Introduction

This dictionary is for use by travellers, armchair, virtual, or otherwise. It provides a fun, handy reference for the Briton in America and the American in Britain. Americans will encounter British English whilst travelling in Britain, listening to a Briton anywhere, watching TV or a movie, listening to the radio, reading books, whilst on the internet, and so on. And likewise will Britons encounter American English.

The dictionary has two halves: American to British, where the explanation and definitions of American words are in British, and British to American, where British words are explained in American terminology and spellings.

The definitions in this dictionary concentrate on the differences in American and British English, such as a different word for the same thing, or the same word used for different things. English sounds different and is spelt differently and also means different things, depending on which ‘English’ speaking country you are in.

The discussions in the sections and tables following give some perspectives on English, which will enlighten many, since in my experience, many Americans are clueless about British mores and many Britons are ignorant of the American way of life. Cluelessness notwithstanding, the American fascination with things British (tennis, Royal Family, football, Beatles, history) is not reciprocated, though many Americanisms are considered hip in Britain.

Whilst reading any part of this book, if any word looks odd (spelling, unfamiliar word, strange usage) look it up either in the dictionary or in one of the many tables. Throughout the work, all words that are purple are entries that can be looked up in the main dictionary in the American → British section, and words that are green are entries that can be looked up in the British → American section.

America, US, and USA refer to America and things American; Britain, GB, and UK, are used throughout in the informal sense to include the UK generally and things British.

Language can be broken down into many components, such as grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, and also the written form with its symbols, spelling, and punctuation. American and British have differences in each of these components (though actually relatively few), and they make sense when examined separately, but form a surprisingly bewildering, and sometimes amusing whole in everyday speech and writing. Furthermore, a difference will often be subtle enough that it’s perceived but the reason remains obscure. An American friend of mine remarked after a month in Britain, "At first it seemed that I couldn’t understand anything but I’m getting better!"

The dictionary makes no attempt to be formal, and in some instances is tongue-in-cheek. However, every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy. Again, the purpose is to aid understanding and communication, not to define. For more formal treatments on any item consult regular reference books. Most of the words in this lexicon actually occur in both American and British collegiate level dictionaries.

As you go through the dictionary you might find yourself saying, "Wait a minute. I’m American, and I never say that!" or "I’ve lived in Britain all my life and I’ve never heard it said that way?" or "this must be in the wrong section, that’s a common word to me". There are many reasons for this, and these are all touched on in the next section, Differences.

Parental Advisory – Explicit Lyrics

Nasty ’orrible stuff follows: There are plenty of ‘street terms’ and colourful entries throughout the dictionary, included to further understanding. Differences occur especially in the dynamic areas of language, of which slang and swear words are a major part, and again these are all expounded in the Differences section..

What this dictionary is

What this dictionary isn't

Sections

Following this introduction are a number of sections or articles, as briefly described below. Following the articles are the lexicons themselves, American to British and British to American, which comprise the bulk of the dictionary, and these are augmented by the tables at the end – see the list of tables following the Contents for a complete list. There are tables of American things (like lists of the presidents), of British things (such as lists of Kings and Queens), American/British comparisons (such as weights and measures), and the special table – American and British Spelling Differences.

Last updated 1 January 1970 © Jeremy Smith 2024