woensdag 28 augustus 2013

American words

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acclimate
(verb) (UK usually: acclimatise)[10][11]
acetaminophen (or Tylenol) 
(UK: paracetamol)[12][13]
affirmative action 
providing opportunities in education or work based on race or gender (UK: positive discrimination)[10][14][15]
airplane
a powered fixed-wing aircraft. Alteration of UK aeroplane, probably influenced by aircraft[10][16][17][18]
aluminum
(UK: aluminium)[10][19][20]
amtrac
Landing Vehicle Tracked, military vehicle used in World War II (not to be confused with Amtrak, the passenger railroad corporation)[21]
arroyo
a usually dry creek. Spanish in origin.[22][23]
arugula, rugola
the herb also known as rocket or garden rocket. Borrowed from southern Italian dialect in the early 1960s ("Ask Italian greengrocers for arugula, rucola or ruccoli; ask other markets for rouquette, rocket salad or, simply, rocket." — The New York Times, May 24, 1960, in OED).[24]

B

baby carriage
pushable vehicle for transporting babies, also called stroller, buggy or regionally baby coach (UK: perambulator (very old-fashioned or formal), pram, or, for the type that an older baby sits rather than lies in, pushchair or buggy)[25][26]
baby shower (or just "shower") 
party with gifts to celebrate a birth (not common in the UK)[27][28]
backhoe
a piece of excavating equipment (UK usually digger, mechanical digger, excavator, or JCB, genericized trademark)[29]
ballpark 
a baseball stadium; although used as well to mean range of approximation or accuracy ("in the ballpark"; "a ballpark figure") *[30][31][32]
Band-Aid *
(trademark) bandage for minor wounds, (UK: Elastoplast (trademark), plaster [DM]); also, a makeshift solution[10][33]
bangs
front part of the hair cut to hang over the forehead (UK: a fringe)[34][35][36][37][38]
barrette
hair slide [39][40]
baseboard
skirting board [41][42][43][44]
bayou
(from Louisiana French) an often marshy slow-moving minor watercourse, usually located in a low-lying area (as in the Mississippi River delta region of the southern United States)[36][45][46][47][48]
bedroom community 
a commuter town or suburb (UK: dormitory town [DM])[49][50]
Bear claw 
A kind of sweet pastry served throughout the United States, named for its large, clawlike shape.[51][52]
bell pepper 
a mild (not spicy) red or green pepper or capsicum in Australian English and Indian English [53]
bellhop 
a hotel porter[36][54][55][56][57]
beltway 
a ring road, or orbital motorway found around or within many cities.[58][59][60][61][62]
big-box store 
a large retail establishment built on one level, typically with few, if any, windows.[63][64][65]
blacktop 
a road surface [DM] composed of asphalt concrete; also a verb ("to blacktop a parking lot") (UK: compare tarmac)[59][66][67][68][69]
bleachers
are the raised open air tiered rows of seats (stands) found at sports fields or at other spectator events[70][71][72][73]
blinders 
(on a horse) (UK: blinkers)[71][74][75][76][77]
blood sausage 
black pudding[78][79]
boardwalk 
a walkway usually made of planking, typically along a beach (as that of Atlantic City) (UK: promenade)[71][80][81][82][83]
bobby pin 
hair grip, Kirby grip[71][82][83][84][85]
bodega[citation needed] 
a Spanish term for a winery, used in some American cities such as Boston and New York as a term for a convenience store.
booger 
(slang) a piece of nasal mucus (UK: bogey)[86][87][88]
bookmobile 
a large vehicle housing a mobile lending library (UK: mobile library)[89][90][91][92][93]
boombox[citation needed] 
a large portable stereo, syn. with ghettoblaster, which is also American in origin but is common in the UK.
boondocks 
(also the boonies) rough country; a very rural location or town; backwoods; the "sticks". Sometimes refers to rough, poor neighborhoods in a city. From Tagalog.[90][94][95][96]
boondoggle 
slang term for a scheme that wastes time and money;[97][98][99][100] also scoubidou, a knotting and plaiting craft[citation needed]
Botts' dot[citation needed] 
see raised pavement marker
breadbox 
a box for keeping bread (UK: usually bread bin)[101][102][103][104]
broil 
to cook food with high heat with the heat applied directly to the food from above (UK: grill) [DM].[10][105][106][107][108]
brownstone 
a type of residential building found in Boston, New York City, and other large cities[109][110][111][112]
bullhorn 
a megaphone, sometimes used to refer to a portable airhorn[90][90][113][114][115]
burglarize 
to carry out a burglary (UK: burgle; burgle is very rare in US, and burglarize virtually nonexistent in UK)[90][116][117][118][119]
busboy 
junior restaurant worker assisting waiting staff, table clearer, water pourer etc.[90][120][121][122][123]
butte 
an isolated hill with steep sides and a small flat top [124][125][126][127][128]

C

caboose 
a train car attached usually to the rear mainly for the crew's use (UK: guard's van' or brake van');[129][130][130][131][132] also (colloquial) the buttocks[citation needed]
Canadian bacon 
Back bacon (bacon made from center-cut boneless pork loin). Also ham, usually pressed and sliced like bacon.[133][134][135]
candy apple*, candied apple 
toffee apple[136][137]
canola 
a type of rapeseed which produces an edible oil (originally a trademark, of Canadian origin (from Canada and oleum 'oil'))[138][139]
careen 
(of a vehicle) to travel fast and out of control, usually swerving or cornering (UK: career)[140][141][142][143]
carhop 
someone serving food at a drive-in, often on rollerskates[144][145][146]
catercorner 
(or catercornered, catacorner, kitty-corner, catty-corner, etc.) (adverb) diagonally, diagonally opposite ("The house looks catercorner to mine").[147] Cater corner is the original form (from the French quatre and English corner = four + corner), but the forms kitty corner and catty corner (folk etymology) are usual in speech, the latter especially in the North and West, while the former in the Midland and South. Sometimes (dialectal, regional) also kitty/catty wampus/wumpus (unclearly derived), which can also mean "awry".
catsup 
alternative spelling of ketchup that rarely sees use in the UK.[148][149][150][151]
cell phone, cellphone 
(short for cellular telephone) a portable telephone; UK: mobile phone, often abbreviated to mobile[152][153][154][155][156]
central air 
central air conditioning[clarification needed][citation needed]
certified mail 
recorded delivery[157][158][159][160]
ChapStick *
(trademark, sometimes used generically) a lip balm[161]
charge account 
in a store or shop (UK: credit account)[162][163][164]
checkers 
a popular board game (UK: draughts)[165][166][167][168]
checking account 
the type of bank account used for drawing checks; distinguished from savings account. (UK: current account or cheque account)[169][170][171][172]
cilantro 
coriander leaf,[173][174][175][176] while in the US, coriander refers only to the seed.[177]
cleats
in the context of field sports, athletic shoes with studded soles used for football or soccer (UK: Football boots, rugby boots)[178][179][180]
conniption (fit) 
(slang) temper tantrum.[181][182][183]
co-ed, coed 
female student at a coeducational college (e.g., "He saw the party as an opportunity to meet co-eds.");[184][185][186][187] any group of people with members from both genders (e.g., "My soccer team is co-ed.")[188]
comfort station 
a public toilet[189][190][191]
condo 
colloquially, any owned (as opposed to rented) apartment (UK: flat); more strictly such an apartment or house with common areas controlled by and charged for by a homeowner association;> short for condominium (England and Wales: commonhold)[192][193][194][195][196][197]
cookout 
informal meal cooked and eaten outdoors, a cross between a picnic and a barbecue or a cooking competition taking place outdoors[198][199][200][201]
cooties 
fictional disease, a term used by children (UK: germs, lurgy);[202] also a term for lice[203][204][205]
copacetic 
fine and dandy; good; well; A-OK; cool. Creole, perhaps from the French "Comme c'est sympathique"[206][207]
costume party 
party where costumes are worn[citation needed] (UK: fancy-dress party)
cotton candy 
spun sugar often sold at fairs (UK: candy floss)[208][209][210][211][212]
counterclockwise 
(UK: anti-clockwise)[213][214][215][216][217]
coveralls 
a one-piece outer protective garment (UK: overall, boiler suit)[218][219][220][221]
crapshoot 
risky and uncertain venture; from craps, a dice game[222][223]
cremains 
the remains of a dead body after cremation (UK: remains, ashes*)[224][225]
critter 
(informal) a creature;[226][227][228][229] often used jocularly (as in "congresscritter", a congressperson);[citation needed] sometimes a term of endearment

D

deplane 
to disembark from an aeroplane [230][231][232][233]
deputy or sheriff's deputy
A paid law enforcement official working for an elected sheriff; roughly equivalent to a police constable in the UK.
derby 
/ˈdɜrbɪ/ historically, a hat worn by men (UK: bowler)[234][235][236][237]
diaper 
An absorbent undergarment (UK: nappy)[238][239][240][241][242]
dime 
a 10-cent coin.[243][244][245][246][247] Derived from the French word disme (the original spelling), meaning a tenth part or tithe, and ultimately from the Latin decima.[244][245][247] Can also mean a ten dollar quantity of an illegal drug (or dime bag).[248] Five-and-dime, dime store, a store selling cheap merchandise; a dime a dozen, so abundant as to be worth little; on a dime, in a small space ("turn on a dime") or immediately ("stop on a dime"); nickel-and-dime, originally an adjective meaning "involving small amounts of money" and then "insignificant", also a verb meaning "to rip-off by many seemingly insignificant charges" (the nickel [DM] is the 5-cent coin). In Britain, the old sixpence, a small coin of a comparable size and value, was formerly used in similar expressions before a decimal currency was introduced in 1971.
direct deposit 
a method of payment by bank transfer, similar to European giro, almost exclusively used for deposits of pay checks or government benefits [249]
discombobulated
to be confused or disconcerted;[250][251][252][253] (UK and US: discomposed)
dishrag 
a cloth for washing dishes (UK and US: dishcloth)[254][255]
dishwashing liquid 
a liquid soap used for washing dishes (dishsoap) (UK "washing-up liquid")[256]
dish towel 
a towel for drying dishes (UK: tea towel)[257][258][259][260]
district attorney
state or city public prosecutor (UK: Crown Prosecutor (England & Wales); Procurator Fiscal (Scotland))[261][262][263][264][265]
divided highway 
a road with a highway median/central reservation (UK) (UK: dual carriageway)[266][267][268][269][270]
docent 
a university lecturer; also a volunteer guide in a museum or similar institution[271][272][273]
doohickey 
word used for an unknown item.[274][275][276][277] Also a slang term for a penis.[citation needed] (a thingamajig, thingamabob, or just a thingy) (UK: wotsit)
douche or douchebag 
an insult for a contemptible person (from the device for rinsing the vagina or anus)[278][279]
downspout 
pipe for carrying rainwater from a gutter to the ground (UK & US: drainpipe)
downtown* 
(noun, adv., adj.) (in, to, toward, or related to) either the lower section or the business center of a city or town—(used in UK but more common expression would be city centre or CBD); (noun) in basketball, far from the basket (as outside the three-point line)—used of a shot; (adj., adv., noun) a euphemism to describe oral sex, the act of performing oral sex, or to refer to genitalia
drape 
(UK and US: curtain)
driver license, driver's license 
(UK: driving licence)[280]
drugstore 
a pharmacy, or a store selling candy, magazines, etc. along with medicines (UK approx.: chemist or "corner shop" [DM])
druthers 
preference of one thing over another derived from a contraction of "I would rather" or "I'd rather" (e.g., "if I had my druthers, I'd...")
drywall 
gypsum board, plasterboard, or any process that builds interior walls without the use of water (UK: plasterboard)
dude 
A male or a farm hand at a horse ranch. Americans often use this as the combined equivalent of the British usage of "mate" and "bloke", or, even closer, as the equivalent of Caribbean "man/mon" from its use in California English.
Dumpster 
(trademark: might be becoming genericized) large trash receptacle (UK approx.: skip [DM]); to dumpster-dive, to rummage through a Dumpster
duplex 
(UK: semi-detached house)
dweeb 
a boring, studious or socially inept person (a nerd, a geek or a "drip" an old-fashioned mild pejorative for someone exceptionally eccentric or lacking in social skills)

E

eggplant 
the plant Solanum melongena (UK: aubergine); "eggplant" is common in the Commonwealth outside the United Kingdom.
Elephant ear 
Deep fried dough covered with cinnamon-sugar. Commonly found at fairs and carnivals. : (UK: "Beaver Tail")
elevator 
(UK: lift)
emergency brake 
brake in motor vehicle operated by a lever used to keep it stationary. Also referred to as an "E-brake". (UK and US: handbrake)
eminent domain 
the power of the government to take private property for public use (similar to UK compulsory purchase)
English muffin 
(UK: "muffin", "hot muffin") (for more, see article)
envision 
to Envisage
eraser 
(UK: rubber [DM])
expiration 
As in expiration date (UK: expiry)
expressway 
a type of limited-access road (UK "motorway")
exurb 
the ring of prosperous rural communities beyond the suburbs, see commuter town

F

fanny pack 
pouch-like bag that ties or snaps around the wearer's waist (UK: bum bag). In the UK 'fanny' is a term for vulva and thus this word could cause offence.
faucet 
water outlet (UK and US: tap [DM])
feedlot *
animal feeding operation used for finishing livestock, notably beef cattle, prior to slaughter
flack 
a publicist or press agent; sometimes also an alternate spelling of flak "negative commentary", which is used in the UK. Although flack "press agent" was first recorded just one year after flak "Flugabwehrkanone", the two are likely unrelated.
flashlight 
portable battery-powered electric lamp (UK: torch)
flatware 
knives, spoons, and forks (as opposed to holloware); (UK usually cutlery [DM], although flatware is used in the UK antiques trade as a specialist word)
freeway 
(see article) (UK motorway)
French press 
Device for making coffee (UK: cafetière)
freshman 
a first-year student in college or high school (fresher in UK)
French fries (or fries) 
pieces of potato that have been deep-fried. Originates from Belgian style of cooking potatoes (UK chips: e.g., fish and chips or pie and chips)
frosting 
A confection applied to cakes (US and UK: icing)
front desk 
(UK: Reception * )

G

garbage 
(UK: rubbish)
garbage can; waste basket 
(UK: rubbish bin or simply bin, as in "Put the rubbish in the bin.")
gasoline 
(esp. in the past also spelled gasolene; abbreviated gas) (UK: petrol)
gee-whiz 
as an interjection, a euphemism for "Jesus"; as an adjective, denotes something characterized by or meant to cause excitement or sensation ("gee-whiz technology"; "a gee-whiz attitude")
general delivery 
(UK: poste restante)
get-go (git-go) 
the very beginning (of something) [281]
GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) 
(UK: Residual-current device (RCD), or colloquially, breaker) A safety device attached to consumer mains power supplies to prevent accidental electrocution and/or damage to connected equipment.
green thumb 
(UK: green fingers)
grifter *
a con artist, transient swindler, or professional gambler (US and UK: con man); also grift can mean an act of thievery or trickery
gotten 
Archaic form of "got" in most of the UK.[10][282][283]
grits 
A maize (sweetcorn) porridge common in the southern U.S. and relatively unknown in the UK
ground beef 
(UK) minced beef, or just mince [284]
grunt 
Slang for infantryman : (UK: squaddie)

H

half bath 
a room for personal hygiene that lacks a shower or bathtub (i.e. a bathroom [DM], in the American sense of the term, which lacks a place to actually bathe). Equivalent to a British W.C..[285]
hard candy 
(UK : Boiled Sweets)
heavy cream 
double cream (UK)[286]
hickey 
a bruise on one's skin resulting from kissing or sucking; (UK: love bite * )
highball 
(see article)
ho 
The word "whore", synonymous with tramp (harlot) or slut and often used as an insult. The spelling is associated with African-American English, though it does no more than reflect a non-Rhotic pronunciation of the standard word, similar to what can be heard in Boston ("haw" or "ho-wuh") or Australia.
hobo 
tramp (BrE); subculture of wandering homeless people,[1] particularly those who make a habit of hopping freight trains. Becoming more popular in the UK
hominy 
processed maize, see also grits
hood 
engine compartment cover of front-engine automobile (UK: bonnet)
play hooky 
to play truant from school; to cut class (UK also: skive, bunk off or playing wag or wagging off or mooching)
horseback riding 
simply "riding" or horse riding in the UK
howdy 
(short for how do you do) casual greeting that originated in the Southern States. (UK How do?)
hush puppy
a deep-fried pellet of cornmeal mush commonly eaten in southern America. (Non-existent in the UK, where "Hush Puppies" denotes the international brand of shoes of that name * .)
HVAC 
Heating + Ventilating (or Ventilation) + Air Conditioning (used in technical circles in the UK)

I

intimate apparel 
lingerie; used mainly in advertisements.

J

jack off, jerk off * 
(slang) to masturbate; UK usage would be "to wank". If used as a disparaging noun, as in "that guy is such a jackoff [or jerkoff]", the UK equivalent would be "that bloke is such a wanker (or a "tosser")". In this sense, sometimes written "jagoff". (It is generally not considered as vulgar or insulting as "wanker" is, however.) Can also mean to delay, stymie, thwart, or cause confusion, sometimes with the intent to defraud ("I've waited an hour to be served; they're jerking me off,"; "They say I never returned the car- I left it in the lot. I'm getting jerked off here.") In the latter sense, may also be "jerked around".
jackhammer
(UK: pneumatic drill)
Jane Doe 
See John Doe.
jeez 
minced oath for "Jesus", sometimes spelled geez
Jell-o 
(trademark) gelatin dessert (UK: jelly [DM])
jock 
(slang) one who is athletic, or dresses primarily in athletic clothing.
john 
(slang) a toilet (UK: "loo"); also, the client of a prostitute
johnson 
(slang) penis ( UK : "willy" )
John Doe 
unnamed defendant or victim (as in a lawsuit), or a person whose identity is unknown or is intended to be anonymous; also, an average man ; compare John Q. Public (UK equivalent is Joe Bloggs, or John Smith). The female equivalent is Jane Doe, or less frequently "Jane Roe" as in Roe v. Wade. Also Baby Doe.
John Hancock 
a signature (from the name of the President of the Second Continental Congress, who was the first signer of the United States Declaration of Independence and wrote his signature the largest) – "put your John Hancock here" (UK "put your moniker here"). "John Henry" is also seen, using Hancock as a perceived homophone of "Hank", a common nickname of Henry.
John Q. Public 
the common man, typical member of the general public. Also stated as Joe Public, Joe Blow, Joe Schmoe, Joe Six-Pack, Eddie Punchclock, or Joe Lunchbucket. (UK: Joe Bloggs)

K

kitty-corner, also catty-corner 
see catercorner

L

ladybug
a red, black-spotted beetle (UK: ladybird)
laundromat
a public place to wash laundry (UK: laundrette or launderette)
learner's permit 
a restricted license for a person learning to drive, who has not yet passed the necessary driver's test (rules vary from state to state); also called driver's permit (UK: provisional driving licence)
left field *
a source of unexpected or illogical questions, ideas, etc. ("that proposal came out of left field")
(the) Lower 48
used mainly by Alaskans, this is a colloquialism for the 48 Contiguous United States. The more general term Outside may be used for any part of US territory outside Alaska, such as Hawaii or Puerto Rico for instance.
license plate, license tag 
vehicle registration plate (UK: number plate)
lumber 
(UK "timber"); wood used for commercial purposes
lunch meat 
(UK "luncheon meat") thinly sliced meat meant for sandwiches
lye 
caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) or potassium hydroxide (archaic in UK)

M

mail carrier 
a person who delivers mail to residences and businesses; also letter carrier (UK & US: postman, postwoman, although the term "postal worker" is encouraged so as to remain gender-neutral.)
mailman 
see mail carrier
mailbox 
(UK: post box, letter box, pillar box)
mass transit 
(UK: public transport)
math 
mathematics (UK: maths).
maven 
expert, guru; from the Yiddish. In use, typically refers to a female.
midsize 
medium size
Miranda 
(Miranda warning) the warning (usually "You have the right to remain silent. If you give up that right, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law." etc.) given to criminal suspects before interrogation; (Miranda rights) the rights stated in the warning, as established in the United States Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona; hence mirandize, to recite the Miranda warning to (a criminal suspect). In the UK this is referred to as "reading rights" or "cautioned as to his rights" (not to be confused with a police caution).
mohawk 
a type of haircut (UK: mohican)
mama, mamma, momma 
mother (UK often: mum[my], mam, ma)
mom-and-pop 
single-family operated small business ("a mom-and-pop store") (UK and US: family business)
mono / mononucleosis 
(UK: Glandular fever)
mortician 
(UK & US: undertaker, funeral director)
moxie 
courage, daring, and energy as in "This guy's got moxie!" (from an advertisement for an American soft drink)
muffler 
part of an automobile's exhaust system, used for silencing engine noise (UK: silencer)

N

narc 
law enforcement narcotics agent; but 'to narc on' someone is to inform on them to an authority figure, used also as a noun labeling a person who does such. Also 'Grass' (UK and New Zealand) or 'Dobber' (Australia and most parts of the UK, except central Scotland where 'dobber' generally means 'penis').
New York minute 
(colloquial) quickly
nightcrawler 
earthworm or worm
nightstand 
encompassed by bedside table
nightstick 
historically, a police officer's weapon (UK: truncheon)
nix
cancel
non-profit 
In the United States, an organization that invests surplus income from its business activities to further its aims or mission statement, rather than return it to shareholders. There is a legal definition in the US (having 501(c) status), for which there is no direct equivalent in Britain. The term would include, but would not be restricted to all registered charities in Britain; for example, building societies would also be considered non-profits in the United States.
normalcy 
normality. Used, although not coined, by President Warren G. Harding ("a return to normalcy")[10][287][288]

O

obligated 
(archaic in UK; UK and US: "obliged")
off-the-rack 
clothes bought straight from a store (UK: off-the-peg)
oftentimes *
often (archaic in Britain but colloquial in America, especially clause-initially)
ornery 
irritable, crotchety, cranky, troublemaking (from ordinary)
ouster 
ousting, overthrow ("the ouster of a regime"; "the ouster of the CEO")
overpass *
(UK and US: flyover)

P

pacifier 
(UK: dummy [DM], comforter [DM])
pantyhose 
(UK: tights, a term used for similar non-sheer garments in the U.S.; "pantyhose" refers only to sheer or semi-sheer nylon-based tights)
paper route 
a regular series of newspaper deliveries (UK: paper round)
parking garage 
multi-storey car park
parking lot 
a usually outside area for the parking of automobiles (UK: car park)
penitentiary 
prison; gaol/jail.
penny-ante 
(adj.) petty, insignificant—from penny ante, poker played for a very low ante
period 
punctuation mark at the end of a sentence (UK: full-stop)
plastic wrap 
polymer material for sealing food items (UK: cling-film)
Plexiglas 
Trade name for Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), a transparent thermoplastic sometimes called "acrylic glass" (UK:Perspex)
plumber's butt or plumber's crack 
buttock cleavage, also called the working man's smile (UK: builder's bum, brickie's bum or builder's cleavage)
plushie, plush toy 
soft toy (UK: cuddly toy)
Popsicle 
A trademarked brand of frozen juice, or flavored ice on a stick. The term is widely used to describe all such confections without regard to brand. (UK: ice lolly)
powdered sugar 
(UK: icing sugar)
pre-authorized payment/withdrawal 
(UK: direct debit (variable amount)/standing order (fixed amount))
public holiday 
(UK: bank holiday, although public holiday is also used, more formally, when referring to New Year's Day, Good Friday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day). See Federal holiday

R

rad 
short for "radical", different or interesting, exceptional; synonym for cool
raincheck 
The metaphorical raincheck is used in the US to indicate that the person "taking the raincheck" regretfully cannot accept the current invitation but would like to be invited to a future event. Stores may "give a raincheck" when they have run out of an advertised item; this is usually a coupon to purchase the item later at the advertised price. In the UK the person "taking the raincheck" may attend an event, but is warning the host that there is a possibility that they may not be able to make it. Both usages are becoming more common in UK English, particularly amongst office workers.
railroad 
(UK: railway)
raised pavement marker 
commonly called reflector, Botts' dot or cat's eye (UK: cat's eye)
rappel 
to descend on a rope (UK: abseil)
Realtor (trademark)
member of the National Association of Realtors; as a genericized trademark, any real estate broker or real estate agent (UK: estate agent)
recision 
a cancellation ("This bill would authorize the recision of the adult day health care license"). Now rare in the UK; a different word from rescission
restroom 
a toilet, particularly a public one.
RIF, RIF'd 
abbreviation for Reduction In Force; i.e. to be honorably discharged from employment (UK: redundancy, made redundant, laid-off, paid-off)
roil 
to render muddy by stirring up the dregs of; as, to roil wine, cider, etc., in casks or bottles; to roil a spring; also, to disquiet or disturb (also rile in the sense of "to anger", riled up for "angry")
roustabout 
an unskilled laborer, especially at an oil field, at a circus, or on a ship. Used in the oil industry in the UK.
rowhouse 
(UK: terraced house)
Rube Goldberg 
Absurdly complex machine (see Heath Robinson).
rutabaga 
the turnip Brassica napus napobrassica (UK: swede)
RV (recreational vehicle) 
see article for usage of the terms RV, motor home, and the British camper [DM] and caravan [DM]
RV park 
(UK: caravan site or less usually caravan park)

S

Saran wrap 
(Saran is a trademark) plastic wrap. Increasingly genericized without regard to brand. (UK: cling film)
sawbuck 
sawhorse; also a ten dollar bill (so named because some designs incorporated the Roman number ten, or "X", which resembles a sawhorse).
scads 
great amounts of something
scallion *
also used in Ireland; also known as spring onion in Great Britain and the US
scalper 
ticket tout
Scotch Tape 
(trademark) sticky tape (UK: Sellotape [trademark])
scuttlebutt 
gossip, rumor; originally meant water fountain (UK: rumour)
sedan automobile 
(UK: saloon)
self-rising flour 
self-raising flour
semester 
term
shill *
A shill is a person who is supposed to appear like a member of the general public who usually attempts to lend credibility or excitement to a confidence scheme; e.g., a person who claims to have received benefit from snake oil. Recently popularized in the UK by eBay ("shill bidding" or bidding to drum up excitement with no intention of buying). The UK equivalent to a shill would be a "plant", from having someone "planted" in an audience or amongst bystanders. The term "plant" is equally used and understood in the United States.
shredded cheese 
grated cheese
shuck
the husk of an ear of corn (maize), an oyster shell, etc.; used in plural to mean something worthless or as an interjection ("shucks!"); (verb) to remove the shuck; also, to discard, get rid of, remove ("I shucked my coat")
shyster*
A lawyer or accountant of dubious ethical standards. This phrase commonly indicates a person with no ethical restraints. (From German Scheister)
sidewalk 
usually paved path for pedestrian traffic, often constructed of concrete or less usually of stone (UK: pavement [DM], footpath [DM])
sidewalk superintendent 
someone spectating a construction or demolition job (UK: bystander [DM])
skim milk 
(UK: skimmed milk)[289]
skosh 
a little bit. See also List of English words of Japanese origin
s'more 
(usually pl.) A camp fire treat consisting of a roasted marshmallow and a slab of chocolate sandwiched between two pieces of graham cracker. Contraction from "some more"
sneaker 
(usually pl.) a form of footwear, also called tennis shoe or "gym shoe"—see regional vocabularies of American English (UK: trainer, plimsoll, regional dap,pump, [DM])
snuck 
(colloquial Past Tense and Past Participle form of "Sneak" ) (US standard and UK: Sneaked)
soccer 
used in the UK but the sport is mainly known as "football" (or fully as association football)
soda fountain 
(see article)
soda pop 
(UK: soft/fizzy/carbonated drink [with CO2 e.g. Coca-Cola])
sophomore 
a second-year college or high school student (Trinity College Dublin has sophister in this sense); (adj.) the second in a series (as in, an athlete's "sophomore season", a band's "sophomore album") From the Greek: Sophos - Wise; and Moros - Fool, Moron (UK: undergraduate has this extended sense)
specialty *
(UK: speciality, though specialty is used in law and medicine)
Spring break 
an extended holiday or party for students occurring during March and April (not known in the UK)
spyglass 
a telescope or set of lenses used to observe subjects at distance
(Once common in UK usage, but now only in dialect.)
station wagon 
automobile with extended rear cargo area (UK: estate (car))
steam shovel 
a large mechanical excavator (UK:digger or JCB )
steno (short for "stenographer") 
(UK: shorthand typist)
stickshift, stick 
(car with) manual transmission, as opposed to an automatic (UK and US: gear stick or gear lever for the stick; manual for the car)
stool pigeon, stoolie 
police informer (UK: grass) (From the use of captive birds as hunting decoys)
stoop 
A small porch, platform, or staircase leading to the entrance of a house or building. Chiefly Northeastern U.S.[10][290][291]
stop light 
(UK and US: traffic light)
streetcar 
vehicle on rails for passenger transportation [DM] usually within a city; also called trolley [DM] or trolley car if electrically powered by means of a trolley (UK and US: tram)
strep throat 
a sore throat caused by Streptococcus[292]
stroller 
vehicle for baby transportation featuring the child in a sitting position, usually facing forward (UK: pushchair, buggy [DM])
suck 
to be poor quality, objectionable, etc. Slowly entering British slang.
SUV * 
Sport-Utility Vehicle. A 4×4 ("four by four") in the UK; in the US "4×4" usually refers to a four wheel drive pickup truck
sweatpants
(UK: track bottoms, tracksuit bottoms. Colloqially trackie bottoms or trackies)

T

taffy 
a type of chewy candy; see taffy (candy)
tailpipe 
exhaust pipe
takeout 
(UK: takeaway; Scotland & US also: carry-out)
teeter(-totter), teeterboard 
a seesaw
telecast 
to broadcast by television
teleprompter 
(see article) (UK: compare autocue)
thru* 
Through. An abbreviation mostly used in the fast food industry, as in Drive Thru. Also used in traffic signs ("Thru Traffic Keep Left"; i.e., traffic that is continuing through an interchange rather than exiting should keep to the left) and occasionally road names ("New York State Thruway") and sometimes in newspaper headlines. Absolutely not considered acceptable spelling in other contexts. Seen in the UK at McDonalds, Burger King etc.
thumbtack 
short nail or pin with a large, rounded metal head (UK: drawing pin)
track and field meeting * (track meet)
(UK usually athletics meeting [DM]); see also track [DM]
trackless trolley 
a trolleybus; see trolley in [DM]
trash 
rubbish, waste. See also 'garbage'
trashcan 
(UK: dustbin, rubbish bin)
travel trailer 
caravan
trunk 
storage space usually over rear wheels of an automobile (UK: boot)
turn signal 
direction-indicator lights (UK usually indicators; US and UK also blinkers [DM])
two-bits 
literally, worth 25 cents or a quarter (a bit is an eighth of a dollar); figuratively, worth very little, insignificant (informal). In UK the phrase "two bob"' exists although this far more common in London and the south-east. Likewise mickey mouse.
two cents, two cents' worth
an opinion, a piece of one's mind (as in, "I'm gonna go down there and give him my two cents") - (UK similar: two pence, two penneth, two penn'orth or tuppence worth)

U

undershirt 
an upper undergarment with no collar, and with short or no sleeves, worn next to the skin under a shirt (UK: vest [DM], semmit in Scotland and Northern Ireland [293])
upscale 
relating to goods targeted at high-income consumers (UK: upmarket)
uptown 
(noun, adj., adv.) (in, to, toward, or related to) either the upper section or the residential district of a city; e.g., in Manhattan, New York City the term refers to the northern end of Manhattan, generally speaking, north of 59th Street; see also Uptown, Minneapolis; Uptown, Chicago; Uptown New Orleans; compare downtown. Often has implications of being a desirable or upscale neighborhood. However, in Butte, Montana and Charlotte, North Carolina, "Uptown" refers to what would be called "downtown" in most other cities.

V

vacationer 
someone taking a vacation [DM] (UK: holidaymaker)
vacay 
informal shortening of vacation (comparable to UK hols)
variety meats
offal (UK: sweetbreads)
varmint or varmit 
(UK: vermin)

W

washcloth 
(UK: flannel, UK often & US less frequently facecloth; US less frequently also washrag)[10][294][295]
washrag 
See washcloth.[10][296][297]
wastebasket 
synonym for trash can, especially one intended for light waste (UK: dustbin; wastepaper basket is an interior object for waste from each room.)[298]
weatherization* 
weatherproofing of buildings, occasionally used in the UK but would be spelled weatherisation
windshield
the front window of an automobile (UK: windscreen)
wiseguy
a mobster; also smartass (e.g., "hey, wiseguy…")
woodsy 
abundant in trees, suggestive of woods; woody, wooded

Y

y'all  
(regional — Southern American, African-American, and Appalachian) contraction of You all, used as second-person dual or plural pronoun. (e.g., "Hey, are y'all coming to the dance?") Also all y'all, comparable in meaning and register to north-English, Northern Irish and Scottish "youse, yous".
yellow light 
as in the color at a stoplight (q.v.) or traffic lights. In the UK, this is referred to as an amber light (though railway signals are a different shade, and are referred to as yellow, not amber). In the UK, the red and amber light together immediately in advance of the green (giving a light sequence of 1. red, 2. red and amber (together), 3. green, 4. amber (alone), 5. red). In some places in the USA, pressing the walk button activates a combination of red and yellow lights for stopped traffic, especially when no "walk signal" specifically for a pedestrian's viewing is present as part of the traffic signals.
yinz, yunz, you'uns 
(Western Pennsylvania, especially Pittsburgh) plural you; derived from you ones. Likewise youse in New York City.

Z

zinger 
a witty, often caustic remark; something supposed to cause surprise or shock
ZIP code 
(for Zone Improvement Plan) the postal code used by the United States Postal Service composed of 5 digits as in 90210, sometimes a suffix of 4 digits after a hyphen is used. (UK equivalent: postcode or post code or rarely postal code)
zipper * 
(UK usually zip [DM])
zucchini 
the plant Cucurbita pepo, also zucchini squash. (UK: courgette)

See also

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