A Glossary of Britishisms (Briticisms) - words you may hear in Britain that aren't slang, or informal.

Britishisms Explained: Everyday British Words & Phrases for Non-Brits

A glossary of British words and expressions mainly peculiar to the UK, including everyday objects, food, occupations, places, institutions, social practices, geography, infrastructure, traditions and more. This collection highlights Britishisms (also called Briticisms) that English speakers from outside the UK may find confusing. While some may seem like slang or informal, they are in fact standard English and an integral part of the British vernacular. These words won’t appear in the general slang listings of this dictionary but are included here to help readers navigate the unique quirks and idiosyncrasies of the English language as it’s spoken in Britain.

This glossary is not exhaustive, and as a native Brit, I may overlook words that puzzle other English speakers - please feel free to suggest additional British expressions you think should be listed.

999	Noun. The telephone number used to call the emergency services, such as police, ambulance or fire; 911 (U.S./Canada)
abbatoir	Noun. A place where animals are slaughtered in order to provide meat for consumption; a slaughterhouse (U.S.).
action replay	Noun. A playback of part of a television broadcast, usually of a sports event, and which can often be in slow motion; an instant replay (U.S.).
aeroplane	Noun. A vehicle with fixed wings and an engine that enables it to fly; an airplane (U.S.).
afternoon tea	Noun. A light meal eaten late afternoon that usually consists of a drink of tea accompanied by sandwiches, 'scones' and cakes. Cf. 'cream tea '.
Aga	Noun. A proprietary name for a large iron cooking and heating stove/range.
AGM	Noun. A meeting held yearly in which official business of an organisation is discussed, including the previous year's accounts. An abbr. of annual general meeting.
airing cupboard	Noun. A warm/heated cupboard in which clothes and linen can be aired (kept warm and dry).
allotment	Noun. A small plot of land leased to an individual for the purposes of cultivating plants, including vegetables and fruit.
aluminium	Noun. A light, silver-coloured metal; aluminum (U.S.).
answer machine	Noun. A device for taking messages when phonecalls are missed. Also as answering machine. Cf. 'answerphone'
answerphone	Noun. A device that collects voicemails from unanswered phone calls. Cf. 'answer machine'.
anticlockwise	Adv./Adj. In the opposite direction to which the hands of a clock go, counterclockwise.
arcade	Noun. A covered passage containing shops, frequently with an arched roof.
articulated lorry	Noun. A trailer truck, a truck with an unpowered towed trailer. Also abbr. to artic; a semi-truck (U.S.).
ASBO	Acronym. An Anti-Social Behaviour Order. A legal injunction restricting the movements and activities of someone who has deemed to have engaged in anti-social behaviour. Although no longer used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, having been replaced by alternative orders, they are still common in Scotland.
at His/Her Majesty's pleasure	Phrs. A person detained in prison is there at His/Her Majesty's pleasure. Occasionally abbr. to the Kings/Queen's pleasure, depending whether the reigning monarch is male, or female. Comes from the fact that the Crown (The Queen or King) is the authority by which the country's laws are made and actioned. This phrase can also apply to people appointed to serve the Crown.
at the end of one's tether	Noun. At the limit of one's patience or endurance.
aubergine	Noun. A vegetable also called eggplant, or brinjal.
autumn	Noun. The season after summer, the fall.
babycham	Noun. A light sparkling wine, or perry, first marketed to women and sold in small single portion bottles.
B&B	Noun. An abbr. of bed and breakfast, a guest house or type of accommodation that offers such, typically mainly found in tourist locatons.
bairn	Noun. A child. Mainly Scottish use.
balaclava	Noun. A close-fitting woollen item of clothing that covers the head and neck apart from the face or eyes.
bank holiday	Noun. A public holiday; a national holiday (U.S.).
banoffee pie	Noun. A pie, or tart, made from bananas, toffee and cream. Banoffee, a combination of the words banana and toffee. Also as banoffi.
bap	Noun. A small bread roll or bun.
barman/barmaid	Noun. A man/woman who works by serving drinks from behind the bar in a pub or hotel.
barnstorming	Adj. Of performances and entertainment, exciting and full of energy. E.g."Their latest theatre production was barnstorming and well worth watching."
barrister	Noun. A lawyer who represents clients in higher courts of law, such as Crown Court.
bathing costume	Noun. A rather old fashioned term for the clothing worn to go swimming or when on the beach, mainly by women or girls, a bathing suit.
Battenburg	Noun. A type of cake, square in cross-section, composed of multicoloured sponge squares and covered in marzipan.
BBC	Noun. Abbr. of the British Broadcasting Corporation, a public service organisation that broadcasts a wide range of programmes on television, radio and the internet.
beaker	Noun. A plastic cup used for drinking, usually without a handle.
bedsit	Noun. A single room apartment that serves as a bedroom, living room and kitchen.
beer mat	Noun. A small cardboard mat placed beneath a drinks glass to protect the surface below, and tyically printed with brewery or product details. Also as beermat.
beetroot	Noun. The edible root of the beet and found in two varieties, red and white; beet (U.S.).
Belisha beacon	Noun. An orange, flashing, globe-shaped light atop a black and white pole that denotes a type of pedestrian crossing known as a 'zebra crossing'.
belts and braces	Phrs. The use of extra measures so as to provide additional security, when usually one would have been enough. E.g."We don't take any risks, and have a belts and braces policy with all our fitted alarm systems."
bespoke	Adj. Specifically made for a customer. E.g."I had a bespoke suit made for the wedding."
big dipper	Noun. A roller-coaster.
bill	Noun. Within hospitality, a printed statement showing the total cost owed for food and drinks; a check (U.S.). E.g."Can I have the bill please, I'd like to pay."
billiards	Noun. A traditional game played on a snooker table involving three balls.
bin	Noun. A receptacle in which to deposit waste, garbage or rubbish.
bin bag	Noun. A bag used inside a waste bin or garbage can, usually made of black plastic. Cf. 'bin liner'.
bin liner	Noun. A plastic bag used inside a waste bin or garbage can. Cf. 'bin bag'.
bin man	Noun. A refuse/garbage collector.
biro	Noun. A ballpoint pen. Although specifically a trademarked brand of pen, it's freq. used generically for a ballpoint pen.
biscuit	Noun. A cookie.
bitter	Noun. A type of beer which is moderately hoppy and bitter in flavour, and usually served at room temperature. Typically these are IPAs and pale ales.
black cab	Noun. A traditional London taxi, typically a large, purpose-built vehicle (often painted black) licensed as a 'hackney carriage', and legally permitted to pick up passengers on the street or at taxi ranks without prior booking. Also found in other large UK cities.
black pudding	Noun. A large sausage whose primary ingredients include oats or barley, pork fat, spices, and the pièce de résistance, pig's blood. A blood sausage. Cf.'white pudding'.
blinkers	Noun. Leather eye patches fitted to a horse’s bridle to limit its side and rear vision and keep it focused forward; blinders (U.S.). Also figuratively, to have or wear blinkers means to be narrow-minded, oblivious, or unwilling to consider alternative views or information.
block of flats	Noun. An apartment building.
bloody-minded	Adj. Cantankerous, stubbornly obstructive, contrary. Also bloody-mindedness (noun) and bloody-mindedly (adv). E.g."You've got to admire their bloody-minded will to win, despite being a player down at half-time."
blow one's own trumpet	Vrb phrs. To boast of one's own talents and skills. E.g."He's always blowing his own trumpet and thinks the business doing so well is solely down to him."
bob a job	Noun. The phrase for the fundraising activity that the Boy Scout movement took part in annually, and typically lasting one week, hence bob a job week, although it was discontinued in 1990 due to health and safety and safeguarding concerns . This involved the scout offering to do a small job for a fee, the suggested bob, to neighbours and people in their community. The bob, or a shilling, of which neither now exist in British currency since decimalisation in 1971, however a bob is the equivalent of 5 pence.
boiled sweet	Noun. A hard sweet (candy) made from boiled sugar and typically fruit flavoured.
boiler suit	Noun. Protective overalls that cover the body, arms and legs and worn during manual work.
bollard	Noun. A short post used primarily to section off an area or to prevent vehicles from entering an area.
bolt-hole	Noun. A place of refuge or escape, where a person can get away from their usual life and people; a hideaway or getaway (U.S.). E.g.“The author bought a small cottage in Cornwall as a bolt-hole from city life.”
bone idle	Adj. Very lazy, extremely idle. E.g."Your son takes after you, he's bone idle and just sits watching the TV all day."
bonfire night	Noun. An annual nationwide event on the 5th November that commemorates the foiling of an attempt in 1605 to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London. The outdoor event typically involves the lighting of fires, burning of effigies that represent one of the conspirators, Guy Fawkes, and the letting off of fireworks. Also called Guy Fawkes Night and Fireworks Night.
bonnet	Noun. On a car, the hinged metal covering over the engine compartment; hood (U.S.).
boot	Noun. On a car, the rear covered compartment used for luggage and shopping; trunk (U.S.).
borstal	Noun. A custodial institution for young offenders, typically aged 15 to 21. Although officially abolished in 1982 the term is still used informally to cover current young offender institutions.
box-fresh	Noun. Brand new, unused, and in perfect condition — just like something that has just come out of its box. Freq. of footwear.
braces	Noun. A pair of straps worn over the shoulders to assist with holding up ones trousers; suspenders (U.S.).
breakdown van	Noun. A heavy vehicle with special equipment used for towing vehicles, a tow truck, a recovery vehicle. Also breakdown truck.
breeze-block	Noun. A large lightweight brick made from cinders and mixed with sand and cement.
Brexit	Noun. The withrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, and by extension, the political process, negotiations, and debates surrounding this withdrawal. A blend of Br(itain) and exit. [2010s]
Britpop	Noun. A British music and cultural movement that emerged in the early to mid-1990s, characterized by guitar-driven pop-rock music, catchy melodies, and a strong sense of British identity. It was seen as a reaction against American grunge and aimed to revive British music pride. Famous Britpop bands include Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Supergrass, Suede, and Elastica.
(The) British Isles	Noun. The group of islands in western Europe comprising Great Britain, Ireland, and adjacent islands, including the Orkneys, Isle of Man, Shetlands, and Channel Islands, amongst others.
brown sauce	Noun. A bottled, rich, tangy, and slightly sweet condiment used to add flavour to food, similar to ketchup. The most well-known brand is HP Sauce, named after the Houses of Parliament.
bubble and squeak	Noun. A dish comprising leftover potatoes, greens and sometimes meat, mixed together and either grilled or fried.
bucks fizz	Noun. An alcoholic drink made by mixing champagne or sparkling white wine with orange juice.
builder's tea	Noun. Strong tea brewed in a mug and often sweetened with plenty of sugar, typically enjoyed by builders and labourers.
building society	Noun. A business, not disimilar to a bank, that holds and invests the money of it's account holders so that interest will be made. They also provide loans, mortgages and other investment opportunities.
bully for you!	Exclam. Well done! Good for you!
bump start	Verb. To start a motor vehicle, typically when the battery is flat, in which the vehicle is pushed or allowed to roll down a hill in a low gear and clutch depressed, and when adequate momentum reached the clutch is released allowing the engine to start. Noun. The act of bump-starting a motor vehicle.
bun	Noun. A small bread roll, or a small sweet cake, often iced.
bureau de change	Noun. A business where one can exchange foreign currencies.
burgle	Verb. To break into and steal from a property; burglarize (U.S.).
busk	Verb. To sing or entertain in a public place for donations.
busker	Noun. A person who sings or plays music in the street for money.
bus station	Noun. A place from where buses and 'coaches' arrive and depart that has ticket office and space for travellers to wait, and sometimes other facilities, such as toilets, cafe or shop.
cafetière	Noun. A type coffee brewing pot; French press (U.S.).
cagoule	Noun. A lightweight, waterproof jacket with a hood, not too disimilar to an anorak. Also as cagoul, kagoule or kagool.
camper van	Noun. A motor vehicle modified for the purposes of camping, freq. furnished with a bed and small kitchen, and occasionally a toilet; a camper, an RV. (U.S.).
candy floss	Noun. Spun, pink sugar wrapped on a thin stick often sold at fairs, cotton candy. Also as candyfloss.
caravan	Noun. A live-in vehicle that is typically towed behind a car, a trailer, mobile home.
caravan park	Noun. A place where caravans may be parked in order to be used on holidays or as permanent homes. See 'caravan'.
car boot (sale)	Noun. A temporary market where used and unwanted items are sold from the back of seller's cars or from small stalls. Typically these events take place on parking lots or in fields. See 'boot'.
carer	Noun. A person who regularly looks after a child, disabled, elderly or sick person, and is either a family member or paid helper; a caregiver (U.S.).
caretaker	Noun. A person employed to look after a building, a janitor, a building attendant.
car hire	Noun. A business where cars can be leased for a short period. See 'hire car'.
car park	Noun. A place where vehicles are temporarily parked, a parking lot.
carriage	Noun. 1. A coach on a train designated to carry passengers; a railway car. 2. The price of transporting or delivering goods.
carriageway	Noun. A road for the use of vehicles, often heard in the expression dual carriageway.
carrier bags	Noun. Disposable thin, plastic bags used for carrying purchased goods.
carvery	Noun. A pub or restaurant in which the food, typically roast meat and vegetables, is served buffet style, and the meat carved as and when requested.
cash card	Noun. A credit or debit card which can be used to get cash, usually from a cash dispenser or ATM.
cash point/machine	Noun. A machine that dispenses cash, an ATM.
casualty	Noun. The department in a hospital that treats accidents and emergency medicine, also called A&E (Accident and Emergency); ER, emergency room (U.S.)
catch out	Verb. To detect a mistake or wrongdoing made by someone. E.g."I caught him out when I found some letters in his room that he'd denied writing."
catseye	Noun. A highly reflective marker used to delineate lanes on a road. Also as cats-eye.
cattle grid	Noun. A metal grate that covers a ditch, used to prevent animals accessing, or leaving, particular areas, but not humans or vehicles. Also known around the world as Texas gates, cattle guards, cattle stops, stock grids, stock gaps or vehicle passes.
central reservation	Noun. A strip of land or barrier separating two directions of traffic on a dual carriageway or motorway; median strip (U.S.).
charabanc	Noun. Old fashioned term for a motor 'coach', those traditionally used for coach holidays or sightseeing.
charity shop	Noun. A shop that sells used clothes and goods for the benefit of a charity.
chat show	Noun. A television or radio show on which celebrities are informally interviewed by the host; a talk show (U.S.).
chemist	Noun. A pharmacy, a drugstore.
cheque	Noun. A printed slip used for paying bills from the users bank account; a check (U.S.).
chest of drawers	Noun. A box shaped piece of furniture with multiple drawers, typically for storing clothes and kept in the bedroom; a bureau (U.S.), a dresser (U.S.).
childminder	Noun. A person whose job it is to look after other people's children whilst they are at work. Also as child-minder.
Chinese whispers *	Noun. 1. A game in which participants pass a message from player to player by whispering until everyone has had their go, and the radically changed message revealed at the end. 2. Information that has become inaccurate through gossip. * can be offensive.
chips	Noun. Deep fried potatoes, like French fries but fatter.
chip shop	Noun. A shop that sells hot food for eating off the premises, such as fried battered fish, meat pies, sausages, fried chicken and, of course, 'chips'.
chivvy	Verb. To harass or encourage someone to do a task. Freq. as chivvy up. E.g."I repeatedly chivvied them to finish the job on time."
chocolate drop	Noun. A small disc or conical shaped piece of chocolate primarily used in baking; a chocolate chip (U.S.).
Christmas cracker	Noun. A whimsical addition to a Christmas meal that comprises a decorated cardboard tube that when pulled, by two people, bangs and reveals a paper hat, a riddle or joke and a small gift.
CID	Noun. A branch of the British police force, standing for Criminal Investigation Department.
cider	Noun. An alcoholic drink made from fermented apples.
cinema	Noun. A theatre for viewing films, a movie theatre.
city centre	Noun. The main or central part of a city in which most shops and commercial businesses can be found; downtown (U.S.).
clamp	Noun. The metal device fitted to an illegally parked motor vehicle which prevents it being driven away; Denver boot (U.S.) Verb. To attach a metal device, the clamp, to the wheels of an illegally parked motor vehicle, in order to stop it being driven away, and so incurring a penalty charge to release it.
climbing frame	Noun. A structure built of metal or wooden bars for children to play and climb on, often including additional elements such as a slide or swinging hoops; jungle gym (U.S.).
cling film	Noun. A very thin transparent plastic film that is used to wrap or cover food in order to preserve it; saran wrap (U.S.). Also as clingfilm.
clothes peg	Noun. A wooden or plastic clip for securing clothes to a washing line in order to dry them; a clothes-pin (U.S.).
clotted cream	Noun. A type of thick cream, best known for its use with scones and jam in Cornwall and Devon.
coach	Noun. A comfortable, long-distance bus, often with a toilet onboard and primarily used for intercity or tour travel.
coach holiday/tour/trip	Noun. A coach holiday is a vacation taken by 'coach', usually including accommodation, meals, and excursions. A coach tour is a structured sightseeing journey by coach, often covering multiple destinations with commentary or guides, and a coach trip typically is an excursion on a single day to a particular location, for example, the seaside.
cock-a-hoop	Adj. Very pleased, over-joyed. E.g."She was all cock-a-hoop after winning on the lottery."
Cockney	Noun. A person born in London, but traditionally said to be within the sound of Bow bells, at the Church of St Mary Le Bow, in Cheapside.
cocktail stick	Noun. A thin pointed stick, typically made of wood, used for skewering cherries and olives when garnishing cocktails. Also used at parties to skewer small items of party food, such as sausages, cheese etc.
colleague	Noun. The standard term for anyone you work with, at any level or in any workplace. E.g."She’s a colleague of mine in the marketing team."
college	Noun. Pre-university, post-16 further education (doing A-levels, BTECs, apprenticeships), specialist learning institutions (e.g. art college, teacher training college) and sometimes sixth-form colleges, but if you want a degree you go university.
(the) Commonwealth	Noun. An association of 53 countries, whose full title is the Commonwealth of Nations, that were mostly part of the British Empire until its break up.
concession	Noun. A reduction in price of something, esp. a fare or ticket, for a particular category of person, typically children, students or pensioners.
conkers	Noun. A traditional children's game involving the use of horse chestnuts (conkers) threaded on a string, in which each contestant takes turns to smash the opponents conker using their own conker on a string as a weapon. The last surviving conker wins the tournament.
constable	Noun. A police officer. A police constable is the bottom ranking officer, and a Chief Constable the officer at the head of a county police force.
cooker	Noun. An appliance used for cooking food, a stove.
cool box/bag	Noun. An insulated box/bag in which food and drink can be kept cool, for example on picnics; a cooler (U.S.).
cordial	Noun. A concentrated sugary fruit liquid that is diluted with water to make a drink and sold ready bottled. Cf. 'squash'.
corner shop	Noun. A small independently run shop, usually located on a street corner in a residential area, and that mainly sells groceries and household items, a convenience store.
cornet	Noun. An edible cone-shaped wafer used to hold ice cream whilst it's being eaten.
cornflour	Noun. A flour made from finely ground maize, used for thickening sauces.
cot	Noun. A baby's bed.
cottage pie	Noun. A dish made with minced beef with a layer of mashed potato on top, and baked in the oven.
cotton buds	Noun. Small sticks with cotton wool tips, commonly used for cleaning ears and applying makeup etc.; Q-tips (U.S.).
cotton wool	Noun. Soft, fluffy, and absorbent cotton fibres supplied in balls or rolls and used for cleaning wounds, applying or removing makeup, padding, or general cleaning purposes; cotton balls (U.S.).
council estate	Noun. A housing development built and managed by the council - the administrative local authority of a district, county, town or city.
council house/flat	Noun. A low-rent house/apartment provided and managed by the council, the administrative body of a district, county, town or city etc.
county lines	Noun. A system of drug trafficking in which urban criminal gangs expand their operations into smaller towns and rural areas, using dedicated mobile phone lines to sell drugs and often exploiting children or vulnerable people to transport and distribute them. [Police use]
courgette	Noun. Zucchini.
cream cracker	Noun. A crisp, savoury biscuit, frequently eaten with cheese.
cream tea	Noun. A snack eaten late afternoon that usually consists of tea and 'scones' with jam and clotted cream, or occasionally sandwiches. Cf. 'afternoon tea '.
crèche	Noun. A day nursery for young children, esp. one provided by an employer at a workplace.
crisps	Noun. Very thinly sliced, deep fried potato, often flavoured and eaten cold as a snack; potato chips (U.S.).
cross	Adj. Angry, annoyed.
crumble	Noun. A baked pudding comprising fruit covered in a crumb mixture made from flour, fat (butter or margarine) and sugar. The most common types are apple or rhubard crumble, and usually served with custard or cream.
crumpet	Noun. A round soft unsweetened griddle cake resembling a pitted muffin, toasted and spread with butter.
cuddly toy	Noun. A soft toy, usually an animal, such as a teddy bear.
cul-de-sac	Noun. A road or passage closed at one end.
current account	Noun. A personal bank account from which cash can be withdrawn without notice, and bills paid by cheque, direct debit and standing orders; checking account (U.S.)
curry	Noun. All encompassing term for any spicy food prepared in the manner of Asian cuisine, or more typically Indian or Pakistani, but generally a meat or vegetable dish involving the use of curry powders and served with rice or various flatbreads. Curry houses and restaurants selling such cuisine can be found in many villages, most towns and every city in the UK. The popularity of such food is due to the previous British colonial connection with India and Asia.
custard	Noun. A sweet yellow pouring sauce, served with desserts, such as apple pie or rhubard crumble, and made with beaten eggs, sugar, and milk (or cream). Also a similar and more popular artificial version quickly made from custard powder; crème anglaise (U.S.). Similar but stiffer custard is also used as a filling in pies or pastries and will more familiar to Americans.
cutlery	Noun. The knives, forks and spoons one eats with at a meal; silverware or flatware (U.S.).
CV	Noun. A written account of a persons education and career they may use to support a job application. Abbr. of curriculum vitae. A résumé (U.S.).
cwtch *	Noun. 1. A hiding place, such as a cubby-hole. [Welsh-English] 2. A cuddle or hug. Very popular usage in the late 2010s. [Welsh-English] * also as cootch.

Slang words beginning with: A . B . C . D . E . F . G . H . I . J . K . L . M . N . O . P . Q . R . S . T . U . V . W . X . Y . Z . Abbreviations used

daddy-long-legs	Noun. A crane fly.
damp squib	Noun. An event or performance that is a disappointment and doesn't live up to expectations, an anti-climax.
dear	Adj. Expensive. E.g."I thought the coat was very stylish but it was a bit dear."
decorator	Noun. A person that paints and wallpapers property, but doesn't do the interior design.
derby	Noun. 1. An annual horse race held on the flat at Epsom Downs. 2. A competitive sports event between two teams from the same town, city or district - commonly used expression within football. E.g."The derby between Manchester United and City was the best for years."
des res	Noun. A desirable residence, a phrase typically used by estate agents, or realtors (U.S.).
dialling code	Noun. The telephone area code.
digestive biscuit	Noun. A semi-sweet biscuit made from wholemeal flour that originated in Scotland. Also available with a coating of chocolate on one side, and sensibly called a chocolate digestive.
dinner	Noun. This is the mid-day meal in Scotland, the North and Midlands, otherwise known as lunch.
dinner jacket	Noun. A smart, usually black, jacket worn at formal social occasions. Occasionally abbr. to DJ.
direct debit	Noun. A way of paying bills by allowing a business to periodically take payment for goods or services directly from a person's bank account.
diversion	Noun. A reroute of traffic, a detour.
docket	Noun. 1. A ticket or voucher entitling the holder to obtain or receive something. 2. A note or label providing information on the contents of a package.
dodgem	Noun. A fairgound ride whereby drivers of electric cars try to avoid other cars hitting them, bumper cars.
double-barrelled surname	Noun. A family name formed by combining two separate surnames, often linked with a hyphen (e.g., Smith-Jones), typically to preserve both family names after marriage or for heritage reasons. Also as double-barreled surname.
double cream	Noun. A thick pouring cream which thickens up considerably when whipped and has a high fat content of approximately 48%; heavy cream (U.S.).
double-decker	Noun. A bus with two levels, one above the other.
double yellow lines	Noun. Two parallel yellow lines at the side of a road that signify that vehicles are not permitted to stop or wait there, and doing so may result in a penalty fine. Single yellow lines denote that at certain times of the day no waiting or stopping is permitted.
draught	Noun. British spelling of draft.
draught excluder	Noun. A long soft sausage-shaped object placed at the foot of doors for keeping cold air out of a room, and warm air in.
draughts	Noun. The game checkers.
drawing pin	Noun. A flat-headed pin, typically used for fastening paper to a board or wall, a thumb tack.
dressing gown	Noun. A long robe typically worn after bathing, before bed or after getting out of bed, a bath robe.
dribble	Noun. Saliva running from the mouth, drool.
drink driving	Noun. Driving whilst having over the legally allowed levels of alcohol in one's blood stream; drunk-driving (U.S.).
dual carriageway	Noun. A road with a dividing central reservation; a divided highway (U.S.).
dummy	Noun. A baby's pacifier.
dungarees	Noun. A garment consisting of trousers with a bib held up by shoulder straps, and originally worn for manual work; overalls.
Durex	Noun. A brand of condom, probably the most well known and most popular and consequently used generically for condoms.
dustbin	Noun. A bin for refuse. Also a dustbin lorry being the truck that takes away the refuse.
dustbin man	Noun. A person that empties household bins, a dustman.
duvet	Noun. A soft, down-filled bedspread, used to replace sheets and blankets, sometimes called a continental quilt; a comforter (U.S.). Cf. 'quilt'.
dynamo	Noun. A electric generator.
earth	Noun. A connection between an electrical circuit or device and the ground, serving as a safety measure to discharge excess current and prevent electric shock; ground (U.S.). Verb. To connect an electrical device or circuit to the ground by means of a conductor, for safety or functional purposes. E.g."All exposed metal parts must be earthed to prevent electric shock."
East End	Noun. An area of London to the east of the centre and north of the River Thames, and an Eastender being a person from that district.
Eccles cake	Noun. A small round pastry filled with currants, and originally produced in Eccles, a town in Greater Manchester.
economy class	Noun. The cheapest tickets or seats on a flight.
elastoplast	Noun. The tradename for a brand of 'plaster'; bandaid (U.S.).
electric fire	Noun. A heating appliance, usually for domestic use, that uses electic to radiate heat, and either fixed into the wall, or portable.
en suite	Noun. A private bathroom directly connected to one's bedroom.
estate agent	Noun. A person who sells and rents out property; a realtor (U.S.).
estate car	Noun. A large car with plenty of rear storage space and a rear access door; a station wagon (U.S.).
excess	Noun. With regard to insurance, the amount a customer agrees to pay in the event of a claim. Higher excess usually reduces the policy fee.
extension lead	Noun. An electrical cable with connectors at each end, used to extend the length of an existing cable, an extension cord.
faggot	Noun. A ball of chopped or minced meat (usually pig's liver) mixed with bread, suet and herbs.
fairy cake	Noun. A small individual sponge cake often covered in icing or other edible decoration, a cupcake.
fairy lights	Noun. Small, decorative electric lights on a flexible wire, typically used for decoration, especially around holidays like Christmas, or to create a cozy or festive atmosphere indoors or outdoors; Christmas lights, string lights (U.S.).
Father Christmas	Noun. Santa Claus.
fete	Noun. A public event, frequently outdoors, involving stalls and entertainment, often with the aim of raising money for a charity.
fettle	Verb. To put things in order, to tidy up, to arrange. [Orig. dialect] Noun. Condition, state. E.g."She's in fine fettle and has never been happier."
film	Noun. A movie.
fire brigade	Noun. Official organized fire fighters, a fire department.
fire engine	Noun. The vehicle used by firefighters to travel to enable them to put out fires; a fire truck (U.S.).
first floor	Noun. The floor of a building directly above the one at ground level. The one at ground level is usually called ground floor; second floor (U.S.).
fish fingers	Noun. Thin rectangular pieces of fish coated in breadcrumbs and typically sold frozen in packets; fish stick (U.S.).
fish slice	Noun. A flat bladed kitchen utensil used for lifting food, a spatula.
fizzy drink	Noun. A non-alcoholic, carbonated flavoured drink, such as cola; soda pop (U.S.)
flannel	Noun. A small cloth used for washing oneself, a facecloth, a washcloth.
flapjack	Noun. A sweet thick biscuit/cake made of oats, syrup and butter, and typically quite chewy.
flat	Noun. An apartment.
flatmate	Noun. A person with whom you share an apartment; roommate (U.S.).
flat-pack	Noun. A piece of furniture that is sold packed flat in a box for the buyer to put together.
flick knife	Noun. A knife with a blade that springs out from the handle when triggered, a switch blade.
flyover	Noun. A bridge that takes a road, or a railway line, over another; an overpass.
fly tipping	Noun. The unauthorized dumping of building waste and unwanted household items. To fly tip (verb) being to dump rubbish, and fly tippers (noun) being those who fly tip.
football	Noun. Soccer.
fortnight	Noun. A period of two weeks.
freephone	Noun. A telephone number that can be called without being charged; toll-free (U.S.).
fringe	Noun. A section of hair at the front of the head that is cut to hang over the forehead, typically styled to be shorter than the rest of the hair; bang (U.S.).
frock	Noun. A woman's or girl's dress. A posh frock being one's favourite expensive dress worn at a party or event. See 'posh' (slang).
frogspawn	Noun. The eggs of a frog, or more specifically the jelly-like mass of eggs laid by frogs in water.
fruit machine	Noun. A slot machine, a one-armed bandit.
fry-up	Noun. An easily prepared and quickly cooked meal of fried food, typically referring to a full English breakfast: eggs, bacon, sausages, baked beans, black pudding, tomatoes, mushrooms, fried bread and toast.
full English (breakfast)	Noun. A traditional cooked breakfast consisting of several items such as bacon, eggs, sausages, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, black pudding, fried bread, toast, and sometimes hash browns, typically served with tea or coffee. There are, of course, equivalent cooked breakfasts in Scotland — also featuring tattie scones, Lorne sausage, and haggis — and in Wales, with regional additions such as laverbread, cockles, and Welsh sausages.
full marks *	Noun. 1. The highest possible score in an exam or assessment, a perfect score. 2. Used to offer verbal commendation or praise for a job or task done well. E.g."Full marks to Jennifer for spotting the mistake in last month's accounts." * also as top marks.
full stop	Noun. A punctuation mark used at the end of sentences or abbreviations; a period (U.S.).
fun fair	Noun. A fair that has rides, amusements and stalls; a carnival (U.S.). Also as funfair.
gaffer tape	Noun. A strong cloth-backed adhesive tape, very similar to duct tape.
gammon	Noun. Ham, or a side of bacon.
gangway	Noun. A narrow path between seats, especially in a theatre or on an aircraft, an aisle.
gaol	Noun. Old fashioned spelling of jail.
gap year	Noun. A period before or after college/university when a student engages in personal development activities such as travel or employment.
garden	Noun. A piece of land adjacent to a house, typically enclosed with a lawn, and used for growing flowers, vegetables and recreation; yard (U.S.).
gardening leave	Noun. Paid employment suspension during a notice period, usually to prevent an employee from influencing the organization or aiding a competitor before departure.
garibaldi	Noun. A hard, thin biscuit containing a layer of compressed currants.
gastropub	Noun. A pub or bar that also offers high quality food.
GB	Noun. Abbr. name for Great Britain.
GBH	Noun. Abbr. of grievous bodily harm. A legal term for the most severe form of physical assault on another person, which cause severe injuries that are likely to be permanent or severely affect the health of the victim. ABH, actual bodily harm is a lesser crime but is still physical assault that causes injuries that are less severe and aren't permanent.
gear lever	Noun. The stick in a car or truck used to change gear; a gearshift (U.S.).
gear stick	Noun. The lever in a car or truck used to change gear, a gear-stick, a gearshift.
gents	Noun. 1, For or belonging to males, such as a gents hairdressers. Abbreviated from gentleman. 2. A men's public toilet.
gilet	Noun. A type of light sleeveless jacket worn by either sex, frequently padded.
ginger nut	Noun. A hard, crunchy biscuit (cookie) heavily flavoured with ginger. For informal use see ginger nut.
glandular fever	Noun. An infectious disease, also called infectious mononucleosis; mono (U.S.).
glove box	Noun. A small storage compartment located in the dashboard of a car.
golden syrup	Noun. A thick sweet syrup, deep yellow in colour and manufactured from refined sugar. Typically used as a spread or as an ingredient in baking.
(as) good as gold	Phrs. Well behaved, obedient. Usually said of children.
go slow	Noun. A protest by workers in which they deliberately work slowly, typically as a means of 'industrial action (s.e.)'.
GP	Abbr. A doctor who treats general milder illnesses and health conditions whilst working from a community medical practice. Abbreviation of General Practitioner.
greaseproof paper	Noun. Paper that is impervious to grease and oils and used in baking. Also grease-proof paper.
greengrocer	Noun. 1. A seller of fruit and vegetables. 2. The shop that sells fruit and vegetables when as greengrocers.
grill	Verb. To cook food using a strong heat directly above or below it; broil (U.S.). Noun. The part of a stove under which food can be cooked using a strong heat; broiler (U.S.)
gritter	Noun. A vehicle for spreading salt or grit on roads in icy weather; salt truck (U.S.).
guide dog	Noun. A dog trained to assist a blind person; a seeing-eye dog (U.S.).
guinea	Noun. An English coin no longer in circulation (minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814) that originally had the value of 21 shillings, or in current day currency, £1.05 (one pound and five pence). Occasionally still used as a monetary value, for example at auctions.
gumboot	Noun. A waterproof rubber boot. Old fashioned. Also as gum-boot.
Guy Fawkes	Noun. See bonfire night.
Hackney cab/carriage	Noun. A taxi, or cab, that is licensed to ply for hire on the streets without prior booking, mainly coloured black, hence also being called a 'black cab', and typically associated with London amd large UK cities.
haggis	Noun. A savoury dish of minced sheep (or calf) offal — typically heart, lungs, and liver, mixed with suet, oatmeal, onions, and spices, traditionally cooked in a sheep's stomach or a modern casing, and typically considered a Scottish dish.
half	Noun. A half can be a half a pint of ale, lager or cider.
half mast	Noun. Of a flag, raised to mid point on the pole.
handbag	Noun. A small bag, usually carried by women, in which to hold their personal belongings.
hand basin	Noun. A washbasin. Also as handbasin.
hand brake	Noun. The brake applied by the driver's hand when a motor vehicle is stationary, or parked, in order to prevent it rolling; the emergency brake (U.S.).
hash (sign/symbol)	Noun. The symbol #, the hashtag symbol; number sign or pound sign (U.S.).
head boy	Noun. Typically, a senior boy at a school who is chosen to represent that school and has special duties.
head girl	Noun. Typically, a senior girl at a school who is chosen to represent that school and has special duties.
headlamp	Noun. The powerful lights at the front of a vehicle, a headlight.
headmaster/ headmistress	Noun. The man/woman who is the head teacher of a school; the principal (U.S.).
headteacher	Noun. The teacher in charge of a school; the principal (U.S.).
hen night	Noun. A celebration for the bride and her female friends prior to her wedding day. Also as hen do. Cf. 'stag night'.
hey ho!	Exclam. An exclamation of resignation, disappointment.
high street	Noun. The main street in a town, on which shops, banks and other businesses are located.
high tea	Noun. A meal eaten in the late afternoon or early evening, usually instead of dinner or supper, and mainly consisting of a savoury food. Traditionally a working class meal and not to be confused with 'afternoon tea' or 'cream tea'.
highway code	Noun. The official rules by which motorists are obliged to follow in order to make the U.K. roads safe, traffic laws.
hire purchase	Noun. A means of paying for goods in regular installments whilst having the use of it. Freq. abbreviated to H.P..
hire	Noun. To rent, to purchase the temporary use of something for an agreed payment.
hire car	Noun. A car that has been rented for use, usually for a short period. See 'car hire'.
hob	Noun. The flat top part of a stove that contains the burners and hotplates, a cooking appliance.
hobnob	Noun. A sweet oat biscuit.
Hogmanay	Noun. The Scottish name for the new year celebrations held throughout Scotland, sometimes for 2 or 3 days.
holdall	Noun. A portable case or bag for holding clothes and personal items, used by travellers, sports people etc.; carryall (U.S.).
holiday	Noun. A vacation.
holiday-maker	Noun. A person that goes on holiday; a vacationer (U.S.). Also as holidaymaker.
home counties	Noun. The counties that surround London, generally including Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey, and Sussex.
homely	Noun. Of the surroundings, cosy and comfortable, like in a home.
hoover	Noun. A brand of vacuum cleaner, however used as a generic term for all vacuums. Verb. To vacuum. E.g."I hate hoovering the stairs, it's so awkward and dangerous."
horlicks	Noun. The trade-name for a drink made from mixing hot water with a sweet malted milk-powder.
horses for courses	Phrs. Different people are suited to different things or situations.
hot pot	Noun. A stew comprising of meat, or fish, and vegetables cooked in the oven in a pot with a tight-fitting lid. A Lancashire hot-pot specifically being one of meat, onion and potato. Also as hotpot.
House of Commons/Lords	Noun. The UK parliament consists of two Houses that oversee making laws, debating current issues and scrutinising the work of the government. The House of Commons is the primary elected body comprising democratically elected members drawn from constituencies throughout the UK. The House of Lords is the secondary chamber which consists of hereditary and life peers.
housing estate	Noun. An residential area in which all the housing and streets were planned and built at the same time.
hoxton fin	Noun. A style of men's haircut originating in the Hoxton district of London. [Early 2000s]
HP sauce	Noun. A popular condiment in the UK, this brown sauce is actually named HP after the Houses of Parliament.
humbug	Noun. A striped hard, boiled sweet typically flavoured with peppermint.
hundreds and thousands	Noun. Tiny multicoloured beads of sugar, typically scattered on and used to decorate cakes, trifles or ice creams.
ice lolly	Noun. Flavoured ice attached to and eaten off a stick; a popsicle (U.S.).
icing sugar	Noun. Finely powdered sugar, usually mixed with water to make icing or used as a dusting on cakes.
identity parade	Noun. A line of people gathered in order to see if a witness can spot the suspect of a crime, typically used by the police; police line-up (U.S.). Also as identification parade.
indicator	Noun. On a car, the flashing lights that show that one is intending to turn left or right, a blinker.
industrial action	Noun. Action taken by workers as a form of protest, in the form of a strike, go-slow or working to rule, in an effort to force their employers to improve pay or working conditions.
interval	Noun. A short period or break during a form of entertainment, such as a theatre performance, an intermission.
inverted comma	Noun. Speech or quotation marks.
ironmonger	Noun. A hardware store.
jacket potato	Noun. A potato baked with its skin on, a baked potato.
jaffa cakes	Noun. A popular small, circular flat cake, comprising sponge covered in orange flavoured jelly and dark chocolate but eaten as a biscuit.
jam	Noun. A fruit conserve, or preserve; jelly (U.S.).
jelly	Noun. A firm but wobbly jelly-like dessert made from fruit and, typically, gelatin; Jell-O (U.S.)
jelly baby	Noun. A small fruit flavoured candy made from jelly and in the shape of a baby.
jiffy bag	Noun. A padded envelope, used to protect items sent by mail.
joiner	Noun. A skilled trades person who works with wood, and typically makes cupboards, window frames and doors etc.
joint	Noun. A large piece of meat for roasting.
joke shop	Noun. A shop that specializes in selling items for use with practical jokes, and generally humourous novelties.
jug	Noun. A recepticle with a lip and handle, used for holding and pouring liquids, a small pitcher.
juggernaut	Noun. A large truck.
jumble sale	Noun. An organised sale of miscellenous second hand items, often predominantly clothes, and typically in aid of charity or for fundraising; a rummage sale (U.S.)
jumper	Noun. A knitted woollen garment worn on the upper body, a sweater, a jersey.
jump leads	Noun. Cables used to start a car whose battery has gone flat, by connecting the battery to an external power source, typically another car's battery; jumper cables (U.S.).
junior school	Noun. A school for children aged approx. between 7 and 11.
keen	Adj. Eager, enthusiastic. E.g."He's keen on playing football."
kerb	Noun. The edging of the pavement (sidewalk) on the side of the road, usually made of concrete or stone, a curb.
kickabout	Noun. A casual, informal game of football (soccer), usually played without strict rules and just for fun amongst friends. Also as kick-about.
kick about/around	Verb. To discuss ideas informally. E.g."We were just kicking around a few concepts for the new project."
kit	Noun. Special equipment and clothing required to do a sport, for example, football kit, rugby kit, cricket kit.
kitchen towel	Noun. Thick, soft absorbent paper used for cleaning and wiping up liquid spills in the kitchen. Comes on a roll, so frequently also called kitchen roll; paper towel (U.S.).
knacker's yard	Noun. A place where horses, and sometimes other large animals, are sent to be slaughtered when they are deemed too old, injured or of no value. Often the by-product of slaughtering will be hides and dog meat. Also used figuratively for anything worn out and no longer useful, esp. used in the phrase ready for the knacker's yard.
knickers	Noun. An item of female underwear, otherwise known as pants. Also see slang use at 'knickers!'
knock up	Verb. To make up, construct or arrange hastily. E.g."I knocked up a bookcase for all of Suze's recipe books." Noun. A warm-up or period of practice, typically in a racket (racquet) sport such as tennis.
ladder	Noun. Of stockings or tights, a run or pull in the fabric.
ladies	Noun. A room containing toilets for use by females.
ladybird	Noun. A type of brightly coloured beetle, most frequently red with black spots, a ladybug.
lager	Noun. A type of light beer, usually more refreshing and crisper in taste than ales.
landlady	Noun. The woman who owns or runs a public house. Cf. 'landlord'.
landlord	Noun. The man who owns or runs a public house. Cf. 'landlady'.
lashings	Adj. A large amount, a plentiful supply. E.g."We had lots of cake with lashings of cream."
last orders	Noun. In a pub or bar, the time which denotes that it is near to closing time and anyone wanting a final drink should order one immediately, typically announced by a shout or a ringing bell.
laundry basket	Noun. A basket, or similar container, used for holding clothes before or after it's washed.
launderette	Noun. A place where people can wash and dry their clothes using coin-operated washing machines; a laundromat (U.S.).
lavatory	Noun. A flushing toilet, and also the room in which it is located.
lay-by	Noun. An area adjacent to a road in which vehicles may temporarily park; a turnout (U.S.).
lead	Noun. A thin strip of leather, string, rope or a chain attached to a animal's collar and used to control it, a leash.
learner driver	Noun. A person who is learning to drive.
left luggage	Noun. A facility where travellers can securely store their personal belongings and bags for a short period, often located at railway stations, bus terminals, or airports.
lemonade	Noun. A sweet carbonated lemon flavoured drink; lemon soda (U.S.)
let	Noun. A rental or lease, usually a property.
letter box	Noun. 1. A narrow opening in the door of private dwelling or business through which mail is delivered, usually covered by a hinged metal flap; a mailbox (U.S.). 2. A red box that serves as a secure collection point for outgoing letters, so that they can be sorted before delivering to their recipient; mailbox (U.S.). Also called a 'postbox' or 'pillar box'.
level crossing	Noun. A place where a road or pedestrian walk crosses a railway line on the same level; a grade crossing (U.S.)
lido	Noun. An outdoor swimming pool.
lift	Noun. An elevator.
like chalk and cheese	Phrs. Of people, very different from each other. Also as different as chalk and cheese.
lilo	Noun. An inflatable rubber mattress used as a bed. Also as li-lo.
lip salve	Noun. Lip balm, chapstick.
liquidizer	Noun. A machine used to liquidize food or ingredients and typically found in a kitchen, a blender, a food processor.
liquor	Noun. A sauce made with parsley and eel gravy that is served with pie and mash (mashed potato), and mainly sold in London.
Liverpudlian	Noun. Of or from Liverpool, a city and port in the North-west of the England.
lobscouse	Noun. A stew, typically made with chunks of beef or lamb, potatoes and onions, and associated with Liverpool. Also abbr. to scouse. This association has lead to people from Liverpool being called Scousers. See the slang 'lobby'.
lollipop man/woman	Noun. A person who stops traffic so that people, often children, may cross a road safely; a crossing guard (U.S.).
lollipop sign	Noun. A circular stop sign on a pole that's carried by a 'lollipop man/woman' in their road safety role.
lolly	Noun. A piece of hard candy on a stick. Abbr. of lollipop.
long-sighted	Adj. Of eyesight, having difficulty seeing things close too, and usually needing to wear glasses to read; far-sighted (U.S.). Cf. 'short-sighted'.
lorry	Noun. A truck.
lost property	Noun. 1. Lost items. 2. A place where lost items are stored in order to await being claimed by their owner, lost and found.
loudhailer	Noun. A electronic device that amplifies the user's voice so that it can be heard at a distance or over other noise, a megaphone; a bullhorn (U.S.).
lounge	Noun. A room in a home where people sit and relax, a living room. Cf. 'sitting room'.
L-plates	Noun. A sign, consisting of a white square on which an uppercase red L, referring to learner, is printed, and attached to the front and rear of a car. These are legally required to indicate the car is being driven by a learner.
lumber	Verb. To burden, to encumber. E.g."I don't want to be lumbered with your problems when I have my own to worry about."
luncheon	Noun. A midday meal. An old fashioned term that's usually now abbreviated to lunch.
luncheon meat	Noun. A cooked, processed meat that's sold in tins, comprising pork mixed with cereals.

Slang words beginning with: A . B . C . D . E . F . G . H . I . J . K . L . M . N . O . P . Q . R . S . T . U . V . W . X . Y . Z . Abbreviations used

mac	Noun. A raincoat. An abbr. of mackintosh.
(the) mains	Noun. The public supply of electricity, gas, or water, that comes directly from the national or regional network into homes and buildings.
mains power	Noun. Electricity delivered directly from the national or regional grid to homes and other buildings.
Mancunian	Noun. A person born, or who lives, in the city of Manchester, in the North-west of England.
manhole cover	Noun. The removable metal plate that covers the hole that typically gives access to the sewers or public utilities.
manual	Noun. Of a car, having a manually operated gear change by using a gear stick, as opposed to an automatic.
marigolds	Noun. Latex gloves used to protect the hands when doing housework, typically yellow in colour.
marmite	Noun. A proprietary yeast and vegetable extract used as a spread and for flavouring. A product that people either love or hate and consquently this polarizing product has led to the use of the word Marmite to describe other products and situations. E.g."Sebastian Vettel is the marmite of Formula 1 racing drivers."
marquee	Noun. A large tent, typically coloured white and used for weddings, shows, exhibitions, music events etc.
marrow	Noun. A type of squash or gourd, especially the large round or cylindrical varieties with green, white, or striped skins and pale, pulpy flesh, eaten as a vegetable.
mash	Noun. Mashed potato.
mean	Adj. Stingy, miserly. E.g."Don't be so mean, buy everyone a drink - you can afford it."
Met Office	Noun. Abbr. of Meteorological Office, a government department providing the United Kingdom's national weather forecasting service.
mews	Noun. A street whose houses were originally built as stables, and newer accommodation in the style of such houses. Most commonly seen in London.
mild	Noun. A mild beer, usually dark in colour and not strongly flavoured with hops.
mince pie	Noun. A small sweet pastry filled with spiced dried fruits and no meat, and typically eaten during the Christmas season.
mobile (phone)	Noun. A portable wireless telephone that uses a cellular network, a smartphone; a cellphone (U.S.)
morris dancing	Noun. A traditional English country dance performed by a group of dancers wearing costumes which typically include ribbons and bells.
motorbike	Noun. A motorcycle.
motorway	Noun. A major highway, a fast dual carriageway usually with 2 or more lanes in each direction.
mouth organ	Noun. A harmonica.
MP	Noun. Abbr. of Member of Parliament, a person elected to serve the population of a specific area in governing the country.
muffin	Noun. A bread roll; English muffin (U.S.)
multistorey (car park)	Noun. A car park with multiple floors.
mushy peas	Noun. Marrowfat peas that have been soaked and boiled until soft and mushy. Frequently eaten with 'chip shop' meals such as fish and chips. [Orig. Northern]
nail varnish	Noun. Nail polish.
nappy	Noun. A piece of towel or other absorbent material worn by babies to absorb urine and faeces; a diaper (U.S.).
national insurance	Noun. The government organised system of compulsory payments made by employees and employers, which is used to fund assistance to people who are sick, unemployed or retired.
natter	Noun. A chat, an informal talk. E.g."Shall we have a natter over a nice hot cup of tea?"
navvy	Noun. A labourer employed in the construction of roads, railways and canals. Dated.
nearside	Noun. Of motor vehicles, the side nearest the kerb, as opposed to 'offside'.
neat	Noun. Of alcoholic drinks, without a mixer; straight (U.S.). E.g."How do you want your whisky? Neat and on the rocks?"
net curtains	Noun. A fine, white, semi-transparent fabric, typically hung at the windows residential properties for the purposes of privacy.
newsagent	Noun. A seller of newspapers including magazine, confectionary, soft drinks and cigarettes - premises or person.
NHS	Noun. Abbr. of the National Health Service, the UK Government funded organisation that provides everyone in the UK with free medical and health care services.
ninety-nine	Noun. An ice cream cone, typically with a chocolate flake inserted in the top of the soft vanilla ice cream. Also as 99.
note	Noun. A bill, when talking about money, e.g. a £20 note.
notice board	Noun. A board attached to a wall on which to attach messages, news and leaflets, a bulletin board.
nought	Noun. A zero.
noughts and crosses	Noun. A game for two players, composed of 9 squares in which are inserted either noughts or crosses, tic tac toe.
number plate	Noun. On a motor vehicle, the front and rear plates that display a series of numbers and letters, and which indicate that a car is registered; licence plate (U.S.).
OAP	Noun. An elderly person, old enough to collect a government pension, a senior citizen. An abbr. of old age pensioner.
off-licence	Noun. A shop selling alcoholic drinks for consumption off the premises; a liquor store (U.S.).
offside	Noun. Of motor vehicles, the side furthest from the kerb, as opposed to 'nearside'.
off the peg	Noun. Of clothes, ready-made. Ones manufactured in large numbers and various sizes for retail in shops. E.g."I brought an off the peg suit for the funeral. It was cheap, fitted OK and did the job."
old money	Noun. Predecimal currency, so pounds, shillings and pence, and sometimes with reference to any pre-metric measurement. E.g."So 2.5 cm is 1 inch in old money."
on the back foot	Phrs. At a disadvantage, on the defensive. Originally from boxing. E.g."We were 4-0 down in the first 20 minutes, which put us firmly on the back foot."
on the trot	Phrs. Happening repeatedly without a break, in succession. E.g."They won three championships on the trot."
over-egg	Verb. To over embellish, over elaborate, exaggerate. Often heard in the expression over-egg the pudding. Also as overegg.
overtake	Verb. Of a vehicle, to catch-up with and pass whilst heading in the same direction. E.g."We overtook them on the motorway and got to the hotel two hours before them."
oyster card	Noun. A travel payment card used on London public transport.
Oxbridge	Noun. The combined name for the Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
P45	Noun. An official document issued by the government tax office, the HMRC, when a person leaves employment. See slang use 'give someone their P45'.
P60	Noun. A form, issued annually by the tax office, the HMRC, that shows how much a person has earned in that year, including deductibles for tax and 'national insurance'.
packed lunch	Noun. A pre-prepared meal, typically cold, packed in a box or bag and to be eaten away from home, often on an excursion, at ones job or at school.
Pancake Day	Noun. Common name for Shrove Tuesday on which pancakes are typically eaten.
pantomime	Noun. 1. A theatrical performance staged during the Christmas season, typically for families and children, featuring comedy, songs, audience participation, and loosely based on a fairy tale. 2. By extension of definition 1, a ridiculous, confused, or chaotic situation; also, absurd or outrageous behaviour. E.g."The whole trial turned into a pantomime, with witnesses shouting over each other and the judge losing control."
pants	Noun. Underpants. What Americans call pants, are called trousers in the U.K..
paracetamol	Noun. A mild pain killer that can be brought over the counter without a prescription; acetaminophen (U.S.)
paraffin	Noun. A type of flammable liquid used as fuel, especially for heaters, kerosene.
parkin	Noun. A cake made from ginger, oatmeal and treacle, popular on 'bonfire night'. [Orig. Scottish/ Northern]
parsley sauce	Noun. A white sauce made with the addition of parsley and traditionally served with fish dishes.
pass the parcel	Noun. A children's party game, in which a prize wrapped in multiple layers of paper is passed around a circle of players to the accompaniment of music, and when the music stops the player holding the parcel gets to rip off a layer, which continues until the prize is revealed.
pasty	Noun. A small filled pastry case made by folding half of the crust over on itself, usually with a savoury filling, and similar to a turnover. The most famous being a Cornish pasty. Also as pastie.
patience	Noun. A card game played by one person, solitaire.
pavement	Noun. A paved area adjacent to a road for pedestrians to walk, a sidewalk
pay packet	Noun. 1. A packet or envelope in which a person's weekly or monthly pay, in cash, is delivered; a pay envelope (U.S.) 2. A person's salary or wage; a paycheck (U.S.)
PC	Noun. A low ranking police officer. Abbr. of 'police constable'.
people carrier	Noun. A large family car or van that seats 6 or more people.
peer	Noun. Traditionally a member of the hereditary nobility, such as a duke, marquess, earl, viscount, or baron, who has the right to vote in the House of Lords. Also a life peer who is a person given a peerage and the option to vote in the House of Lords for their life.
pelican crossing	Noun. A designated place where pedestrians can press a button to activate traffic lights and safely cross the road. Cf. zebra crossing.
Perspex	Noun. Brand name for a plastic alternative to glass, and freq. used for any similar plastic product; Plexiglass (U.S.).
petrol	Noun. Fuel for vehicles; gasoline or gas (U.S.).
petrol station	Noun. A place where fuel is sold for road vehicles, also typically selling other services such as car consumables and items needed while travelling etc.
phone box	Noun. A small enclosed shelter containing a payphone for use by the public. Also, but less freq., as phone booth.
photofit	Noun. A picture of a person’s face that’s made by combining parts of photographs — such as eyes, nose, mouth, and hair — to match a witness’s description of someone, usually a suspect in a crime; composite photo (U.S.)
physiotherapist	Noun. A healthcare professional who assists people with mobility issues due to injury or illnesses, typically using massage and exercise; physical therapist (U.S.)
pickled onions	Noun. Small onions preserved in vinegar, and typically stored in glass jars for future use.
(the) pictures	Noun. The cinema, the movies.
pillar box	Noun. A secure freestanding postbox into which the public can post mail for it to be periodically collected by the post office and delivered to the recipients, typically painted red; a mailbox (U.S.).
pint	Noun. A pint of beer, ale, cider or lager. Let's go for a pint, meaning lets go for a drink.
pinny	Noun. An apron, usually one with a bib. Abbr. of pinafore.
pip	Noun. A small hard seed typically found in apples, oranges, grapes and lemons, for example.
pitch	Noun. The area of land required to play a field game, the ground. For example, a football pitch or cricket pitch; field (U.S.).
plant	Noun. Heavy tools and machinery, often heard in plant hire.
plaster	Noun. A thin sticky-backed, antiseptic strip of cloth or plastic used to protect cuts and bruises and aid recovery; a band-aid (U.S.).
Plasticine	Noun. A brand of soft, plastic reusable modelling material, similar to clay, supplied in different colours and mainly used by children.
play the long game	Vrb phrs. To have a long term strategy in order to get success.
plimsolls	Noun. Canvas, rubber soled shoes worn for leisure or sports; sneakers (U.S.).
ploughman's lunch	Noun. A cold meal usually comprising bread, cheese, salad and pickle, and commonly served in public houses at lunchtime.
plug socket	Noun. A fixed point on a building wall, or equipment, whereby items requiring electric can be connected. The plug, usually with 3 pins, is the connector that attaches the appliance to the power source via a cable.
pneumatic drill	Noun. A large mechanical tool powered by compressed air and used for breaking up hard surfaces, such as roads; a jackhammer (U.S.).
police constable	Noun. The lowest ranking police officer in the police force, frequently abbr. to 'PC'.
polling day	Noun. A day on which elections to a public office are held, typically associated with the election to government, election day.
polo neck	Noun. A sweater with a high neck that can be rolled over, a turtleneck.
polyfilla	Noun. A proprietary name for a plaster-type filler used for minor remedial building work.
pork pie	Noun. A stout pie made from cooked pork and spices, typically eaten cold.
pork scratchings	Noun. Small crisp pieces of dried pork crackling, eaten cold as a snack.
porridge	Noun. A thick sticky dish made from boiling oats, or occasionally other cereal, with water or milk and typically eaten at breakfast.
Portakabin	Noun. A brand of portable building typically used as a temporary office or classroom, often when contstruction work is in progress. Term used for any such building. Also as portacabin.
post	Noun. Mail.
postage and packing	Noun. The charge for packing up and mailing an item to someone. Also abbreviated to P&P.
post box	Noun. A secure container in which the public can place mail for it to be then collected at set times and delivered to the recipients; a mailbox (U.S.).
post code	Noun. A sequence of numbers, or a combination of letters and numbers, included in a postal address to help with the accurate and efficient sorting and delivery of mail; zip code (U.S.). Also as postcode and postal code.
postman	Noun. A person who delivers mail; a mailman (U.S.).
potholing	Noun. The hobby of exploring underground caves, caving; spelunking (U.S.).
Pot Noodle	Noun. A brand of popular UK instant noodle snack sold in a plastic pot. Containing dried noodles, flavourings, and sometimes vegetables or soya pieces, it provides a quick, easy meal by just adding hot water. Sometimes used to mean any instant noodle in a pot.
pound shop	Noun. A shop selling a wide range of products at low or discounted prices; dollar store (U.S.).
power point	Noun. An electrical wall socket. Also power socket.
pram	Noun. A child's buggy or carriage with wheels for a baby; a stroller or baby carriage (U.S.). An abbr. of perambulator.
prawn	Noun. A large shrimp.
prefab	Noun. Of a building, one that is constructed with parts made in a factory that can be put together quickly onsite. Abbr. of prefabricated.
prefect	Noun. In schools, an older pupil given special responsibilities to monitor and manage the behaviour of other younger pupils.
prep school	Noun. A privately funded 'junior' or 'primary school'.
press-up	Noun. An exercise in which a person, lying face down, raises and lowers the body by straightening and bending the arms while keeping the back straight and pivoting at the toes, a push-up.
primary school	Noun. The first school for children, aged between 5 and 11; elementary school (U.S.).
Pritt stick	Noun. A popular brand of glue stick, and used as a generic expression for similar products.
private hire	Noun. Taxis that have to be booked prior to use, so cannot be hailed on the street.
programme	Verb/Noun. British spelling of program.
provisional driving licence	Noun. An official document required by a person learning to drive.
Provisional IRA	Noun. A paramilitary group formed in 1969 that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland and reunify Ireland, known for its armed campaign during the Troubles. IRA - Irish Republican Army. Freq. abbr. to 'Provos' (informal).
pub	Noun. A building where, primarily, alcoholic drinks are sold and drunk. An abbr. of public house.
public convenience	Noun. A toilet facility available for public use.
publican	Noun. The person who owns/manages a public house.
public school	Noun. A private, fee-paying secondary school in which scholars usually board.
pub quiz	Noun. A quiz held in a 'pub' for its customers. Usually held weekly on a evening when business might be slow, and in order to improve bar takings.
pudding	Noun. The sweet course that follows the savoury main course at a meal, the dessert. There is also black and white puddings which aren't what anyone would want for a dessert - see 'black pudding' and 'white pudding'.
pumps	Noun. Canvas, rubber soled shoes worn for leisure or sports, trainers; sneakers (U.S.).
punch above one's weight	Vrb phrs. To achieve or succeed at something beyond one's ability or expectations. E.g."Wow! John's punching above his weight - his new girlfriend is gorgeous". See the slang expression 'punching'.
puncture	Noun. A flat tyre on a vehicle. See 'puncture repair kit'.
puncture repair kit	Noun. The equipment for fixing a punctured tyre.
punnet	Noun. A small basket for fruit or vegetables.
purse	Noun. A small bag/pouch used for carrying money and bank cards, as opposed to a handbag, which is larger and might be used for carrying your purse, gloves, spectacles, make-up and hankies etc.
push bike	Noun. A bicycle. Also as pushbike and push bicycle.
pushchair	Noun. A child's buggy; a stroller (U.S.).
pylon	Noun. A tall tower composed of a metal framework that carries electricity across regions via the use of cables; transmission towers, electric towers and power line towers (U.S.).
queue	Noun. A line of waiting people or vehicles. Verb. To wait in line. E.g."We were queuing in the rain for 5 hours but we finally got in and it was a great concert."
quilt	Noun. A soft, thick, down-filled bedspread, used to replace sheets and blankets, a 'duvet', sometimes called a continental quilt; a comforter (U.S.).

Slang words beginning with: A . B . C . D . E . F . G . H . I . J . K . L . M . N . O . P . Q . R . S . T . U . V . W . X . Y . Z . Abbreviations used

RAF	Abbr. The Royal Air Force, the air force of the UK. Also as the raf and raff.
rag-and-bone man	Noun. A person who travels around collecting people's unwanted clothes and items for resale later.
railway	Noun. A line, made of steel rails, on which trains travel, and the network on which trains travel; railroad (U.S.).
railway carriage	Noun.A carriage for holding people on a train.
rasher	Noun.A thin slice or strip of meat, typically bacon.
Rawlplug	Noun. A brand of plastic or composite fibre plug inserted in drilled holes in order to hold screws. Also more generally any plug of this type; wall anchor (U.S.).
reading week	Noun. A week, usually midway through a university term, when students are given time off from lectures and classes in order to focus on research and reading.
reception	Noun. The primary customer-facing help desk in a hotel, office, hospital or similar.
recorded delivery	Noun. A service offered by the postal service whereby the sender of a letter or package receives ratified documention of its posting and delivery.
red top	Noun. A tabloid newspaper.
redundancy	Noun. The condition of being surplus to requirement and so laid off from employment. Redundancy money being the payment received for being made 'redundant'.
redundant	Adj. Of a person, no longer required for a job or employment in a particular role, laid off. Redundancy (noun) the condition of being surplus to requirement and so laid off from employment.
reel of cotton/thread	Noun. A spool of cotton/thread.
registry office	Noun. A place where births, marriages, and deaths are officially recorded, and where people may get married. Also as register office.
removal man	Noun. A person employed to move furntiure and equipment from one building to another.
retail park	Noun. A large shopping area that has multiple stores, typically located away from a town centre.
return ticket	Noun. A travel ticket that covers both the outward and return journeys, often abbreviated to return. Cf. 'single ticket'.
reversing light	Noun. The lights on the rear of a motor vehicle that indicate when it's reversing.
revise	Verb. To go over or study again, in order to learn, typically for an exam; review (U.S.).
ring (someone)	Verb. To call someone on a telephone. E.g."He finally rang me after midnight - I'd been asleep for 2 hours and was in no mood to hear his excuses so I didn't pick up."
roadworks	Noun. Work done in repairing or building roads.
rocket	Noun. A type of leafy salad vegetable; arugula (U.S.)
roof rack	Noun. A metal frame attached to a vehicle roof on which luggage and large items can be carried; luggage rack (U.S.)
rota	Noun. A work schedule, a roster. From the word rotation. E.g."I'm on the duty rota tonight so won't be home until 11."
roundabout	Noun. 1. A road junction that moves traffic clockwise around a central island and at which vehicles give way to vehicles coming round from the right; a rotary or traffic circle (U.S.). 2. A merry-go-round in a child's playground.
rubber	Noun. A tool for erasing pencil marks, an eraser.
rubbish bag	Noun. A bag for refuse, trash, waste material, or litter.
rub (someone) up the wrong way	Vrb phrs. To annoy someone. E.g."He's always rubbing up his sister the wrong way - it's no wonder she won't play with him."
rucksack	Noun. A bag that is worn on one's back and held there with the use of shoulder straps, and frequently used when out walking or climbing, a knapsack, a backpack.
runner bean	Noun. A long green bean with edible pods and eaten as a vegetable; pole beans (U.S.).
salad cream	Noun. A cream based condiment used as a dressing for salads, and quite similar to mayonnaise.
sandwich cake	Noun. A cake made of layers of sponge with a sweet filling and frequently iced, a layer cake.
sanitary towel	Noun. A disposable absorbent pad worn by women to absorb menstrual blood; a sanitary napkin (U.S.).
sassenach	Noun. An English person or relating to the English. Derog. [Scottish/Irish use]
saveloy	Noun. A dried, smoked and seasoned pork sausage, sold ready to eat.
scampi	Noun. Large prawns or Norway lobsters, often deep fat fried in breadcrumbs.
school leaver	Noun. A young person, between the ages of 16 and 18, who has completed their secondary education and who will now go on to college or university or look for a job.
scone	Noun. A small, soft griddle-cooked or baked cake made from flour and fat, and often served buttered.
scrapyard	Noun. A yard or facility where scrap metal and other discarded materials (especially cars and machinery) are taken to be broken down, sold for parts, or recycled; a junkyard (U.S.)
Scotch	Noun. Used to describe foodstuffs, whisky and things that originate from Scotland, but not the people - these are called Scottish or Scots, but if you want to upset them, call them Scotch.
scotch egg	Noun. A hard-boiled egg covered in sausage meat and breadcrumbs and then fried, but usually eaten cold.
scrumpy	Noun. A strong alcoholic drink made from fermented apples (cider), the type of which is traditionally made in the 'West Country'.
secateurs	Noun. Pruning shears, or clippers, for use with a single hand.
secondment	Noun. A temporary transfer to another role or job during one's employment.
section	Verb. To compulsorily commit a person to a psychiatric hospital under the provisions set out in a section of the Mental Health Act. E.g."My brother was sectioned after he went a bit crazy at the weekend and threatened to jump off a building."
sellotape	Noun. A plastic, transparent adhesive tape, usually dispensed from a reel, scotch tape. Also cellotape. From the Trademarked brand. Verb. To fasten or stick using sellotape.
semi-detached	Noun. Of a house, one that is joined to another on one side only. Often abbr. to semi.
semi-skimmed	Adj. Of milk, having had a perscentage of the butterfat cream removed, so making it less fatty and unhealthy. Skimmed milk having had a higher percentage removed.
send to coventry	Verb. Of a person, to exclude from all engagement with, to ostracise, typically by not speaking to them. E.g."He's been sent to Coventry for his malicious gossiping."
(the) services	Noun. 1. Collectively, the armed forces. Always in the plural. 2. Places on a motorway or carriageway where motorists can stop to refuel, rest, get refreshments, shop and, of course, relieve themselves before continuing their journey. Also called a service station; a rest-stop (U.S.).
serviette	Noun. A table napkin.
settee	Noun. A long comfortable upholstered seat with arms and back, capable of seating more than one person, a sofa.
shammy (leather)	Noun. A soft leather used for making clothes and as a wash leather, typically for cleaning vehicles. A phonetic spelling of chamois.
shandy	Noun. A drink made by mixing beer and lemonade, usually in equal proportions.
shepherd's pie	Noun. A dish made with minced meat, usually lamb, with a layer of mashed potato on top, and baked in the oven.
sherbet	Noun. A flavoured confectionary powder, either eaten as it is, often by dipping in a hard candy on a stick, or used to make an effervescent drink. Not to be confused with the slang use of sherbet.
shilling	Noun. A former monetary unit of the United Kingdom used until 1971, originally valued at 12 pence but equivalent to 5 pence in post decimalization money. There were 20 shillings in a pound. Also the coin which represented that amount.
shop	Noun. A place, such as a building or room, where goods or services are sold to customers; a store (U.S.).
shop assistant	Noun. A sales clerk in a retail store. See 'shop'.
shopping trolley	Noun. A large metal basket on wheels that is used to gather together shopping items, usually in supermarkets; a shopping cart (U.S.).
short-sighted	Adj. Of eyesight, having difficulty seeing things far away; near-sighted (U.S.). Cf. 'long-sighted'.
sideboards	Noun. Sideburns.
silencer	Noun. A device fitted to the exhaust of a vehicle that makes it quieter; a muffler (U.S.).
single cream	Noun. A thin cream with a low fat content of about 20%; light cream (U.S.).
single ticket	Noun. A travel ticket that permits a journey in one direction. Also abbreviated to single. Cf. 'return ticket'.
sitting room	Noun. A room in a house in which people sit and relax, a living room. Cf. 'lounge'.
skip	Noun. A large open, metal container for transporting building materials, frequently waste; a dumpster (U.S.).
skirting (board)	Noun. The wooden edging board at floor level that can be found on the perimeter walls of a room; baseboard (U.S.).
skittles	Noun. A game in which a wooden ball is rolled at 9 pins (skittles) in an attempt to knock them over.
sleeping policeman	Noun. A speed bump.
slip road	Noun. The short road, typically one way, that allows vehicles to join or leave a 'motorway' or 'dual carriageway'.
Sloane Ranger	Noun. Of, or having the character of, an upper-class, conventional but fashionable young woman from London. Sometimes abbreviated to sloane. [1975]
slop out	Verb. In prisons, the prisoners morning task of emptying out chamber pots and buckets containing human waste deposited during the night. Although officially outlawed in the late 1990s, this still occurs in older prison cells built without toilet facilities. Also slopping out (noun).
slowcoach	Noun. A person who acts, works, or moves slowly. E.g."Hey slowcoach! When you're ready."
Smarties	Noun. A brand of small, brightly coloured, sugar coated chocolate buttons that is sold in packets or cardboard tubes. Very much a 'sweet' of a child's upbringing in Britain.
(the) smoke	Noun. London, the city, and capital of the UK.
snakebite	Noun. A drink consisting of cider and lager mixed in equal proportions, and usually served in a pint glass.
solicitor	Noun. A lawyer who advices clients on matters of legality, draws up legal documents and prepares cases for barristers to try in higher courts.
spanner	Noun. A hand tool for tightening and loosening bolts and nuts, a wrench.
Special Branch	Noun. A department of the British police force whose primary work is for the security services, such as MI5.
spirits	Noun. Alcoholic drinks with a high alcohol content, typically whisky, brandy, rum, vodka and gin etc.
splice the mainbrace	Vrb phrs. Referring to alcohol, to start drinking.
spot of bother	Noun. A problem, but not seen as too troublesome.
spotted dick	Noun. A steamed pudding made with suet and dried fruit, especially currants and raisins.
spring onion	Noun. A small onion that doesn't form a bulb or is harvested before a bulb fully develops; a scallion (U.S.).
squash	Noun. A sugary concentrated fruit liquid that is diluted with water to make a drink and sold ready bottled. Cf. 'cordial'.
squirty cream	Noun. Whipped cream dispensed from an aerosol can.
stabilizers	Noun. Small wheels mounted on either side of a bicycle's rear wheel to help a child balance while learning to ride; training wheels (U.S.).
stag night	Noun. A celebration for the groom and his male friends prior to his wedding day. Also as stag do. Cf. 'hen night'.
stalls	Noun. In a theatre, the rows of seats at the front on the ground floor.
standing order	Noun. An instruction to a bank, by the account holder, to pay a person or business a set amount of money on a regular basis.
star jump	Noun. A physical exercise whereby the participant jumps on the spot and each jump alternates between having outstretched arms raised to the side or touching overhead and legs apart, and arms by ones side and legs together. The name from the star shape made with arms outstretched and legs apart, and the action of jumping; jumping jack (U.S.).
starter	Noun. A small amount of food eaten before the main course, an appetizer. E.g."Would you rather have starters and a main, or a dessert after you main course?"
steak and kidney pie	Noun. A pastry pie made with beefsteak and kidney and baked on the oven. Cf. 'steak and kidney pudding'.
steak and kidney pudding	Noun. Beefsteak and kidney encased in suet pastry and steamed in a basin. Cf. 'steak and kidney pie'.
sticking plaster	Noun. A narrow material, or plastic, backed adhesive strip used to cover minor cuts and wounds; adhesive tape (U.S.).
sterling	Noun. The monetary system in the U.K..
sticky-backed plastic	Noun. Self-adhesive plastic sheet, usually with a printed design on one side and used for decorative purposes.
sticky toffee pudding	Noun. A dessert consisting of a moist sponge cake covered in a toffee sauce, served hot with custard or vanilla ice cream.
stock cube	Noun. A small solid cube of concentrated meat or vegetables used to add flavour to dishes such as stews, casseroles or soups.
stockist	Noun. A retailer of a product.
stone	Noun. 1. A unit of weight measurement, namely 14 pounds (lbs). In the U.K. it is common to express someone's weight in stones and pounds. E.g."He weighed 11 stone 2 pounds after his diet." 2. The hard seed found in the middle of a fruit, such as a plum or cherry.
strike off	Noun. Frequently of doctors or lawyers, to have one's name removed from official registration so making them unable to practice in their chosen job. Applies to anyone whose occupation relies on official registration to remain active in their role. E.g."My doctor got struck off for trying to seduce a patient whilst at work."
Strimmer	Noun. A brand of electric grass trimmer that uses a fast-spinning nylon wire instead of a blade to cut grass; a weed whacker, weed eater or a string trimmer (U.S.).
subway	Noun. An underground passage for pedestrians to avoid walking across railways or busy roads.
sun cream/block	Noun. A cream or lotion that one applies to the skin in order to prevent sun burn, sunscreen.
Sunday roast	Noun. A traditional British meal served on Sundays, consisting of roasted meat (e.g. beef, chicken, lamb, or pork), roast potatoes, vegetables, Yorkshire pudding, and gravy. Of course, vegetarians can be accommodated with an equivalent dish to the meat, for example, nut roast.
supermarket trolley	Noun. A large metal basket on wheels that is used to hold items whilst shopping in a supermarket; a shopping cart (U.S.). Cf. 'shopping trolley'.
surgery	Noun. The room, or building, in which a doctor or dentist consults patients.
surgical spirit	Noun. A alcohol based liquid used to clean wounds or surgical instruments; rubbing alcohol (U.S.).
suspenders	Noun. Elasticated straps used for holding up a wearers stockings or socks, garters.
swede	Noun. A large round root vegetable with yellow flesh; rutabaga (U.S.).
sweet	Noun. 1. A small confectionary product made from sugar and flavoured, such as chocolates, toffees, mints; candy (U.S.). 2. The part of a meal eaten after the main course that is typically sweet, a dessert, a pudding.
sweet shop	Noun. A shop that sells 'sweets'; a candy store (U.S.).
swimming baths	Noun. An indoor swimming pool, occ. abbreviated to the baths.
swimming costume	Noun. The clothing worn to go swimming or when on the beach, a swimsuit, a 'bathing costume'.
swiss roll	Noun. A cylindrical cake made from jam or cream sandwiched between a thin rolled sponge; a jelly roll (U.S.).
tailback	Noun. A line of stationary or slow moving vehicles, typically held up by road works or an accident.
takeaway	Noun. 1. A shop that sells ready-prepared hot food to be eaten off the premises. 2. The food sold at a 'takeaway', see above, a takeout or carryout.
Tannoy	Noun. Originally a brand name for sound reproduction and amplification equipment, later used more generally to refer to public address (PA) systems.
tap	Noun. A valve device that controls the flow of a liquid or gas, such as at a sink with hot and cold water; a faucet (U.S.).
tarmac	Noun.1. The material used to cover roads, consisting of iron slag, or broken stone, mixed with tar and creosote. Abbr. of tarmacadam. 2. As the tarmac, the runway or area of an airfield used for planes.
tea	Noun. A late afternoon light meal, or an evening meal, which may also be called dinner, typically heard more in the North.
tea break	Noun. A brief pause from work, usually in the morning or afternoon, taken to relax and have a hot drink, traditionally tea.
tearaway	Noun. An unruly, rebellious or reckless young person. Also as tear-away.
tea towel	Noun. A cloth used for drying recently washed dishes, cutlery, and pots; a dish towel (U.S.).
Teddy boy	Noun. A youth, occ. man, who adopts a style of dress based on Edwardian fashion, typically with a long jacket with velvet collar, drainpipe trousers, bootlace tie, sideburns, and hair in a quiff, and a liking for rock and roll music. A female associate being a Teddy girl. [1950s]
telephone box	Noun. A small enclosed shelter containing a payphone for use by the public, frequently coloured red, however not commonly seen due to the increased ownership of cell phones. Cf. 'phone box'.
telephone kiosk	Noun. A booth containing a public telephone.
television licence	Noun. The licence required by anyone wishing to own and watch a television. The annual fee is used to fund public broadcasting channels such as the BBC. Also as TV licence.
terminus	Noun. The travel depot or station at the end of a line or route.
terraced house	Noun. One of a row of identical or similar houses that share side walls with their neighbours, forming a continuous terrace.
terrestrial television/TV	Noun. Television broadcasts over-the-air using land-based (terrestrial) transmitters, as opposed to satellite or cable. These originally included the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, for example.
ticket tout	Noun. A person who buys tickets for events, shows and concerts and resells them for a higher price. Frequently abbr. to tout.
tights	Noun. An item of clothing that covers the lower part of the body from the hips down, including the legs and feet. Most often worn by women and made from nylon or thin wool; pantyhose (U.S.)
timetable	Noun. A chart showing the departure and arrival times of trains, buses, or airplanes; a schedule (U.S.).
tin	Noun. A metal container used for sealing in and preserving food; can (U.S.). E.g."Will you pop in the supermarket and buy a tin of soup for lunch?"
tinned	Adj. Usually of food, sealed and preserved in a can; canned (U.S.).
tinpot	Noun. Inferior, unimportant, second-rate. Frequently heard used to describe a leader, government or country.
tip	Noun. A place for gathering refuse and waste, for further disposal, often a council tip; a garbage dump (U.S.).
Tippex	Noun. A proprietory liquid paper, or correction fluid, used to hide mistakes when typing or writing.
toad-in-the-hole	Noun. A food dish made of sausages baked in batter.
toilet	Noun. The room in which one finds the toilet bowl; bathroom or restroom (U.S.).
tomato sauce	Noun. Tomato ketchup.
torch	Noun. A small handheld light powered by batteries, a flashlight.
Tory	Noun. A member or supporter of the Conservative political party, typically who lean to the right of centre politics.
tower block	Noun. A tall building usually comprising of flat or businesses, a high-rise building.
tracksuit	Noun. A two piece item of clothing originally worn by athletes. Now frequently worn by many competitors within the field of sport and by people generally for leisure.; a sweatsuit (U.S.).
traffic warden	Noun. A person whose job it is to make sure cars are not parked illegally on public streets.
trainer	Noun. A sports shoe with a soft pliable sole; sneakers (U.S.). E.g."I bought £160 trainers to motivate me to run. They now sit proudly under my bed, watching Netflix with me."
tram	Noun. A passenger vehicle powered via overhead electricity cables, and that runs on rails usually along public roads, typically in urban areas and called a tramway, also as tram-way; streetcar (U.S.).
treacle	Noun. A dark, sweet syrup that's produced when refining sugar, molasses.
treacle pudding	Noun. A steamed sponge cake with a syrup topping and served hot, typically with custard.
trilby	Noun. A soft felt hat with a narrow brim and indented crown.
trolley	Noun. A metal basket on wheels, used for transporting items, typically shopping in supermarkets and luggage at airports.
trollop	Noun. A sexually promiscuous woman.
trousers	Noun. Clothing worn from the waist down and the covers each leg separately; pants (U.S.).
truncheon	Noun. A short, thick handheld stick used by a police officer as a weapon; a billy club (U.S.).
(the) tube	Noun. The London underground train system. Also tube station, tube ticket and tube train etc.; the subway (U.S.). Cf. 'underground'.
tuppence	Noun. Two pence, a monetary amount. See 'tuppenny'.
tuppenny	Noun. Two pence, also tuppenny bit, a two pence coin.
turf accountant	Noun. A betting shop and its proprietor.
turn-ups	Noun. The bottom outer part of a pair of trousers that is folded up.
twee	Adj. Pretty, cute or dainty, but frequently used negatively to suggest that those traits are overly so.
two-up two-down	Noun. A small brick house that consists of two rooms on the ground floor and two upstairs, typically part of a terrace. See 'terraced house'.
tyre	Noun. The inflated rubber covering on a wheel that makes contact with the road; tire (U.S.).
(the) UK	Noun. The United Kingdom, which is the country that includes Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland.
(the) underground	Noun. The London underground train system. Cf. '(the) tube'.
Union Jack	Noun. The national flag of the United Kingdom. Also 'union flag'.
veg-box	Noun. A box in which vegetables are stored or delivered, frequently as part of a vegetable box scheme in which locally sourced, often organic, vegetables are delivered to customers.
verge	Noun. The narrow strip of land at the edge of a road, usually covered with plants or grass.
vest	Noun. The underwear worn over the top of half of the body, usually without sleeves; undershirt (U.S.).
vet	Noun. A person professionally qualified to treat sick or injured animals, a veterinary surgeon or veterinarian. Verb. To carefully check that someone or something is suitable and acceptable. E.g."We vetted all the candidates and narrowed it down to just two."
Vimto	Noun. A brand of soft drink, flavoured with fruits, herbs and spices and originally manufactured in Manchester.
wag	Acronym. Collectively, when in the plural, the wives and girlfriends of high-profile sportspersons, typically football players.
waistcoat	Noun. A sleeveless garment worn on the upper body, usually over a shirt, but beneath a jacket; vest (U.S.).
wardrobe	Noun. A room or closet where clothes are kept.
washing up	Noun. 1. The act of cleaning the dishes, cups, cutlery and pans after a meal. 2. The dishes, cups, cutlery and pans etc, dirtied during the preparation and consumption of a meal.
washing up liquid	Noun. The thick liquid soap or detergent used to clean dishes, crockery and cooking utensils; dishwashing liquid or dish soap (U.S.).
wash up	Verb. To clean the dishes after a meal.
waste paper bin	Noun. A receptacle for refuse or waste paper, a wastebasket.
WC	Noun. A toilet, the room, an abbreviation of water closet.
wellington (boot)	Noun. A waterproof boot, typically knee length and made of rubber or plastic. Also abbreviated to wellie.
West Country	Noun. An area in the south-west of England that includes the counties of Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset, and occasionally extended to include Dorset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.
whip-round	Noun. An appeal for donations from a selection of associated people, often for a benevolent purpose. E.g."Shall we have a whip-round for Steve's birthday?"
white pudding	Noun. A large sausage whose primary ingredients are pork, oatmeal, suet, and onions. Cf. 'black pudding'.
wholemeal bread	Noun. Bread loaf made from wholewheat.
wholemeal flour	Noun. Whole-wheat flour.
windcheater	Noun. A wind-resistent outer jacket; windbreaker (U.S.).
windscreen	Noun. The glass window at the front of a vehicle; windshield (U.S.).
wind the baby	Vrb phrs. To help a baby release trapped wind after eating or drinking.
wine gums	Noun. Sweet fruit flavoured chewy confectionary, similar to gumdrops but without the sugar coating, that come in various colours and flavourings, and despite the name contain no alcohol.
wing	Noun. Of cars, the external metal panel above the wheel arches; fender (U.S.). E.g."Both front wings were severely dented in the crash - the car's totalled."
wing mirror	Noun. The mirrors attached to the outside of a road vehicle which allow the driver the view what's at the rear on the left and right hand sides.
wireless	Noun. A radio.
Womble	Noun. A fictional furry creature with a long nose that lives on Wimbledon Common in London, and whose lives revolve around picking up litter. Originally created by Elisabeth Beresford in 1968 for a children's book and subsequent TV show.
write off	Noun. Typically after a accident, a vehicle that is not worth repairing. As write-off. Verb. To damage a vehicle in an accident to such an extent that it isn't worth repairing. E.g."That's the third car that Bill's written off this year - he should get the bus more often."
yank/yankee	Noun. A person from the United States of America.
y-fronts	Noun. A proprietary brand of mens/boys underwear which consist of briefs with opening seams at the front in the shape of an upside down Y.
yorkshire pudding	Noun. A baked batter pudding that's usually eaten alongside roast beef with accompanying vegetables and gravy.
zebra crossing	Noun. A road crossing for pedestrians marked with broad black and white stripes, and on which pedestrians have right of way. Cf. pelican crossing.
zed	Noun. The name for the last letter of the alphabet, Z; zee (U.S.).
Zimmer frame	Noun. A trademark name for a metal frame that aids walking and used by elderly and physically infirm people; a walker (U.S.).

Slang Articles

A few essays on various slang and word topics, incl. rhyming slang, the full monty, Gordon Bennett and nadsat. Read more...

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Glossary of Britishisms

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A Glossary of Britishisms with meanings - English words that aren't slang.

A Glossary of Britishisms

Words you may hear in Britain that aren't slang or informal, with meanings

Britishisms Explained: Everyday British Words & Phrases for Non-Brits

Slang Articles

Slang Links

Glossary of Britishisms

Suggest Slang

A DICTIONARY OF PLAYGROUND SLANG

A Glossary of Britishisms with meanings - English words that aren't slang.

Slang beginning with:

A Glossary of Britishisms

Words you may hear in Britain that aren't slang or informal, with meanings

Britishisms Explained: Everyday British Words & Phrases for Non-Brits

Slang Articles

Slang Links

Glossary of Britishisms

Suggest Slang

A DICTIONARY OF PLAYGROUND SLANG