EFL teacher David Appleyard
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American > British Glossary | L

Smoothing transatlantic communication
Index of Americanisms
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 Briticisms

 

AmericanAmerican term or expression BritishBritish 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long-distance call trunk call (call originally made on a trunk phone line)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