British english a to z_8 pdf

site, v.t. locate Large-scale industry is sited in the Midlands. Americans would have said located or situated. sitrep, n. see comment Report on current situation; a military abbreviation. sitter-in, n. baby-sitter An archaic term. See also child-minder. sitting, n. approx. serving Some London restaurants have several sittings a night; that is why it’s so important to book (reserve) in advance. Nobody rings up a restaurant and asks for this or that sitting (which is simply a restaurateur’s term) as one used to on large ships. sitting, adj. incumbent In discussing American presidential elections, British television commentators and newspaper columnists invariably refer to the ‘sitting president.’ Americans call the president the incumbent, using the adjective as a substantive to describe the one in office. sitting-room, n. living-room Sitting-room sounds old-fashioned in America. Living-room is coming into use as a synonym for sitting-room. See also lounge; reception-room; drawing-room. sitting tenant statutory tenant A tenant in situ, who is legally entitled to remain so despite the expiration of his or her lease. situations vacant help wanted Advertisement page heading. Synonymous with vacancies. situpon, n. Inf. backside This is a particularly coy word, usually applied to the female genitals by a health- worker who is uneasy about referring to the anatomical parts by their proper name. And how is your situpon feeling? six, n. see comment In cricket, a fly ball that lands beyond the boundary (the white line marking the outer limits of the playing field, or ground) scores six runs, as compared with a boundary, which scores only four. A six is the supreme achievement of a batsman, and rarely happens. It is far rarer than a home run in baseball. To hit (sometimes knock) a person for six is to knock him for a loop, knock the daylights out of him, in the sense of demolishing an opponent in an argument. One can hit something (as well as someone) for six: a weak argument from an adversary, for example. See also batsman; cricket. sixpence, n. See Appendix II.A. sixpence 329 sixth form see comment The normal curriculum at a secondary school (usually ages 13–18) consists of five forms (grades). Some pupils go into a higher form, called the sixth form, to prepare for university. A pupil in this form is called a sixth-former. See also A-levels and AS-Levels. sizar, n. see comment Student at Cambridge, and at Trinity College, Dublin, on part or full scholarship. Originally, a sizar had to perform certain duties for other students that are now taken care of by paid employees of the College. Servitor, now obsolete, was the approximate equivalent at some Oxford colleges. See also bursar. skew-whiff, adj., adv., Inf. crooked(ly); askew skier. See sky ball. skilly, n. see comment Broth made of oatmeal and water, usually flavored with meat. A very thin type of gruel. Also known as skilligalee, and skilligolee, accented on the final syllable. skimble-scamble, skimble-skamble, adj. confused, rambling, incoherent This lively adjective might describe a narration of a frightening experience, or an attempt to explain something beyond the speaker’s power of comprehension. skin, n. cigarette paper Slang. See also skin up, roll-up. skin up, v.i. Slang. to roll a cigarette Using a skin, and either with tobacco or with something illegal. skinful, n. Slang. load on Slang. An awful lot to drink. To have got a skinful or one’s skinful is to be stinkin’ drunk. skinhead, n. approx. Inf. young tough Slang. A special breed of hoodlum characterized by very closely cropped hair. See also rough. skint, adj., Slang. Slang. dead broke skip, n. 1. Dumpster 2. refuse container 3. college servant 1. Large refuse container used by building contractors at the site. Cf. skivvy- bin. 2. See gyp. skipper captain Inf. Of a cricket side. skipping-rope, n. jump rope And to skip is to jump rope. See Appendix I.A.3. 330 sixth form skirt, n. flank Butcher’s term; a skirt of beef. skirting, skirting-board, n. baseboard skive, v.i. Slang. goldbrick Slang. Military slang, synonymous with scrimshank and dodge the column; to goof off, shirk, get out of working. The term is now used throughout society. A skiver is a practitioner of this type of evasion. See also swing it; swing the lead. skivvy, n., v.i. see comment Inf. A term of derogation for a female domestic doing menial work. No American slang equivalent. skivvy-bin, n. dumpster; public rubbish receptacle Inf. About ten ton capacity; strategically placed by local authorities for dumping refuse that the regular dustman won’t take away. skulk, v.i. shirk As an intransitive verb skulk means to ‘hide’ or ‘slink about’ in both countries. A third meaning, to ‘shirk,’ is exclusively British. sky ball approx. pop fly A cricket term, often written skier (pronounced sky’ er). slack, v.i., Slang. Slang. goof off slag, n. 1. waste from coal mining 2. Slang. see comment 2. A pejorative term for a woman, especially one whom the speaker considers promiscuous or physically unattractive. slag heap, n. see comment A hill comprising the waste from a mine. Old slag heaps are often planted with grass to disguise their origin. slag off, v.t., Slang. see comment To criticize, mock, or deride. To slag someone off is to give him hell, let him have it, or criticize him severely when he is not present. slang, v.t. abuse; revile Inf. A slanging-match is an altercation, a helluva row, in which everybody washes everybody else’s dirty linen but nobody’s gets clean. slang, back. See back slang. slant-tailed, adj. fastback Automotive term. See also Appendix II.E. slap, adv. Inf. right Inf. Examples: slap through is right through; slap into is right into. To walk slap into someone is to bump into him. Now rare. slap 331 slap-down, adv. Inf. one hundred percent Inf. As in: I am slap-down on his side, referring to a disagreement between two persons. An American would be likely to say: I am one hundred percent with (or against) him. slap-head, n. Slang. bald man slapper, n., Slang. see comment A derogatory term for a sexually promiscuous woman. slap-up, adj. Inf. bang-up Inf. First rate, great, terrific, up to date. The British once used both slap-up and bang- up commonly; both would be considered old-fashioned now. A slap-up do meant a ‘bang-up job,’ a first-rate piece of work, and especially a splendid party with no expense spared. slash, n., v.i., Vulgar. (to) piss slate, on the. See on the slate. slate, v.t. Inf. pan Inf. To express a harsh criticism. Thus: The reviewers slated the book unmercifully. Synonymous with send up rotten. But when a Lancashire girl says I am slated, she means her petticoat is showing. Slate roofs are common in that county; the slabs are affixed in layers, like shingles, and sometimes a slab hangs over the edge when it is not supposed to. Another quaint expression on the subject of slips showing is “Charley’s dead!” which, when said to a woman, means ‘Your slip is showing.’ slate club lodge In the sense of ‘mutual aid society.’ The members pay modest weekly dues, called subscriptions in Britain. slaughtered, adj. Inf. very drunk slavey, n. see comment Slang. A maid of all work. Usually connotes one employed to do more work than one should. No American slang equivalent. sledge, n., v.t. sled Children go sledging in Britain, but sledding, or more commonly coasting, in America, where a sledge is a heavy vehicle used in pulling loads, usually over snow or ice. sleeper, n. railroad tie sleep in sleep late Not used in the American sense of domestic servants who live with the family they work for. 332 slap-down sleeping partner silent partner sleeping policeman. See ramp; rumble strip. sleep rough sleep in the open Inf. Out of doors, the way the youngsters do it for fun on the road, and the home- less do it because they’re homeless. sleepy, adj. overripe Of fruit, especially pears. sleepy sickness sleeping sickness Encephalitis lethargica in both countries. sleeve link, n. cuff link slice, n. bracket A term used in connection with British taxation. The rates go up as the slices go up. American rates follow a similar type of pattern, but the slices are known as brackets. Synonyms are band and tranche (the latter borrowed from the French). slide, n., v.i. 1. fall; drop 2. barrette 1. Used of stock exchange prices when the news is bad. sliding keel centerboard The British use sliding keel to refer to a hinged centerboard, and centreboard and centreplate for the kind that pull up vertically without pivots. Both countries used daggerplate for small centerboards that can be pulled up and out and stored when not in use. slim, v.i. diet As in, I mustn’t have any butter on my toast; I’m slimming. An American would say: I am dieting, or more commonly, I am on a diet. See also bant. slime, v.i., Slang. Inf. get away with it slinger, n. sausage Army slang. Can also mean dumpling. A more common slang term for an English sausage is banger. slip, n. extreme side seat Theater term. There are upper slips and lower slips (depending on which gallery), too near the side walls to afford satisfactory vision. slip-on shoes loafers More usually called slip-ons. slipover, n. sleeveless sweater slipper bath see comment A bathtub in the shape of a slipper, with one covered end. Did they ever exist in America? Just about obsolete in Britain. slipper bath 333 slippy. See look slippy! slip road access road The road by which one enters or leaves a parkway or turnpike. slip seat jump seat Sloane Rangers see comment The sardonic name given young upper class or upper-middle class persons liv- ing in the vicinity of Sloane Square. They dress expensively and conservatively (silk scarves tied under their chins), and spend weekends in the country hunting. Often shortened as Sloaney, and not used as much as it once was. slop, n. cop Slang. Slop developed as a shortened form of ecilop, which is police spelled back- wards. This is an example of back slang. For synonyms see bobby. slope off, Slang. Inf. sneak off slop out see comment Slang. To slop out is to carry out one’s chamber pot, slops-pail, or whatever vessel is provided in unsanitary, overcrowded prisons for the inmates. This is a hateful practice imposed on prisoners in antiquated quarters lacking proper toilet facili- ties, much protested by the inmates. slops, n. pl., Slang. 1. sailors’ clothes and bedding 2. sloppy clothes 1. Issued by the navy. 2. Ready-made, and uncared for. slosh, v.t. smack Inf. In the sense of ‘hit.’ sloshed, adj. Slang. smashed Slang. Tipsy, tight, squiffed, i.e., intoxicated. See also have one over the eight; skin- ful; squiffy; pissed. slot machine vending machine Not for gambling. A distinction worth remembering, as the British phrase may well raise unfounded hopes in an American’s breast. See also fruit machine, and expressions derived from slot machine: penny in the slot; (the) penny dropped. slowcoach n., Inf. Inf. slowpoke slow off the mark, Inf. slow on the uptake Inf. See also off the mark. slow train local And fast train is the term for express. See also stopping train. slut, n. see comment In Britain, a slut can be a woman with poor housekeeping habits as well as a woman of loose morals. 334 slippy slut’s wool dust balls Inf. The stuff that collects under the bed, behind the bureau, and other hard-to- reach places. sly fox. See Tom Tiddler’s ground. smack, v.t. spank A euphemism applied solely to the hitting of (usually) a child, for purposes of chastisement. Whereas spanking is usually taken to mean the application of palm to backside, smack can mean any type of slap. Used also as a noun. I gave her a smack. smacker, n. see comment Slang. Pound (currency). Smacker is also old-fashioned American slang for dollar, in this sense competing with simoleon, bone, and buck. Also meaning a loud kiss in Britain as well as in America. small ad classified ad small beer Inf. small-time Inf. Matters or persons of little importance are small beer. smallholding, n. see comment An agricultural unit smaller than a commercially-run farm. Smallholdings will produce one or more of the products of farming—crops or animals—but their owners, who are called smallholders, do not normally derive their sole income from them. They are often a kind of hobby for the wealthy. small hours wee hours Anytime from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. Surely you and I are not up at those hours. Or are we missing something? smalls, n. pl. 1. Inf. undies 2. see comment 1. Thus called whatever their size —or the size of the wearer. 2. Smalls was the informal term for responsions, once an Oxford examination procedure, now abolished. smarmy, adj. Slang. oily Slang. In the sense of ‘toadying,’ or fulsomely flattering. smartish, adv. Slang. on the double Slang. Tell the doctor to get here smartish! To walk smartish or smartly is to be going at a rapid pace. For a different and more common use of -ish, see -ish. smash, n. Slang. smashup Slang. Traffic accident. smashing, adj. Inf. terrific Inf. And a smasher, meaning ‘something terrific,’ usually refers to a girl, some- times to a car. Adopted in America. smashing 335 smooth in get settled Inf. “I haven’t smoothed in yet”—said by a man in a village antique shop when asked where the nearest post-box was. He’d been in the village only a week or so and hadn’t settled in yet, found his way about, got to know the place, etc. snaffle, v.t. grab, take Especially with a connotation of taking more than one’s due. The gingerbread men smelled so good, I snaffled the lot. snag, n. Inf. trouble; catch Inf. When a Briton wants to explain what is holding something up, he very often starts the sentence with the phrase, The snag is . . . . Americans tell you what the catch is, or the hitch, or the problem, or the trouble. snapper, n. snap Fastener used in dressmaking. An American snapper, the kind served at children’s parties, is called a cracker in Britain. See also popper. snap-tin, n., Inf. sandwich box snick, n. see comment Inf. A cricket term for a ball not hit squarely but caught by the edge of the bat. See also cricket; batsman. snicket, n. alley Synonymous with twitten. sniggle v.i. fish for small eels Term used in both countries. snip, n. 1. a bargain 2. Inf. sure thing 3. Inf. cinch 4. Inf. steal 1. Inf. An advantageous purchase. 2. Inf. In the sense of a ‘cinch,’ a ‘certainty.’ This usage originated in racing slang; sometimes dead snip. 3. Inf. In the sense of ‘anything easily done.’ 4. Inf. In the sense of ‘bargain.’ snob, n. see comment Slang. A shoemaker or cobbler, for which there appears to be no slang American equivalent. This usage is pretty well confined to oldtimers in the countryside. snog, v.i., v.t. Slang. neck Kiss and caress, that is. May also be used as a noun; we had a quick snog. snookered, adj. Slang. up the creek; in a tight spot. Slang. (The oo is long, as in roof.) The British borrow their adjective describing this unhappy condition from the game of snooker, a variety of pocket billiards. 336 smooth in snorter, n. 1. Slang. humdinger 2. punch in the nose 1. Slang. Anything outstanding. 2. Slang. But it can be used metaphorically, as in I wrote him a snorter (i.e., an angry letter). snorting, adj. fabulous Slang. Rarely heard nowadays. snotty, n. 1. midshipman 2. Slang. short-tempered 3. Inf. snooty Slang. Sometimes snottie. Midshipmen wear buttons on their sleeves. A naval joke is that they are there to prevent the young sailors from wiping their noses on their sleeves. snout, n., Slang. 1. Slang. stoolie 2. Slang. butt 1. A police informer. 2. A cigarette, especially in prison argot. snowboots, n. pl. galoshes Slang. In Britain galoshes are what the Americans call rubbers, or overshoes. See also gumboots; Wellingtons; boots. snowed up snowed in See Appendix I.A.1. snuff it Slang. croak Slang. Synonymous with drop off the hooks, i.e., kick the bucket. snug, n. see comment At some pubs, the bar-parlor, a room offering more privacy than the rest of the establishment. Often called the snuggery. snuggery, n. den Slang. One’s particular hideaway at home. Also applied to a bar-parlor in a pub. See snug. sociable, n. S-shaped couch Designed for two occupants partly facing each other. social contract see comment Historically, this phrase has meant a presumed voluntary agreement among individuals pursuant to which an organized society is brought into existence, or an agreement between the community and the governing authority defining the rights and obligations of each party. In Britain after 1974, it long signified an unwritten arrangement between the Labour Government and the trade unions, whereunder, in consideration of wage restraint by the unions, the govern- ment carried out certain policies, such as price control, limitation of corporate dividends, maintenance of welfare benefits, etc., in favor of the unions. Used less nowadays than in days gone by. See also pay policy. social contract 337 social housing see comment Living quarters provided as a public service for those who cannot afford free- market rents or property prices. Social housing can take many forms and be pro- vided by different funding bodies: local councils, public-service employers (e.g. hospitals), private charities and sometimes private companies. Often different sources will work together on a single scheme. The importance of social housing has increased since the right to buy led to a depletion of local councils’ housing stock. sock drawer see comment Inf. To put something into one’s sock drawer is to secrete it in safekeeping. For example, a confidential document, not intended for another’s eyes. The closest American expression might be the cookie jar, a place to secrete money taken from the household budget. socket, n. electrical outlet sod, n. Slang. bastard Slang. This vulgar term of abuse should really not be used in mixed company. Technically, it cannot be applied to a woman. The reason is that it is short for sod- omite. However, British people of both sexes, unaware of its origin, are now heard to hurl it at persons of either sex. Sod all is an intensification of bugger all, which is, in turn, an intensification of damn all, and means ‘not a goddamned thing.’ Sod means ‘goddamn’ in the expression sod him (her, it, them). Sodding is another way of saying goddamned, as in sodding little bastard. sod all. See under sod. sodding. See under sod. Sod’s Law Murphy’s Law Inf. If anything can possibly go wrong with a test or experiment, it will. Origi- nally applied to the natural sciences, the use of this law has been extended to cover day to day living and reads simply, If anything can possibly go wrong it will, to which has been added, and it will happen at the worst possible moment. soft furnishings curtain material In a British department store, if you wanted the drapery department, you would ask for soft furnishings; if you asked for the drapery department you would find yourself looking at dress materials. See also draper’s shop. soft goods textiles soldier on Slang. stick with it Inf. To soldier, often soldier on the job, means to ‘loaf on the job’ in both countries, to ‘shirk.’ To soldier on, by itself, means to ‘persevere doggedly,’ to ‘stay with it,’ ‘keep plugging’ or whatever else one who resembles John Bull does in the face of hopeless odds. soldiers, n. pl. bread strips Inf. Bread cut into strips, to be dipped into soft-boiled eggs; term used mostly by children. Grown-ups sometimes call them fingers. 338 social housing [...]... describes a pavement built by pressing a tar binder over crushed stone, and in Britain a ‘prepared tar concrete poured and shaped on tea 363 a roadway to construct a hard surface.’ As a transitive verb, tarmac means to tar a road See also macadam 2 Tarmac has now acquired the specialized meaning of ‘air-field,’ especially the part made of this material tart, n 1 pie 2 loose woman 1 What Americans think... you stop at my house instead of the inn? To stop away is to stay away Also, I’m happy and I want to stop like this A good pal will stop up with you all night when you’re in trouble With a bad cold, you may want to stop in for a couple of days 2 Dental terminology Cavities are stopped or filled in Britain, and a stopping is a filling stoppage, n For example, withholding tax deduction from wages stopping... ‘hotel charges’ or ‘restaurant charges.’ 2 Especially one imposed by the Home Secretary rather than a judge tarmac, n 1 blacktop 2 airfield 1 In America tarmac refers to the bituminous binder used in the making of tar roads Tarmac started out as a trademark for a binder for road surfaces, but now generally refers to any bituminous road surface binder It is a shortening of tar macadam, which in America describes... related to rousing an animal from its lair starters, n pl appetizers Slang As in, What do you fancy for starters, love? Chi-chi restaurants occasionally use the terms starters and afters self-consciously in menus starting handle Automobile term, now rather archaic See wind, v.t., and Appendix II.E crank star turn Inf topnotch talent Inf A turn, in vaudeville days, was an act; a star turn was a headliner... sugar crystals See coffee sugar sultana, n white raisin In Britain a sultana is a small seedless raisin, light yellow in color Sultanas are used in puddings, cakes, buns, etc (see bath bun) In America sultanas are a variety of grape, pale yellow in color, which when dried become what Americans call white raisins They are also used as a source of white wine With an initial capital s, Sultana, in America,... for each party, and usually paid weekly without billing In depressed areas, the practice has given way to regular installment buying, called hire-purchase, or more popularly the never-never, in Britain Tannoy, n Inf A proprietary name gone generic Inf P .A system tap, n faucet Tap (as a noun) is heard in America, faucet is also heard in Britain But Americans speak of tap-water, never faucet-water taped,... perfectly straightforward straight on, adv straight ahead streaky bacon bacon The kind commonly seen in America, less so in Britain; having alternate streaks of fat and lean stream, n 1 lane 2 see comment 1 Traffic usually flows in streams in Britain rather than in lanes as in America It is customary in Britain to speak of the left stream, the right stream, and the wrong stream 2 For school usage, see... sweet Fanny Adams sweet Fanny Adams nothing at all Slang Fanny Adams was a real live girl who was killed two years after the end of the American Civil War Her murderer cut her into little pieces and threw them into a hop field The legend of that obscene crime led to the coining of the name Fanny Adams as military slang for ‘tinned mutton.’ This seems to have nothing whatever to do with sweet Fanny Adams... See top and tail tail after Follow closely pursue tailcoat, n cutaway take a decision make a decision take against Also, begin to dislike oppose take (one) all (one’s) time be all one can do Inf It takes me all my time to pay for the food means It’s all I can do to pay for the food Thus, He’s so fat it takes him all his time to get up the stairs take a rise out of, Inf Inf get a rise out of take a scunner... called squails, on a round table called a squail board square, n 1 paper napkin 2 mortar-board 1 Inf See also serviette 2 Slang University jargon square, adj even Inf As in a square hundred (pounds, e.g.), where an American would speak of an even hundred square-bashing, n close order drill But in a more general sense, loosely applied to any type of marching about on a military parade ground or barrack . purposes of chastisement. Whereas spanking is usually taken to mean the application of palm to backside, smack can mean any type of slap. Used also as a noun. I gave her a smack. smacker, n. see. wits, managing to skirt the law. More specifically, a petty criminal small-scale black market operator. Also applied to race-track touts. spiv 341 spliff, n. Slang. joint; marijuana cigarette split-arse,. squire and parson, a portmanteau word. squash, n. soda pop A soft drink. A lemon squash is a lemonade, an orange squash an orangeade, and so on. The drink is commonly made from a concentrate to