It’s time.
Despite being an internationally respected woman and writer, I still get some grief about “speaking American.” Guess what? I’m American so, to those people I say, duh. But I’m British, too, so I also say fuck off, you twat.
However, in the spirit of being more welcoming, I’ve decided to supply a British-American dictionary for my less worldly readers. Here’s the first section.
But I’m telling you right now: I don’t want any quibbles. I don’t speak for all Americans. I don’t speak for all Brits. I only speak for myself: Agatha Whitt-Wellington. Got it?
A
Abattoir: Slaughterhouse Abseiling: Rappeling Abroad: Overseas Accelerator: Gas pedal
Action Man: G.I. Joe
Accumulator (bet): Parlay
Advert: Commercial
A&E, casualty: ER (emergency room)
Aerial: Antenna
Aeroplane: Airplane
Alight: Get off
Aluminium: Aluminum
Alsatian: German Shepherd
Angry: Mad, pissed off
Anti-clockwise: Counter-clockwise
Articulated lorry, juggernaut: Semi, tractor trailer, big rig, 18-wheeler
Arse: Ass
Athletics: Track and field
Aubergine: Eggplant
Automatic (car): Standard
Autumn: Fall
B
Backhander: Kickback Bagsie: Dibs Balaclava: Ski mask Bang to rights: Dead to rights Bank holiday: National holiday Bap, cob: Hamburger bun Barrister: Trial lawyer Bath: Bathtub Bedsit: Studio apartment Beefburger: Hamburger Beermat: Coaster Behind: In back of Benefits: Welfare Bespoke: Tailor made, custom made Bill: Check Bin: Wastebasket, garbage can, trash can Bin liner: Garbage bag, trash bag Biro: Pen Biscuits: Cookies Bloke, chap, lad: Man, guy Bogie, bogey: Booger
Boiled sweets: Hard candy
Bonnet: Hood
Booking: Reservation
Boot: Trunk
Bottle: Moxie
Braces: Suspenders
Break (school): Recess
Boiler (central heating): Furnace
Box (men’s athletic protection): Cup
Bum bag: Fanny pack
Bungalow: Single-storey house
Bum: Butt, booty, fanny
Burgle: Burglarize
C
Call box: Phone booth Candy floss: Cotton candy
Car park: Parking lot
Canteen: Cafeteria
Caravan: Trailer, camper, RV
Caretaker: Janitor
Car boot sale: Yard/garage sale
Car side lights: Parking lights
Car wing: Fender
Catapult: Sling-shot
Cellar: Basement
Cheeky: Ornery (cheeky monkey=ornery critter)
Chemist: Pharmacy, drugstore
Cheque: Check
Chips: French fries
Chuffed: Happy
City centre: Downtown
Cladding: Siding
Clean your teeth: Brush your teeth
Cling film: plastic wrap, Saran wrap™
Coach: Bus, Greyhound™
Condom: Rubber
Consultant doctor: Specialist
Cooker: Oven, stove
Coriander: Cilantro
Cotton: Thread
Cotton bud: Q-Tip™
Cotton wool: Cotton balls
Courgette: Zucchini
Crash (a car): Wreck (used as a verb and noun)
Crisps: Potato chips
Crumpet: English muffin
Current account: Checking account
D
Daddy long legs: Crane fly Daft, thick: Stupid, dumb Diagonal: Catacorner Digger: Backhoe Dinner jacket: Tuxedo Diversion: Detour Doctor’s surgery: Doctor’s office Dodgems: Bumper cars
Draughts: Checkers
Drawing pin: Tack
Dressing gown: Robe
Dual-carriageway: Divided highway
Dummy: Pacifier, binky
Dustbin: Trash can
Dustcart: Garbage truck
Dustman: Garbage man
Duvet: Comforter
E
Engaged (phone): Busy Estate (inner city): The projects Estate (area of new houses): Sub-division Estate (car): Station wagon Estate agent: Real estate agent Ex-directory: UnlistedF
Fag: Cigarette Fag end: Cigarette butt Fairy cake: Cupcake Fairy lights: Christmas lights Fancy: Like Fancy dress party: Costume party Fanny: Pussy (sounds somewhat cruder, doesn’t it?) Father Christmas: Santa Claus Fire brigade: Fire department First, second, third, fourth year (at university & high school): Freshman, sophomore, junior, senior Fishfingers: Fishsticks Flannel: Washcloth Flask: Thermos Flat: Apartment Flyover: Overpass Football: Soccer Football boots: Cleats Footpath: Trail Freephone: Toll-free Fringe: Bangs Frying pan: Skillet Full stop: PeriodG
Gammon: Ham steak Gangway: Aisle Garden: Yard Gear stick (car): Stick shift Gherkin: Pickle
Give way: Yield
Gear lever: Gear shift
Glove box: Glove compartment
Gobsmacked: Surprised
Goose pimples: Goose bumps
Grease-proof paper: Waxed paper
Green fingers: Green thumb
Grill: Broil
Ground floor: First floor
H
Hair slide: Barrette Hand bag: Purse Hand brake: Parking brake Hash (#): Pound sign
Headmaster / mistress: Principal
Hen night: Bachelorette party
High Street: Main Street
Hire: Rent
Hob: Stovetop
Holiday: Vacation
Homely: Homey (homely actually means ugly, so watch yourself)
Hosepipe: Hose
Hundreds and thousands: Sprinkles
I
Iced lolly: Popsicle™
Icing sugar: Powdered sugar
Identity parade: Police line-up
Indicators (car): Turn signals
Inverted commas: Quotemarks
J
Jacket potato: Baked potato Jam: Jelly (as in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches)
Jelly: Jell-O™
Joiner: Carpenter
Jumper: Sweater
Jump leads: Jumper cables
Junction (motorway): Exit
K
Kit (sports, camera, etc.): Gear Kitchen roll: Paper towels Knickers: Panties, underwear Knuckle dusters: Brass knucklesL
Ladder (tights): Run Ladybird: Ladybug Lager: Beer Launderette: Laundromat Lay-by: Rest area Lead (dog): Leash Leads (electrical): Cords Lemonade: 7-Up™, Sprite™ Let: Rent Letter box: Mail box Level crossing: Railroad crossing Lie-in: Sleep-in Lift: Elevator Lift (give someone a lift): Ride Lodger: Boarder Loo, Toilet: Bathroom, restroom Loogie: Goober, hocker (goobers are also chocolate covered peanuts)
Loft: Attic
Lollipop: Lollipop, sucker
Lollipop lady: Crossing guard
Lorry: Truck
Lorry driver: Truck driver, trucker
Lot (material items): Bunch
Lounge, sitting room: Living room.
Love bite: Hickey
M
Manager (sports): Coach Managing director: CEO (Chief Executive Officer) Mange tout: Snow peas Mannequin: Dummy Manual (car): Stick, stick shift
Mate: Friend, buddy, pal, chum
Maths: Math
Megaphone: Bullhorn
Mileometer: Odometer
Mince (meat): Ground meat
Mobile library: Bookmobile
Mobile phone: Cell phone, cellular phone
Motorway: Highway, expressway
Mum: Mom
To be continued….
Everyone Needs an Algonquin 
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