EFL teacher David Appleyard
CUP free search box

American > British Glossary | G

Smoothing transatlantic communication
Index of Americanisms
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          |  
 Briticisms

 

AmericanAmerican term or expression BritishBritish equivalent, or explanation
gadfly breeze
gallon (1 U.S. gallon = 3.79 liters) gallon (1 imperial gallon = 4.55 litres)
game (sports event) match (soccer, rugby, cricket, tennis, etc.)
garbage rubbish, refuse
garbage can, garbage barrel dustbin
garbage dump rubbish tip
garbage man dustman, rubbish collector, refuse collector [formal]
garbage truck dustcart
garter belt suspender belt
garters (support for women's stockings) suspenders
gasoline, gas [colloq.], petrol
gas gauge petrol gauge, fuel gauge
gas pedal accelerator
gas station petrol station, filling station, service station, garage
gate (at train station) ticket barrier  
gawk [colloq.]  (stare in a rude or stupid manner) gawp [colloq.] 
gear changer (on bicycle) gear lever
gearshift (in car) gear lever, gearstick  
general (U.S. Air Force) Air Chief Marshal (Royal Air Force)
general delivery (mail to pick up at a post office) poste restante
General of the Air Force (U.S. Air Force) Marshal of the Royal Air Force (RAF)
General of the Army (U.S. Army) Field Marshal (British Army)
German shepherd (dog) Alsatian
get your panties in a knot [colloq.]
      (meaning get agitated over something)  
get your knickers in a twist [colloq.]  
G.I. Joe (military-themed doll) Action Man (UK equivalent)
give someone a call  (telephone) give someone a ring
give someone a ride (in your car) give someone a lift
glasshouse greenhouse
glom onto [slang] begin to show a strong liking for something
go (n.) (try, attempt)   bash, whack [both colloq.], go
  (as in 'I had a whack at mending it but failed')
go to a movie theater, go to the movies go to the cinema; go to the flicks / pictures [colloq.]
gob [slang] sailor
gofer [colloq.] (person assigned only boring tasks) dogsbody [colloq.]
golden raisin sultana
gondola goods wag(g)on (open & flat-bottomed type)
goof, goof-up (n.)  [colloq.] silly mistake
goof, goofball [slang] (inept, annoying,
                                      foolish person)
prat, jerk [both slang]
goof around fool around; bungle or spoil through clumsiness
goof up (v.) [colloq.] slip up (i.e. make a stupid mistake)
goon (thug or criminal) man hired to threaten, intimidate or hurt opponents
goose bumps goose pimples
GOP [abbrev.]  ('Grand Old Party') the US Repubican Party
grab bag lucky dip
grade (school class) form (as in 'from September he's in the 2nd form')
grade crossing (on a railroad) level crossing, railway crossing
graduate (n.) school leaver of any age/level completing a course
graduate (v.) leave any school or institution of learning after successful completion of a course
graduate school postgraduate school
graduated beaker or cylinder  (in chemistry lab) measuring beaker, measuring cylinder
green bean French bean
green onion spring onion
green thumb (as in 'she has a green thumb',
                       i.e. she is good at growing plants)
green fingers (as in 'she's got green fingers')  
greeting card greetings card
gridiron playing field marked with lines for American football
grind (v.) (for an exam, etc.) swot
ground (electrical); grounded earth; earthed
ground meat mince, minced meat
ground wire earth wire
groundhog woodchuck
groundskeeper (looks after sports field, park, etc.) groundsman
guardrail crash barrier
gumshoe [old-fashioned slang]   detective (who moves stealthily in rubber shoes)
gurney light bed on wheels for moving hospital patients
guy (male person, fellow) bloke, geezer, mush [all slang], chap