British Phrase - Approximate U.S. Meaning
Example, if appropriate
Note: Most of these were new to me, a couple were not. They are all, in my opinion, lesser known in the U.S. and by virtue of being listed here, they were phrases I actually heard someone in the UK use (although the example does not necessarily reflect the context in which I first heard the phrase).
- Gypsy’s kiss – take a leak
After my third pint, I went for a gypsy's kiss - Tipple – generalization for a drink or refreshment
Fancy a tipple? - Sherbert - refers more directly to a specific beverage
Shane fancied a tipple after work, so we stopped into the pub for a few sherberts. - Blooded – drunk
We stopped for a few sherberts after work and got blooded. - Good'n - singular or plural way of saying a 'good one'; expression of goodness
After a few sherberts, times were good'n. - Bits - pieces or parts
After I put the unit together there were a few bits left over. - Bob’s your uncle - simple, guaranteed success
You take the bits off the plane, put the new bits on, Bob's your uncle, parts are good'n. - Brick shithouse - a measure of speed and agility
With only one engine working, that plane will fly like a brick shithouse. - Shit off a shovel - fast
A brick shithouse would fall out of the sky faster than shit off a shovel. - Jacket potato - baked potato
- Spot on - perfect; well done
- Useless as tits on a warthog - impractical
Without any street signs, following directions in England is as useless as tits on a warthog. - Bees knees - sweet; awesome
My new International cell phone is bees knees. - Fuck that for a game of soldiers - to give up or refuse to do something; expression of disgust or futility
When we approached the parking structure and saw that it was closed--with our car still inside--Kevin exclaimed "fuck that for a game of soldiers". - Gutted - to feel awful about something
The bus driver was just gutted about having to charge us two pounds for a five minute ride. - Shag ass - An expression of extreme speed
When we finally got back to the parking lot, we paid our bill and shagged ass out of there. - More than you can shake a hairy stick at - a lot
England has more roundabouts than you can shake a hairy stick at. - Skinful – to have lots to drink
We stopped at the pub and had a skinful. - Ham shank - stupid American tourist
The cabbie tried to charge us twelve pounds for an eight pound cab ride, he must have thought I was a pretty big ham shank. - Wanker - an idiot or a person who likes to show off
- Cheers - thanks; have a good day
- She's the cat's mother - a rebuke for referring to a woman as "she" instead of by her name
- Bin - verb meaning "to throw something away"
I no longer needed the report so I binned it. - Someone wearing much longer trousers than mine - someone more important or with more authority than I have
The decision to buy a new car will have to be made by someone with much longer trousers than mine. - Sort your dog out - to get something in order, like a barking dog
- Go on then
- It doesn't take the brains of an arch bishop
- Brilliant - excellent, totally cool
You have to go see the new Bourne movie, it's brilliant. - Canteen - cafeteria
- Nick - Jail also nicked - to get arrested
- Smiling assassin
- Useless as a chocolate teapot
- Square root of useless
- Hoover - v. the act of vacuuming
- Craic pronounced crack - fun; jolly good time