The British Dictionary for American Dummies

America and the U.K. both use English, but it is different. Each has developed its own version of the language with unique spelling. For example, Americans would spell "favorite," but in the U.K. it is "favourite." America also opted to drop silent vowels such as "program" versus "programme." There are countless examples of spelling changes in American versus British English. Britain opted to hold on to its historical spellings while the U.S. wanted to make literacy easier and give a new identity to the American people. I have found myself asking my flatmates what words mean, which seems silly since we all speak English. Sometimes they laugh at the way I pronounce words or the slang I use. I take no offense and I find it endearing. I have enjoyed learning new words and interpretations of the same words. Though many words are spelled differently, there are several words unknown to me, and some I was aware of before. Here is a collection of some British slang and terminology I believe is interesting or important to know and how I learned the word if I can remember. I wrote this with equivalents to words and slang in the United States. 

A-Levels (noun): subject-based qualifications that can lead to university, further study, training, or work; taken at 16-18

How I Learned It: Talking to my flatmates

Aubergine (noun): Eggplant

How I Learned It: My flatmate was cooking dinner

Bastard (noun): a terrible person or someone who has done something unsavory, typically refers to a man

Bin (noun): trash can

How Learned It: Someone said to toss the trash in the “bin”

Bird (noun): A woman

Black pudding (noun): a blood sausage that originated in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and is made from pork or beef blood, pork fat or beef suet, and a cereal like oatmeal, oat groats, or barley groats

How I Learned It: Internet

Blimey (interjection): What the heck

How I Learned It: Asked my flatmates for words for the dictionary

Bloody hell (interjection): Same as “What the hell!” Expresses surprise

How I Learned It: TV

Bloke (noun): A man

Bosh (injection): Wow; woah

How I Learned It: I asked my flatmates for words for the dictionary

Brexit (noun): UK’s decision to withdraw from the European Union in 2016, enacted in 2020 It is the combination of the words “British Exit” Very controversial because people believe it will either help grow the UK’s economy because it will be more self-sustaining or believe it is bad because the UK loses some of the benefits associated with the EU 

How I Learned It: Brexit: What are the key points of the deal?

Chav (noun): Typically a woman who wears heavy orange makeup, thick eyebrows, big hair, typically rude 

Cheeky (adjective) (verb): Sneaky; silly

Cheers (interjection): Thank you, another way of saying congratulations, or cheering for drinks—depends on the context

How I Learned It: Instead of saying thank you, my flatmate responded with “cheers”

Chips (noun): French fries; also called a chippy

How I Learned It: Internet 

Chuft (verb): Happy; pleased

How I Learned It: Asking my flatmates for words for the dictionary

Chunder (noun and verb): Throw-up, bile, vomit, barf; the act of doing so

How I Learned It: Unfortunately I had to ask what the “Chunder Chart” was; It was posted in the kitchen with everyone’s names on it to track how many times my fellow flatmates threw up because of alcohol-related incidents throughout the term 

Coriander (noun): Cilantro 

How I Learned: My flatmate was making dinner

Crack on (interjection) (verb): To continue or proceed

How I Learned It: My friend posted it on her Instagram story

Crisps (noun): potato chips

How I Learned It: Internet 

Daft (adjective): Stupid or dumb

Dosh (noun): Money

How I Learned IT: I asked my flatmate for a British word to add to my dictionary

Dummy (noun): Baby pacifier

How I Learned It: A conversation about lollipops

Fit bird or bloke (noun): Good-looking person

Flat (noun): Apartment

Flatmate (noun): Roomate

Footpath (noun): Path for walking, typically not next to roads

How I Learned It: A sign reading “footpath closed for construction”

Grim (adjective): Not good; bleak; "The situation is grim"

Innit (abbreviation): "Isn't it?"

Kip (noun): A nap

How I Learned It: Asked my flatmates for words for the dictionary

Knob (noun): Annoying person

Loo (noun): Toilet or bathroom

How I Learned It: Flatmate said they had to go to it

Melt (adjective): Wimp; loser

How I Learned It: Asking my flatmates for words for the dictionary 

Module (noun): Degree path; collection of university classes put toward a degree

How I Learned It: When I was picking my classes for the term

Mugged Off (verb): Made mad

How I Learned It: Asked my flatmates for words for the dictionary

Nappy (noun): Diaper

How I Learned It: I asked my flatmate for a British word to add to this dictionary

Parcel (noun): Mail

How I Learned It: I had a package waiting for me at the post office on campus 

Pasty (noun): Cornish savory pastry filled with meat and vegetables

How I Learned It: I am a big fan of The Cornish Pasty restaurant in Phoenix

Pavement (noun): Sidewalk 

How I Learned It: Discussing the differences between footpaths and pavement

Pisser (noun): Toilet

Plonker (noun): A dumb person

How I Learned It: Asked my flatmates for words for the dictionary

Ponce (noun): A poser

How I Learned It: Asked my flatmates for words for the dictionary

Quid (noun): Slang for money

How I Learned It: My flatmates were talking about prices

Roadman (noun): Slightly derogatory; a man who wears joggers, wears sports clothes, drags trousers, homophobic, not a good person

How I Learned It; Asking my flatmates to give me words for the dictionary

Rubbish (noun): garbage; trash

Scran (noun) (verb): To eat a lot of food; good food

How I Learned It: My flatmate was eating in the kitchen

Shag (verb): To have sex

Shattered (adjective): To be tired

How I Learned It: One of my tired flatmates said she was “shattered” after a long day of classes

Skint (adjective): broke

How I Learned It: Asking my flatmates for words for the dictionary

Sweets (noun): Candies, pastries

Stunning (adjective): Awesome, or great

How I Learned It: Used in a sentence

Telly (noun): another word for television

TfL (noun): stands for “Transport for London”; local government body in charge of the Tube; the Elizabeth Line is part of the Tube system but is not run by TfL

How I Learned It: Internet

Tube (noun): London’s underground railway system; run by TfL

How I Learned It: Internet

Wanker (noun): Jerk

Waz (verb): To go pee

How I Learned It: Asked my flatmates for words for the dictionary

Wetherspoons (noun): pub company with several locations across the U.K. and Ireland; it is like the Chili's of pubs; also referred to as "Spoons"

How I Learned It: I had to ask my flatmates what Spoons was 

Wet Wipe (noun): a person who is a "tool"; useless person

How I Learned It: Asking my flatmates for words to add to the dictionary

Whey (interjection): "Ohhhh"; said in celebration; said when someone shatters a glass

How I Learned It: Heard it in a pub