American > British Glossary | L
Smoothing transatlantic communication
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P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | Briticisms |
 American
term or expression |
 British
equivalent, or explanation |
|---|---|
| labor union | trade union, trades union |
| ladybug | ladybird |
| ladyfinger (long soft sweet cake) | sponge finger |
| lagniappe | free giveaway or gratuity |
| last name | surname, second name |
| Laundromat™ (coin laundry) | launderette |
| laundry detergent, laundry soap | washing powder |
| laundry room | utility room |
| lawn bowling | bowls |
| lawyer | solicitor
(general lawyer); barrister (lawyer granted the right to plead before the bar in higher courts) |
| layer cake | sponge sandwich |
| lease (rent out property or land) | let |
| leastways | at least |
| legal holiday | bank holiday (mostly on a Monday in the UK) |
| level (tool) | spirit-level |
| leverage (ratio of loan capital to share capital) | gearing |
| liability insurance | third-party insurance |
| license plate (on vehicle) | number plate, registration plate/number |
| lieutenant colonel (U.S. Air Force) | wing commander (Royal Air Force) |
| lieutenant general (U.S. Air Force) | air marshal (Royal Air Force) |
| lieutenant junior grade (U.S. Navy) | sub-lieutenant (Royal Navy) |
| light coffee (coffee with milk or cream added) | white coffee |
| light pole | lamppost |
| lightning rod | lightning conductor |
| like crazy [colloq.] (very fast or hard) | like the clappers [colloq.] |
| lima bean | butter bean (large, flat, creamy, yellow bean) |
| line (of products) | range, product range |
| line (of waiting people) | queue |
| lineup | identity parade |
| liquor | distilled alcohol, spirits |
| liquor cabinet | cocktail cabinet, drinks cupboard |
| liquor store | off-licence |
| list shares on a stock market | list/quote shares on a stock market |
| liverwurst | liver sausage |
| living room | sitting room, lounge, living room; drawing room [formal] |
| locker room (at sports or exercise venue) | changing room |
| longshoreman | docker, dockworker |
| lowboy trailer | low loader |
| lulu [slang] (great-looking girl) | smasher, cracker [both colloq.] |
| lumber | timber |
| lumber
room
(small room
or large cupboard for storage of boxes, etc.) |
boxroom |
| long-distance call | trunk call (call originally made on a trunk phone line) |
| lost and found | lost property, lost property office |
| lot | plot or allotment of land |
