British english A to Z_4 pot

fixture, n. scheduled sporting event In the British sports world what the Americans call an event is called a fixture. fizz, n. Inf. sparkling wine Including Champagne, though not confined to it. Flag Day Tag Day The day on which people solicit you for contributions to a cause and give you something to put on your lapel to prove you’ve come through. In Britain you get little flags; in America you may get paper poppies on the end of a pin. Obsolete, but see Poppy Day. flake out Inf. pass out Inf. Faint, collapse from exhaustion. flaming, adj., adv. Slang. damned Inf. Synonymous with flipping, ruddy, bloody. flan, n. see comment Sponge cake or pastry with fruit filling, usually with a layer of whipped cream as well. Flan in America is caramel custard. flannel, n. face cloth Also known in America as washcloth or washrag. But when the British talk of a wash-cloth they mean what is known in America as a dishcloth. flannel, n., v.t., v.i., Slang. 1. n., Slang. soft soap; flattery 2. v.t., Slang. soft-soap; flatter 3. v.i., Slang. talk one’s way out 4. n., Slang. nonsense flapjack, n. 1. see comment 2. lady’s flat compact 1. Type of cookie. Flapjack now also means ‘pancake’ in Britain. 2. A portable container for face powder. flares, n.,pl. bell-bottoms flash, adj. flashy flash Harry see comment Someone who is flash in his manner or habits, i.e. ostentatiously and obnoxiously displaying the evidence of his wealth. flat, n. apartment A block of flats is an apartment house. See block; apartment. flat, adj. dead Describing batteries that have come to the end of their useful lives. flatmate, n. roommate More precisely: someone with whom one shares an apartment without sharing a bed. flatmate 133 flat out at full speed Inf. Flat out to a Briton suggests a race, particularly a horse race, with the winner (by a nose) going all out, using every ounce of power. In Britain, it does not have the sense of ‘plainly’ or ‘directly,’ as in (American) I told him flat-out what I thought of him. flat spin. See in a flat spin. fleck, n. lint Inf. The bits that cling annoyingly to dark woolen clothing. Fluff and lint are the usual terms in Britain and America. fleet, n., adj. 1. creek 2. shallow Heard from time to time. Fleet Street the press Inf. See Throgmorton Street, Wardour Street, and other street names used synec- dochically, to indicate various businesses and professions. Fleet Street, EC1 and EC2, once housed nearly all of Britain’s national press and major news agencies. Even though the last moved out in 2005, the term is still used. flex, n. electric cord; extension Abbreviation of flexible, used as a noun. flexible (table) lamp gooseneck lamp flexitime, n. flextime A system in Britain and America whereunder an employee works a fixed number of hours but at times partly as the worker chooses. flick-knife, n. switchblade flicks, n. pl. movies Slang. Still heard. See film. flies, n. pl. fly The fly of a man’s trousers is commonly heard as flies in Britain. flimsy, n. thin copy paper Inf. Particularly the type favored by Her Majesty’s ministries. The word can also mean a carbon copy of something typed on such paper. Now rare. flipping, adj., adv. damned Slang. More or less equivalent to bloody but thought to be more polite. Pejorative and intensive. See synonyms under bloody. flit, v.i.,n. move on, depart Especially from one abode to another, with the intention of escaping from some- thing undesirable. He’ll probably flit to escape his debts. As a noun, used in the phrase to do a flit. float, n. petty cash fund 134 flat out flog, v.t. 1. Slang. push 2. Slang. sell illegally 3. Slang. lick (vanquish) 4. Slang. swipe 1. Slang. In Britain flog describes the hard sell, whether the insistent effort to dis- pose of goods or to press an idea. 2. Slang. Applies to stolen or smuggled goods flogged on the black market, for example. See also fallen off the back of a lorry. 3. Slang. To flog one’s competitors, whether in sports or competitive examina- tions, is to trounce them, to beat them all hollow. 4. Slang. To borrow without the owner’s permission, with only the vaguest inten- tion of returning. flog it plod Military slang. To flog it is to walk or plod. See also foot-slog. floor, v.t. see comment Inf. When a British schoolboy stands up to recite and isn’t prepared, the teacher (master) floors him, i.e., tells him to sit down. Floor shares the general American colloquial meaning ‘overcome’ or ‘shatter’ someone with a devastating riposte. Now rare. Floral Dance. See Furry Dance. fluff, n. lint A bit of fluff was British slang for chick in the sense of gal. It might have referred to the relative youth of the female companion of an older man, but no real harm was meant by it. See fleck; bit of. fluff, v.t., v.i. 1. Slang. juggle 2. lie; bluff 1. Slang. As in fluff the books (accounts). 2. Slang. As in Don’t take him seriously; he’s fluffing. fluffy, adj. Inf. unserious A pejorative term, often just a sign of unthinking snobbery. flutter, n., v.i. gamble Slang. A flutter is a small bet. The usual expression is Have a flutter. fly, adj. wide awake Slang. Ingenious, crafty, clever. The current American term street-wise is a close equivalent. fly a kite, Inf. Inf. send up a trial balloon fly on the wall invisible onlooker Inf. Someone who would give anything to be a fly on the wall means he would love to witness a meeting, confrontation, etc. unobserved. fly-over, n. overpass A bridge or viaduct for carrying one road over another. fly-over 135 fly-post, v.i. see comment To put up notices or advertising rapidly and surreptitiously on unauthorized walls. fly-tip, v.i. see comment To dump garbage illegally, especially for profit as a service to other businesses or as way of cutting costs within a legitimate business. Businesses in the UK are usually charged by the local council for the disposal of large quantities of waste, and fly-tipping lets them avoid that charge. fobbed off (with) Slang. stuck (with) Slang. Both countries use fob off in the sense of palming off inferior merchandise, but only the British use the past passive participle this way to indicate the result- ing situation of the victim. fob pocket watch pocket Tailor’s term. fogged, adj., Slang. befuddled foggiest, adj. Inf. faintest Inf. Usually met with in the negative expression I haven’t the foggiest, meaning ‘I haven’t the slightest (idea)’. In this expression, foggiest is used as a substantive, like slightest or faintest when the modified noun (idea or notion) is omitted. folding, n. Inf. paper money Also called notes in Britain, and referring particularly to the higher-denomina- tion notes (£20 and £50). Follow?, v.i. See? Often heard in Britain and America in the question Do you follow? meaning ‘Do you see?’ or ‘Are you with me?’ folly, n. whimsical structure A peculiar, nonfunctional structure built for no apparent reason other than the whim of an estate owner with too much leisure and money and lots of whimsy; usually found on 18th-century English estates. fool, n. see comment A dessert of stewed fruit, crushed and mixed with custard or cream and served cold. football, n. soccer As the name of a game, football, in Britain, is short for Association football, the game that Americans call soccer. The nearest equivalent in Britain to American football is the game called Rugby football, or simply Rugby, but most commonly called rug- ger. This game is played in uniforms like the ones used in soccer, without helmets, padding, nose guards, etc. footer, n. soccer Schoolboy slang. See football. 136 fly-post footpath, n. see comment An ancient right of way for walkers only. Landowners are legally obliged to keep footpaths clear and open to the public. See also footway. footplate, n. engineer’s and fireman’s platform Railroading. The engineer (engine driver, in Britain) and fireman are known col- lectively as footplatemen. Loosely used to designate the whole locomotive cab. foot-slog, v.i. trudge Slang. A foot-slogger is a hiker; the word is sometimes taken to mean ‘infantryman.’ See also flog it. footway, n. sidewalk An old-fashioned term, still seen on street signs threatening pedestrians with fines if they permit their dogs to “foul the footway.” Also footpath. In the country- side, where there aren’t any sidewalks, both words refer to any path for walkers. Pavement is the common British term. footy, n. Inf. football The game, that is; not the ball itself. Sometimes spelled footie. (the) forces, n. pl. (the) service In the sense of the armed forces. A Briton would speak of ‘leaving the forces.’ An American would most likely say something like ‘When I get out of the army.’ forecourt, n. front yard Applied in Britain to a service station, forecourt means the ‘area where gas (pet- rol) is pumped.’ Thus one sees help-wanted ads for a forecourt attendant, i.e., somebody to man the gas pumps. Also, in Britain and America, a tennis term meaning the area near the net. Foreign Office approx. State Department Now called the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Foreign Secretary see comment Cabinet Minister in charge of the Foreign Office. forerib, n. see comment What Americans call the rib—the four to six ribs from which rib-eye steak and rib roast are obtained—Britons almost always call forerib. forged, adj. counterfeit The British speak of a forged note, the Americans of a counterfeit bill. for it Inf. in for it Inf. In deep trouble. Oh, he’s for it now! See also for the high jump. fork supper buffet Inf. This term is applied to a meal that can be eaten without a knife. Fork lunch is also used. Roughly speaking, the American equivalent of fork in this context might be thought to be buffet, as in a well-planned buffet lunch or buffet dinner, fork supper 137 at which a knife is not needed. A fork meal in Britain is definitely one in which a knife is superfluous. For the converse of this situation, see knife-and-fork tea. form, n. 1. grade 2. class 1. A school usage. Used in America, but rarely. 2. As in, He was punished for sleeping in form. for the high jump Slang. in for it Slang. A grim echo of a hanging (the high jump). The phrase is now used to refer to any threatened or imminent punishment; especially drastic punishment. for the matter of that for that matter The American form is used in Britain as well. fortnight, n. two weeks This is a common word in Britain, somewhat archaic or formal in America. Today fortnight, Monday fortnight, etc., mean ‘two weeks from today, two weeks from Monday,’ etc. Week is used in the same way in Britain: today week, Friday week, etc. This day fortnight (or week) is still heard, too. I’d rather keep him a week than a fortnight is a quaint, if mildly callous, way of saying, He’s a big eater. See also Appendix I.D.5. for toffee. See toffee. forward, v.t. ship By land, sea, or air. fossick, v.i. Slang. mess around Slang. With no clear purpose. To fossick after something is to rummage about for it. The word derives from an Australian term for those who picked over abandoned gold workings. In some British dialects fussock means ‘bustle about,’ and that may be reflected here as well. See also frig about. found, all (or fully.) See fully found. foundation member charter member foundation-stone, n. cornerstone fourball, n. foursome Golf term. When the British say foursome, they mean a ‘Scotch foursome,’ a two ball match, in which the partners on each side stroke alternately at one ball. An American foursome has two players on each of two teams, all playing their own balls. four honours 100 honors A term used in bridge, meaning any four of the top five cards in the trump suit. Five honours, as you might expect, means 150 honors. fourpenny one, Inf. Slang. sock on the jaw 138 form four-star premium Designation of gasoline (petrol) high-octane rating. Two-star is regular. In America four stars are the domain of generals and admirals. four up. See make a four up. Four Wents Four Corners This is not only a general term meaning ‘intersection’ but a very common place name in the British countryside. The Four Wents, or the Four Went Ways, is always a place name designating a specific intersection. The Four Corners is a classic bucolic general term rather than a specific place name in the American country- side. The Went in the British expression is derived from the word wend, in the sense of ‘turn’ or ‘direct.’ fowl, n. See under chicken. fowl-run, n. See under chicken. foyer, n. lobby fraternity n. religious organization Never has the sense of ‘male college society’ (frat), an institution unknown in Britain. frazzled, adj. Inf. worn out Slang. Applied to a person who has looked after obstreperous children for far too long, put in too much overtime, etc. Fred Karno’s army approx. Inf. Coxey’s army Inf. Fred Karno was a music-hall (vaudeville) comedian during World War I and did an act involving a joke army. Jacob Sechler Coxey was a U.S. political reformer who led a civilian march on Washington in 1894 to petition Congress for unemployment relief. (He died in 1951 at the age of 97.) Old-fashioned Americans use the phrase Coxey’s army to describe any motley throng. Among old-fashioned Britons, Fred Karno’s army is a term usually applied to any sort of chaotic organization. Free Church. See chapel. freefone, n. toll-free number Also given as freephone. freehold, n. approx. title This term, as opposed to leasehold, means ‘title to real estate,’ whether outright or for life. It implies ownership as opposed to tenancy. A person enjoying such owner- ship is a freeholder. In 1430, Parliament limited the right to vote in the election of Members of Parliament to forty-shilling freedholders, i.e., those owning real prop- erty whose rental value was at least forty shillings per annum, a respectable sum in those days. Today, nearly all British subjects have the vote. free house see comment Most pubs are tied in with a particular brewery, at least in the beer and ale department, serving only that brewery’s brand. The brewery owns the premises free house 139 and leases the pub to the operator, who is known as the landlord (though he is, legally speaking, the tenant), or publican. The pub has its own historic name and a standing or hanging decorative pub sign, sometimes beautifully painted and occasionally ancient, but the effect is somehow a little marred by the appearance of another sign, the name of the brewery, which has the effect of depersonalizing the management. A free house is a pub not affiliated with a brewery. It serves whatever brands of ale and beer it chooses. See tied; pub. free issue of new shares stock dividend free line line When most calls were connected by a switchboard operator (telephonist), you would ask for a free line when you wanted to dial the number yourself. In Britain and America, you may request a line. free of entitled to the use of To make someone free of something is to give him the right to use it. A person free of a company or a city is one entitled to share in the privileges of membership in the company or citizenship in the community. To make someone free of your house, car, library, etc. is to allow him the free use of it, to make free of it. free-range eggs eggs from uncooped hens As opposed to battery eggs. This usage is increasingly common in the U.S. freight, n. cargo In Britain, freight, by itself, is applied to transportation by water or air, though railroads use the terms freight rates, freight sheds, etc. In America the term is applied to transportation by land or by air, and cargo is the marine term. See also forward; goods. French beans string beans French toast see comment A delicious morsel of bread buttered on one side and toasted on the other. Simple enough to concoct, but never met with in America, where French toast is bread soaked in a mixture of eggs and milk, fried, and eaten with syrup or molasses or sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. fresh butter sweet butter Unaugmented by salt, that is. And more often called unsalted butter. fresher, n. approx. freshman Slang. A British university term and a little more restricted than freshman. Fresh- man applies to the entire first year; fresher normally covers only the first term. Freshman (despite its second syllable) and fresher apply to both sexes. fret, n. Slang. tizzy Inf. People, when agitated, fret in both countries. The word is used as a noun in Britain in the expression in a fret in situations where Americans would be apt to say in a tizzy. fridge, n. refrigerator Inf. Also occasionally spelled frig, but always pronounced fridge, the universal term in Britain for refrigerator or icebox. 140 free issue of new shares fried bread see comment A uniquely British preparation: a slice of white bread fried in (usually) vegetable oil or (occasionally) butter. Served as part of a fry-up, more often than not in a café. Very bad for you, and very tasty. friendly, n. approx. Inf. exhibition game Inf. Adjective used as a substantive with match understood. It means a game the result of which is not reflected in any official record and has no effect on cham- pionships. friendly action action for a declaratory judgment A legal term, meaning a lawsuit brought to get a point decided, rather than for money damages or other relief. friendly society mutual insurance group A common and extremely useful type of organization, even in an advanced wel- fare society. Its members are pledged to provide assistance to one another in old age, in illness, and in similar situations. Friendship Town. See twin with . . . frig about Slang. mess around Slang. The British use frig also in the sense waste time common in America. See also fossick. frightfully, adv. Inf. awfully; very Inf. A word of the privileged but it hangs on tenaciously, and not only among the genteel. frillies, n. pl. Inf. undies Inf. Out of fashion—the word, that is. fringe, n. bangs Coiffure term. Fringe Theatre. See under West End. frock, n. dress Among some people in Britain the everyday word for a woman’s dress. Common among people of all ages for little girls’ dresses. Note that misbehaving clergy- men may be unfrocked, while misbehaving ladies get themselves undressed. frock-coat, n. Prince Albert A long, double-breasted frock coat. from the off from the word go Somewhat old-fashioned, but still used jocularly. front, n. seaside promenade Referring to seaside places, and also called sea front. A front or sea front is like an American boardwalk, except that the walking surface is not made of wood. People in Britain do not talk about going to the beach or shore; they go to the sea-side. front 141 front bench see comment Describes the benches in the House of Commons and the House of Lords occu- pied by ministers (cabinet members) and other members of the government and members of the opposition shadow cabinet. Those who occupy them are front- benchers. See also back bench. frontier, n. border The word means border between nations in both countries, but in Britain it does not have the special meaning of the part of the country that forms the outer limit of its populated area. In view of Britain’s history, it is understandable that the connotation, having had no application for so long a period, would now be lost. frost, n. Slang. bust Slang. If an American went to a party that he would later describe as a bust (or a dud), his English counterpart would have characterized it as a frost. Now rare. frosted food frozen food Sign in Harrods, the great store in London: frosted foods. A refrigerator sales- man (shop assistant in a fridge shop) would point with pride to a large frosted foods compartment, which Americans would call a freezer. And so, nowadays, would most Britons. frowsty, adj. stuffy Inf. Frowst is a British colloquialism meaning the ‘fusty stale heat in a room.’ From this colloquial word we get frowsty, which describes the way the unfortu- nate room smells. Frowsty is related to the adjective frowzy, also spelled frouzy in America, which means ‘close,’ in the sense of ‘musty,’ ‘fusty,’ and ‘smelly,’ and by association ‘dingy.’ But nowadays in either country it is also commonly used in the sense of ‘unkempt.’ frowzy. See frowsty. fruiterer, n. fruit-seller Either wholesale or retail, and often selling vegetables as well. See also coster- monger; greengrocer. fruit machine Slang. slot machine Slang. A one-armed bandit, typically paying out small sums even when you hit the jackpot. What you get out of a fruit machine in Britain is either exhilaration or despair. Slot machine is a British term for what Americans call a vending machine. fruity, adj. Inf. Inf. spicy; sexy fry-up, n. approx. fry A fry in America is any fried dish, or more generally a social function involving the eating of a fried dish (e.g., fish-fry; cf. clambake). In Britain it is a concoction of eggs, bacon or sausage, black pudding, mushrooms, tomatoes, fried bread, or any selection of these items. fubsy, adj. fat and squat 142 front beach [...]... sandboy Inf happy as a clam Inf The words at high tide are often added, and always implied, in the American version A sandboy sold sand happy as Larry, adj The American equivalent would be happy as a clam perfectly content harass see comment Usually pronounced ‘Harris,’ with the noun pronounced harrisment hard, n Slang In prison, doing hard time hardbake, n hard labor almond taffy hard-baked, adj hard-boiled... dormitory Halt, v.i Stop The equivalent of an American Stop sign used to be and sometimes still is a British road sign reading halt, but stop is now coming into general use Once in a while Halt appears coupled with a place name to indicate a railroad stop in the middle of nowhere, but near the designated place hammer, v.t declare insolvent Inf And suspend from trading An informal expression in financial... American, as is quarter of, which in Britain is always quarter to (a) half, n see comment A half pint of beer Form of address to a publican See also (the) other half half, not See not half half, the other See (the) other half half-and-half, n ale and stout mixed But some publicans say it can mean ‘mild and bitter’ mixed, so that when a customer who is not a regular asks for one, it is wise to request a. .. Life Guards), part of whose duty is to attend the sovereign ceremonially A member of any of these regiments is known as a guardsman See Life Guard guardsman See Guards guard’s van See under brake-van caboose gubbins, n pl 1 innards 2 Slang thingamajigs 1 Slang The insides of something: the gubbins of a car—all the bits and pieces mechanics have to get at 2 Slang Also used as a vague reference to any old... of a standard word Thus: Harry spaggers is spaghetti; Harry champers (see champers) is champagne; Harry Roughers is a rough sea and Harry Flatters a calm (flat) sea Harry Blissington is quite marvelous, absolutely glorious hash mark, n number sign Hatton Garden the diamond industry Inf The name of the London street where most of the diamond merchants are located is applied colloquially to designate... also supergrass gratuity, n veteran’s bonus Government bonus to war veterans; a special British usage, in addition to meanings shared with America Grauniad, n see comment An affectionate nickname, coined by Private Eye, for the Guardian newspaper, renowned in the past for its typographical errors grease-proof paper approx waxed paper Not quite the same but generally serving the same functions The British. .. intended to deceive The verb, used intransitively, means to ‘engage in talking humbug’; transitively, to gammon someone is to pull his leg, put him on Slang of a bygone day But see humbug, which has nothing to do with any of this gammy, adj lame; game Slang Usually in the expression gammy leg, meaning ‘game leg.’ An arm may be gammy as well gamp, n umbrella Inf A big one, named after Sarah Gamp, in Martin... (Oxon and Cantab are abbreviations reflecting the Latin spellings of Oxford and Cambridge.) A particularly old-fashioned male might use the term university man to mean graduate graft, v.i Slang knock oneself out grammar school, n see comment A state-maintained school that selects its students by an academic exam at the age of 11 See also eleven plus gramophone, n phonograph greedy 159 granary bread see... halm, n see comment (Rhymes with hawm.) A collective noun, meaning the stalks or stems of growing things generally, and especially thatching material It can be used in a singular sense, too, meaning ‘one stem’ or ‘stalk.’ have a bash at Slang take a shot at Slang To have a bash at something is to give it a try Synonymous with have a go at See go have a doss, Slang Slang get forty winks ... Chuzzlewit, a bibulous lady who carried a large cotton umbrella The common slang term in Britain is brolly G&T, n abbrev gin and tonic gang See breakdown gang; navvy ganger, n gang foreman In charge of a gang of workers Often applies to a foreman in charge of men working on the railroad gangmaster, n see comment Someone who provides workers (often migrants, and sometimes illegally) to do work for another . leg, meaning ‘game leg.’ An arm may be gammy as well. gamp, n. umbrella Inf. A big one, named after Sarah Gamp, in Martin Chuzzlewit, a bibulous lady who carried a large cotton umbrella. The. usually with a layer of whipped cream as well. Flan in America is caramel custard. flannel, n. face cloth Also known in America as washcloth or washrag. But when the British talk of a wash-cloth. help-wanted ads for a forecourt attendant, i.e., somebody to man the gas pumps. Also, in Britain and America, a tennis term meaning the area near the net. Foreign Office approx. State Department Now