In progress...

A Convenient Guide For Cross-referencing (One hopes)

In deference to the actual nationality of this website, the compiler lists all words by their UK manifestation. It should also be noted that there is much cross-pollination between our two(+) dialects, and as such some word entries may seem redundant as some or all of the word equivalents may be used similarly on both sides of The Pond. This is indeed a very fuzzy exercise in comparative linguistics , and debate with regards to my choices in entries and layout is quite welcome.

A - F

4X4 - SUV (sport/utility vehicle)

'A' roads - highways

accelerator - gas pedal

anaesthetist - anesthesiologist

aeroplane - airplane

alsatian - german shepherd

aluminium - aluminum

american football - football

aubergine - eggplant

autumn - autumn, fall

barrister - attorney, lawyer

biro - ballpoint pen

biscuit - cookie

bog roll - toilet paper, bathroom tissue

bonnet (of car) - hood

boot (of car) - trunk

bowler hat - derby hat

braces - suspenders

brake van - caboose

burgled - burglarized

car hire - car rental

car park - parking lot

cellotape - tape, sticky tape, scotch tape

central reservation - median, island

chemist, pharmacy - pharmacy, drugstore

chemist - pharmacist

chips - french fries

chuffed - pleased

cinema - movies, movie theater, movie house

cockerel - rooster

conscription - draft

cooker, hob - range, stove, stovetop

coriander - cilantro (fresh leafy bit), coriander (seeds)

courgette - zucchini

cupboard - cupboard, pantry

crisps - chips

dodgy - questionable

dual carriageway - divided highway, freeway, interstate

dummy - pacifier, binky

dust bin, bin - trash/garbage can

estate car - station wagon

film - movie

fireman - fireman, fire fighter

first floor - second floor

flannel - washcloth

flat - apartment

flatbed - pick-up truck

flyover - overpass

football - soccer

full beams (cars) - high beams

G - L

garbageman, binman - sanitation engineer, garbageman, trashman

garden - yard

girder - i-beam

goods van - box car

ground floor - first floor

guard (railway) - conductor

hallway - lobby

handbag - purse

hard disk - hard drive

icing - icin/frosting

indicate (driving) - signal

indicator - turn signal

jumper - sweater

junction - intersection

keen on - interested in

kitchen paper - paper towel

knickers - female panties

lager - beer

laundrette - laundromat

lift - elevator

lorry - truck

M - S

manual (car)- manual, stickshift, stick

maths - math

mileometer - odometer

mince - ground meat

(in a) moment - momentarily

motorway - freeway, interstate

moulting - shedding

MPV (multi-person vehicle) - van

multi-story car park - parking garage

mum - mom

nap - nappy (slang)

nappies - diapers

note (currency) - bill

off-license - liquor store

overtake (driving) - pass

panda car - patrol/cop car

pants, underpants - underwear, briefs, panties, undies, tightie-whities

pavement - sidewalk

pavilion - clubhouse

people carrier - minivan

petrol(eum) - gas(oline)

pick-up truck - wrecker

plaster - bandaid, sterile bandage

plasterboard - sheet rock, drywall

point (railway) - switch

policeman - police officer, policeman

postman - postal carrier, mail man

pram, pushchair - baby buggy, baby carriage, stroller

promenade - boardwalk

purse - coin, change purse

queue - line

railway carriage - railroad car

railway - railroad

railway truck - freight car

rapeseed oil - canola oil

rear lights - tail lights

ring - burner

removal man - mover

renovation - renovation, remodeling

road works - construction

roundabout - traffic circle

rubber - eraser

scone (savoury) - biscuit

semi-detached housing - duplex

settee, sofa - sofa, couch

sieve - flour-sifter

skip - dumpster

sleeper - railroad tie

sleeping policeman - speed bump

slip road - entry/exit ramp

soft drink - soda, pop, tonic, coke

solicitor - attorney, lawyer

spanner - wrench

studs - cleats

subway - underpass (pedestrian)

suspender - garter

T - Z

tap - faucet

tarmac - blacktop, pavement

terraced housing - townhouse, brownstone

tights - tights, pantyhose, stockings

toilet - restroom, bathroom, ladies/mens room

traffic lights - traffic lights, traffic signals, stop lights

trainer (shoe) - sneaker, tennis shoes, tennies, trainers

tram - streetcar, cable car

trilby - fedora

trolley - shopping cart

trousers - pants

tyre - tire

underground - subway

verge (road) - edge

vest - undershirt, wife beater(slang, obviously)

waistcoat - vest

wardrobe - cupboard, closet (for clothes)

wheel nut - lug nut

windscreen - windshield

wing (car) - fender

wing mirrors - side mirrors

winkers (cars) - blinkers

yard - paving, pavement, concrete

zebra crossing - crosswalk

False Cognates

For slang false cognates, please refer to the section following this one

Prom (UK): classical music concerts held annually at the Royal Albert Hall
Prom (US): year-end formal dance for high school juniors and seniors

moulting (UK): shedding
Molting (US): the shedding of feathers or exoskeleton

sod (UK): 1. a person considered to be obnoxious, 2. a jocular word for a person, 3. a strong exclamation of annoyance; a shortening of "sodomite", i.e. - "what a lazy sod," "sod it," "sodding hell."
sod (US): turf

pinch (UK): steal, nick
pinch (US): squeeze

sieve (UK): kitchen utensil for sifting flour
sieve (US): small colander/strainer

Slang

*cough*..Oh, I should note that obviously this list is not meant to be exhaustive, but rather to point out potential sources of confusion.

b*nt (* denotes 'i') - b*tch (* denotes 'i')

bog, khazi, thunderbox (toilet)- john, head, can

bum - butt, buns, fanny, backside

bum, dosser, pan-handler - bum, panhandler, beggar

camp - flaming, gay

dog-end, fag-end, dimp - cigarette butt, stogey

durex (condom) - rubber, trojan

(to)eat - nosh

fag - cigarette, ciggie

fanny - t**t, box, p*ssy (* denotes 'u')

manky - nasty, skanky

natch - naturally

nosh (food) - grub

pants (adj.) - cr*p (* denotes 'a')

pinch - filch, steal

p*ssed (* denotes 'i') - drunk

p*ssed off, angry - p*ssed off, p*ssed

randy - horny

tart - tramp, whore, tease, skank

tramp, hobo - tramp, bum, hobo

t**t - twerp

w**k (* denotes 'a') - jerk/beat off

Help Me Out

Some words I'm having trouble with:

plimsolls

policeman slang, i.e. bobby, cop, etc.

concrete/tarmac/pavement/blacktop/asphalt...

what is wardrobe (free-standing closet of sorts for clothes) in the UK?

pants (adj.) - great?

buns, pastries, etc. etc.

in good nick - heard that obnoxious blonde on Changing Rooms use this phrase..I assume it means 'in good shape/condition'?

Any suggestions as to words, or threads/entries related to this topic would be greatly appreciated in the Conversation Center below.

Credits

Most material in this entry is courtesy of Shea's UK/US Dictionary, and at some point I will pull ideas from sites such as the following:
effingpot.com