
American > British Glossary | J
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 |
![]() |
![]() |
---|---|
jackhammer | pneumatic drill |
jail, jailhouse | gaol [old fashioned], prison |
janitor | caretaker |
jawbreaker (very large round hard candy) | gobstopper |
Jell-O (a fruit-flavored gelatin dessert) | jelly |
jelly | jam |
jelly beans | bean-shaped, jelly-like fruit sweets similar to jelly babies |
jelly roll | Swiss roll |
jerk [slang] (contemptible man) | bugger, prat, wanker, tosser, toe-rag [all slang] |
jerk off, jack off [slang] (masturbate) | toss off, wank (off) [both slang] |
jersey | in the US, a knitted shirt, especially as part of a uniform |
jewelry | jewellery |
jimmy (short crowbar used by burglars) | jemmy |
jock [colloq.] (derived from 'jockstrap') | an
athletic man (the well-built, rugged type); a person completed absorbed by one single pursuit |
Joe Blow [colloq.] (your average citizen) | Joe Bloggs [colloq.] |
a john [slang] | client of a prostitute |
the john [colloq.] (lavatory, toilet) | the loo [colloq.], bog, carsy [both slang] |
John Doe [colloq.] (your average citizen) | Joe Bloggs [colloq.] |
John Q.
Public, Jane Q. Public (the common man, woman) |
Joe Public, Jane Public |
jugs [slang] (female breasts) | knockers, bristols [both slang], boobs [colloq.] |
jump rope | skipping rope |
jumper | kind of sleeveless dress, usually worn over a skirt |
jumper cables | jump leads |
jumper dress | pinafore dress |
junior (academic) | 3rd-year student/undergraduate on 4-year course |