. An underpass is not, however, a “flyunder”!
FOOTBALL
SOCCER. Although the word soccer was derived in the UK to differentiate it from Rugby Football, it is rarely used there. Soccer is just plain “football”. Football as it’s known in the States is called American Football.
[PUBLIC] FOOTPATH
Britain is criss-crossed by over 100,000 miles of footpaths. (Also by bridle paths in the event that you should be traveling on horseback). The footpaths are clearly identified with green arrowed signposts. The paths will often meander through farm land, or even the farmyard itself. But provided that you obey the country code, don’t litter or damage things, and remember to close gates behind you, you can walk along footpaths from one end of Britain to the other--if you are so inclined.
FORM (School)
GRADE. Typically there is no common, continuous grading system in British schools, although when secondary education starts at age 11, most schools use a common system; 1st Form to 6th Form. The standard age for a student to leave school in the UK is 16, at the end of the 5th Form, two years earlier than in the States. No more than fifty percent of British students stay on until age 18, by doing two years in the 6th Form. The term High School is therefore non-existent in the UK, together with terms such as Sophomore, Junior or Senior. British students are known as First-formers, Sixth-formers, etc.
FORTNIGHT
TWO WEEKS. Yes, it really is used! People will typically talk about taking a fortnight’s holiday. (See HOLIDAY)
FOUR-BY-TWO
TWO-BY-FOUR! Lumber is referred to as TIMBER in the UK and is sold in metric sizes. True Story: After the metric system had just been introduced in the UK, I went to a timber yard and asked for some four-by-two. I was told it was now 100x50 millimeters, and was asked how much I wanted. I knew that I wanted about six feet, so I asked for two meters. Sorry, I was told, we only sell it by the foot! Note: Four-by-two is rhyming slang for JEW.
FRENCH LETTER (Slang)
PROPHYLACTIC. (See RUBBER)
FRIESIAN (Cow)
HOLSTEIN.
FRINGE (Hair)
BANGS.
FROCK
DRESS. This is a more working-class way of referring to a dress, but it is often used by others, especially in cases of false modesty such as “What a beautiful dress!”. “Oh it’s just some old frock I’ve had in the wardrobe for years.” (See WARDROBE)
FULL STOP (Punctuation)
PERIOD.
FUNNY BONE
CRAZY BONE.
FUZZ (Slang)
POLICE.
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