List of words having different meanings in American and British English (A–L)

This is the List of words having different meanings in British and American English: A–L. For the second portion of the list, see List of words having different meanings in American and British English: M–Z.

Asterisked (*) meanings, though found chiefly in the specified region, also have some currency in the other region; other definitions may be viewed by the other as Briticisms or Americanisms respectively. Additional usage notes are provided where useful.

A

WordBritish English meaningsMeanings common to British and American EnglishAmerican English meaningsAAThe Automobile Association (US: AAA)Alcoholics AnonymousAmerican AirlinesA&Ethe accident and emergency (casualty) department of a hospital (US: emergency room, ER) Arts & Entertainment (name of a television network)accumulatorrechargeable battery (technical)a type of bet (US: parlay)one that accumulates, as a type of computer processor register or a hydraulic accumulator acegood, excellent (informal)a one in a suit of playing cardssomeone who is very good at something(tennis) a winning serve in which the receiver does not touch the ballfighter pilot who has shot down at least 5 enemy aircraftan asexual person (slang)(v.) to perform outstandingly *; esp., to achieve an A (on a school exam)(n.) the best starting pitcher in a rotation on a baseball teamadvert(n.) a contraction of advertisement (US: ad)(v.) to turn the attention to or refer to somethingadvocate (n.)Scottish, also Isle of Man, Channel Islands or South African, lawyer who appears in higher courts (rest of UK: barrister)someone who supports or speaks for a particular positiongeneric term for a lawyer(v.) to recommend or support air marshala 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 fashionablewith ice cream (ex. Apple pie à la mode)allotmenta parcel of land in a community gardenthe amount of something allocated to a particular person 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 substituteamber orange-yellow traffic light (US: yellow light) orange-yellow colourfossilised resina material used in the construction of some tobacco pipes' stems(Amber) female given name(sealed in amber) state of being oblivious to changing circumstances  anaesthetist (UK), anesthetist (US)physician trained to induce anaesthesia (US: anesthesiologist)someone who induces anesthesia.a critical care experienced graduate level educated Registered Nurse who is nationally certified to induce anesthesiaanchor a position in a tug of war teamdevice for mooring ships by providing a firm fix to the seabed(anchorman/anchorwoman) the last member of a relay team to competea 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.A dowel or fastener, usually made of plastic, that enables a weight-bearing screw to be attached to a wall (UK: wall plug); Rawlplug (trademark)anoraka 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) apartmentsuite 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.) (Overlapping with the rare usage in reference to stately homes or historic properties which have been converted into residential units.) usu. rented housing unit in a larger building, regardless of luxury level (usu. flat in UK)– cf. s.v. condominiumappropriate (v.), appropriation (n.)to take (money) to oneself, to filch or misappropriateto take (money) (there is considerable overlap but difference of emphasis)to dispense (money), to budgetAsianoriginating from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka (South Asian)originating from the continent of Asiaoriginating from East Asia or continental Southeast Asiaass donkeyslow-witted or stupid person, often in combination (dumb-ass)unpleasant or unthinking person (less common colloquially) ("you 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") (adv.) a postpositive intensive (i.e., to add emphasis to an adjective) ("He drove a big-ass truck") badass: someone of formidable strength or skill, e.g. "such a badass guitar player"Merriam-Webster Dictionary 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!")athleticsSport 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)auberginethe plant Solanum melongena, or its fruit (US: eggplant)an aubergine-like colour (US also: eggplant)

B WordBritish English meaningsMeanings common to British and American EnglishAmerican English meaningsbackside (n.)posterior, buttocks(as two words, back side) rear of anythingbanger (n.)a sausage, as in "bangers and mash"an old motor car in a state of disrepair (US: beater or jalopy)a type of fireworka particularly club-friendly beat or songa gang member (gang-banger)a party- usually a youth partybang(s) small explosions or reports; (v.) have sexual intercourse with (vulgar slang)locks of hair on forehead (UK: fringe)bankera railway locomotive that temporarily assists the train hauled by another up a gradient (US: helper)one who works in a bank base foundation, starting point; many meanings in sciences, architecture, politics, military installation, etc.; see basemany figurative senses derived from baseball, e.g. off one's base (crazy), to get to first base (esp. in neg. constr., to get a first important result); more recently (slang), a metaphor for one of three different stages in making out (q.v.) – see baseball metaphors for sex; more s.v. home runbashHave a go – to try to achieve something, as in "have a bash at this crossword"to strike physically to attack verballya party or celebration "they're having a little bash this weekend" (orig. US, but now probably more common in UK than US) bath(pl.) swimming pool(v.) to bathe, or give a bath to, example have a bath (US: take a bath meaning bathe)(n.) plumbing fixture for bathing *(US: bathtub)(n.) the act of bathing(n.) a bathroom (esp. a half bath which has a sink and toilet but no shower stall or bathtub, or a 3/4 bath which has a sink, toilet, and shower stall, but no bathtub)bathroomroom containing a bath (US: bathtub) or shower, other washing facilities, and usu. (but not necessarily) a toilet room, in a home or hotel room, containing a toilet, related washing facilities, and often, but not necessarily, a shower or bathtub (Hence "Going to the bathroom" is a euphemism for relieving oneself, regardless of place, such as "I went to the bathroom in my pants"*)beakerdrinking vessel without a handle, or one (with or without handles) made of unbreakable plastic for the use of children (US: sippy cup)flat-bottomed vessel, with a lip, used as a laboratory container. beater person who flushes game from concealment so it can be shot at by 'the guns'something or someone that beatsused car or bicycle in very poor condition (UK: banger)(slang) wifebeater (q.v.)a sleeveless undershirt (from the stereotype that poor men who wear them beat their wives, perhaps from Jackie Gleason in "The Honeymooners" TV series (50s/60s US) or more likely from the costume of the character Stanley Kowalski in the play "A Streetcar Named Desire") (UK: vest)beaverbeard; a bearded man (archaic slang)aquatic rodent known for building damswoman's undepilated external genitalia (obscene slang)vagina (slang)benderderogatory expression for a gay man, referring to the act of bending over to permit buggery.an expression for a binge drinking spree.bespoke(esp. of apparel) made to the customer's specification* (US: custom-made, tailor-made)pret. of bespeak billThe Bill=the police (slang, poss. from Old Bill)invoice; request for payment (also US: check, tab)a proposed law before it is voted on by a legislaturea piece of paper money (UK: note/banknote)billion(now rare) a million million (1012) (modern UK and US: trillion)thousand million (109) (now standard in both UK and US) (traditional UK: milliard) (see also Long and short scales) bin(v.) to throw away.(bread bin) container for storing bread (US: breadbox)(1) a waste container (2) a usu. large receptacle or container for storage ("a grain bin"; "Scrooge McDuck's money bin") bird (np.)one's girlfriend or any young female (slang; getting rarerGeorge Harrison in "A Hard Day's Night", 1964: "Oh!You mean that posh bird who gets everything wrong?" http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/A_Hard_Day's_Night_(film) and considered derogatory by some)prison sentence (slang)a feathered animal of the class Aves an aircraft (aviation slang)insulting hand gesture involving shaking one's fist towards someone with knuckles pointing towards the person being insulted and the middle finger extended (used chiefly in "flipping someone the bird") (slang)biscuit (n.)baked sweet or savoury cake-like item, usu. flat, which is hard when baked and softens over time (colloquially bikkies for sweet biscuits) (US: cookie (sweet biscuit), cracker savoury biscuit)(to take the biscuit) to be very surprising (US: take the cake)a piece of wood used in joinery to join two larger pieces togethertype of quick bread served with savory foods (UK: similar to a savoury scone)blinder (n.)excellent performance in a game or race (slang) "e.g. he played a blinder" either of two flaps on a horse's bridle to keep it from seeing objects at its sides (UK: blinker, also used in US)