BritSpeak
Welcome to the BritSpeak Dictionary! Many of the words you will find here are colloquialisms, the colourful language of daily living. To keep the length manageable, only *differences* in usage are noted. Some dated terms have intentionally been included as they may yet be encountered.
A
Accumulator Car battery (dated)
Afters Dessert
Aggro Deliberate troublemaking
Air screw Propeller (dated)
All-in Inclusive
Alsatian German shepherd
Aluminium Aluminum
Anorak Parka
Antenatal Prenatal
Anticlockwise Counterclockwise
Argentine, The Argentina
Argentine Argentinian
Argy-bargy Heated argument
Artic Tractor-trailer
Aubergine Eggplant
Autumn Fall
B
Back of beyond Middle of nowhere
Ball Prom
Banger Sausage, firecracker or old car
Bank holiday National holiday
Bap Hamburger bun
Barrister Trial lawyer
Berk Moron
Bill (restaurant) Check
Bin Garbage can
Bin liner Garbage bag
Biscuit Cookie
Biscuit, savoury Cracker
Black Maria Paddywagon
Blancmange A gelatin-like pudding
Blighty England (dated)
Block of flats Apartment house
Bloke Guy
Bloody Mild expletive; very
Blotto Drunk
Bobby Policeman
Bollocks Testicles
Bonnet Hood
Book Reserve
Boot Trunk
Bounder Cad
Braces Suspenders
Brock Badger (dated)
Brolly Umbrella
Brooch Pin
Bubble and squeak Cabbage & potato dish
Bugger-all Nothing
Bum Buttocks
Bun in the oven Pregnant
Bung (noun) Stopper
Bung (verb) Toss
Busker Street performer
Butty Sandwich
C
Cabinet maker Skilled carpenter
Calabrese Broccoli rabe
Caravan Motor home
Car park Parking lot
Carpet Reprimand
Carriageway Highway
Carrier bag Shopping bag
Chat show Talk show
Chat up Chat flirtatiously
Cheerio Goodbye
Cheers Thank you
Chemist Pharmacist
Cheque Check
Chips French fries
Chuffed Pleased
Cinema Movie theater
Clingfilm Plastic wrap (brand name)
Clippie Bus conductor (Scotland)
Close Dead end
Conker Horse chestnut
Cooker Oven
Coppice See copse
Copse Thicket
Cotton wool Cotton
Courgette Zucchini
Cracker Party favor
Creche Day care center
Crisps Potato chips
Crumpet Attractive woman
Crutch Crotch
Cul de sac Dead end
Cuppa Cup of tea
Current account Checking account
Cutting Clipping (eg from a newspaper)
D
Daft Stupid
Daps Sneakers
Dear Expensive
Diary Appointment book
Diversion Detour
Doctor Spay, neuter
Doddle Easy task
Dodgy Iffy, suspect
Donkey's years A long time
Dotty Feeble-minded
Downmarket Seedy
Draughts Checkers
Drawing pin Thumbtack
Dummy Pacifier
Dustbin Garbage can
Dustman Garbageman
Duvet Comforter
E
Elastoplast Bandaid (both brand names for bandages)
Electric fire Heater (electric)
Estate Agent Realtor
F
FA Cup Superbowl of Soccer
Fancy (verb) Like
Film Movie
First Floor Ground floor
Fishmongers' Fish Store
Flat Apartment
Flog Sell
Flyover Overpass
Football Soccer
Form Grade
Fortnight Two weeks
Fringe Bangs
Fruiterers' Fruit store
Full stop Period (the punctuation mark)
G
Gaffer Boss
Gammon Ham
Gaol Jail
Garden Yard
Gas fire Gas heater
Gents Men's room
Geordie Newcastle (person from)
Gormless Stupid
Guard Conductor
Gully Gutter
H
Hair pin Bobby pin
Hedgerow Hedge
High street Main street
Hire purchase Credit
Holiday Vacation
Homely Pleasant
Hood Vinyl Top (of convertible)
Housing estate Tenement
I
Ice lolly Popsicle
Identity parade Lineup
Interval Intermission
Ironmongers' Hardware store
J
Jacket potato Baked potato
Jam Jelly
Jelly Gelatin
Joiner Carpenter
Joint Roast
Jumble sale Yard sale
Jumper Sweater
K
Keep Fit Exercise class
Keeper Curator
Kerb Curb
Knackered Exhausted
Knickers Panties
L
Lad Boy
Ladder Run (in stockings)
Ladies' Lady's room
Ladybird Ladybug
Lay-by Rest stop
Lead Leash
Leader Editorial
Legless Drunk
Lemonade Carbonated beverage
Lift Elevator
Lollipop lady Crossing guard
Loo Bathroom
Lorry Truck
Lounge Living Room
M
Mac See mackintosh
Mackintosh Raincoat
Mange tout Snow peas
Marmite Yeast extract
Marrow Squash
Mean Stingy
Mince Ground beef
Minder Babysitter
Minder Bodyguard
Motorway Highway
Muesli Granola
N
Nail varnish Nail polish
Naff Unfashionable
Naff off Go away
Napkin Diaper
Nappy Diaper
Natter (noun or verb) Chat
Naturist Nudist
Naughts and crosses Tic-Tac-Toe
Nick (verb) Steal, (noun) prison
In good nick In good condition
Number plate License Plate
Nutter Kook
O
OAP Senior citizen
Off Spoiled
Off license Liquor store
Old age pensioner Senior citizen
Over the moon Elated
Over the top Carried away
P
Page 3 girl Model (of sorts)
Panda car Police car
Pants Panties or briefs
Paracetamol Acetaminophen
Paraffin Kerosene
Paralytic Drunk
Parting Part
Pavement Sidewalk
Peckish Hungry
Pelican crossing Pedestrian crossing
Petrol Gas
Pickle Relish
Pilchards Sardines
Pinch Steal
Pissed Drunk
Pitch Playing field
Plait Braid
Plimsolls Sneakers
Plonk Wine (cheap)
Post (noun or verb) Mail
Postal code Zip code
Postgraduate student Graduate student
Power point Electrical outlet
Pram Baby carriage
Prat Jerk
Presenter Newscaster
Press up Push up
Pub Bar
Public school Private school
Pudding Dessert
Pulses Beans
Pumps Sneakers
Put down Put to sleep
Put paid to Put an end to
Pyrenean Mountain Great Pyrenees
Q
Queue Line
Quid One pound sterling
Quids in Lucky or well off
R
Rabbit (verb) Chat
Rank Taxi stand
Redundant Unemployed
Refectory Cafeteria
Removal Moving
Removal man Mover
Removal van Moving truck
Return Round-trip
Ring Call
Rise Raise
Roundabout Traffic circle
Row Quarrel
Rubber Eraser
Rucksack Backpack
S
Sack (verb) Fire
Saloon car Sedan
Savory biscuit Cracker
Scatty Scatter-brained
School leaver Dropout or graduate
Scouse Of or from Liverpool
Self-catering No meals included
Sellotape Plastic tape (brand name)
Serviette Napkin
Sheath Condom
Sideboards Sideburns
Silencer Muffler
Single One-way
Skint Broke
Skirting-board Baseboard
Slate Criticize
Sleeper Railroad tie
Sleeping Policeman Speed bump
Slide Barrette
Sloane Ranger Preppie
Slowcoach Slowpoke
Smalls Underwear
Snooker Billiards
Sod Unpleasant person (der. sodomist)
Sod off Go away
Solicitor Lawyer
Sort code Routing number (in banking)
Spanner Wrench
Sparky Energetic
Specs Glasses (dated)
Spot Pimple
Spot on Perfect
Squash Juice concentrate
Starkers Naked
Stone Fourteen pounds
Strop Bad mood
Stroppy Argumentative
Subway Pedestrian crossing
Sultanas Golden raisins
Surgery Doctor's examination room
Suspenders Garter belt
Swede Rutabaga
Sweets Candy
Swimming costume Bathing suit
T
Tailback Traffic Jam
Tap Faucet
Telly TV
Terrace Bleachers
Tin Can
Tip Dump
Torch Flashlight
Tout Scalper
Tower block Highrise
Tractor trailer Artic
Trainers Sneakers
Transport cafe Truck stop
Treacle Molasses
Tuition Instruction
Tyre Tire
U
Underground Subway
Upmarket Classy
V
Vest Undershirt
Vet Investigate or Interrogate
Vice girl Prostitute
W
Waistcoat Vest
Wally Nerd
Wanker Unpleasant person
Water closet Bathroom
W.C. (Water Closet) Bathroom
Wellies See Wellingtons
Wellingtons Boots (rubber)
Whinge (n. or v.) Whine
Wholefood Healthfood
Wonky Unstable
Y
Y-fronts Underpants (men's)
Yanks Americans
Yob Hooligan
Yobbo See yob
Yonks Ages
Z
Zebra Crossing Pedestrian Crossing
Zed Zee (the letter)