# British, American different turns of phrase **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 22, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070 "2010-12-22T13:58:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Puff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce73a5/32.png) [@Puff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Puff)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/41 "2010-12-22T18:01:03Z")
> [@BobArrgh](#): > > does the phrase “knock up” in the UK still mean “to knock on someone’s door”? In the US, “knock up” means “to get someone pregnant”. In my lifetime in the UK I’ve never heard it used in the former sense. I have certainly heard it used in the latter many times though. Fair warning. ---
**Author:** ![Puff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce73a5/32.png) [@Puff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Puff)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/42 "2010-12-22T18:05:04Z")
Another favourite: US: Get pissed (become angry) UK: Get pissed (become inebriated) hilarity ensues often in either translation. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/43 "2010-12-22T18:17:55Z")
Another example of a single word that has very different meanings is “revise”:[ul][li]UK: study[/li][li]US: change[/ul]My family lived in England while I was in the equivalent of 7th and 8th grades. I went to a British school (as opposed to the American school on the local military base), and quickly picked up the lingo (and an accent) so as to fit in as best I could: it always threw my parents a little when I would talk about having to revise for a test. :)[/li] > [@BobArrgh](#): > > UK: wait on line > US: wait in line I agree with this difference, yet also I never heard any of my British friends talk about lines: they’d say that they had to queue (or queue up), or that they were queued. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/44 "2010-12-22T18:32:10Z")
US - Let’s stay at your house UK - Let’s stay at yours US - I don’t mind UK - I’m not bothered When speaking of distances or lengths, Brits don’t seem to pluralize. “The boat was fifty mile out and the fish we caught was four foot”. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/45 "2010-12-22T18:37:24Z")
> [@BobArrgh](#): > > UK: wait on line > US: wait in line Not in my experience. I’ve only come across “on line” from US sources. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/46 "2010-12-22T18:59:53Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Not in my experience. I’ve only come across “on line” from US sources. I don’t know about how this is used in the UK, but I think it’s well-known in the US that waiting “on line” as opposed to “in line” is a usage pretty much confined to New York. Within the US, it’s a definitely regionalism. As a hobby, I enjoy reading and writing fanfiction for a canon that is American-based, but has many fans in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, etc. Most fanwriters from those countries make a valiant effort to attempt to recreate the American dialog in their work, but it’s often easy to tell that the writer is not American because some of the difference in word usage is so subtle. Some of the things I notice a lot have already been mentioned, but a few haven’t: US: He’s gotten better. UK: He’s got better. US: I haven’t seen him. UK: I’ve not seen him. In this one, I’m pretty sure the opposite word usages aren’t wrong at all, and I’m sure they’d be understood perfectly, but the second one, at least, is not a standard American word usage. US: I’m supposed to clean the house today. UK: I’m meant to clean the house today. Again, they’re neither of them wrong, they just sound country-specific. At least, to my American ear they do! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/47 "2010-12-22T19:05:10Z")
> [@irishgirl](#): > > UK: Jason dived into the pool/Jason was diving into the pool. > US: Jason dove into the pool. And in the US, “dove” in that context would be pronounced IME with a long “o” to rhyme with the last name of Karl Rove, as distinct from the avian symbol of peace, pronounced with a short “o” as in “of.” ISTR being told once that in the UK “Excuse me” when said on the Underground would mean “Let me through, please,” while in the US it’s what you’d say if you accidentally stepped on someone’s foot. UK: ring up (on the phone) US: call ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/48 "2010-12-22T19:10:28Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > … > US: I’m supposed to clean the house today. > UK: I’m meant to clean the house today. > > Again, they’re neither of them wrong, they just sound country-specific. At least, to my American ear they do! Interesting. As an American, if I said, “I’m supposed to clean the house today,” that would mean, prospectively, that I consider it a (perhaps onerous or bothersome) duty to clean the house today. But if I said, “I [not ‘I’m’] meant to clean the house today,” that would mean, after the fact, that I intended to clean the house but didn’t get around to it for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/49 "2010-12-22T19:30:00Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > One difference I’ve noticed from English law reports is the use of the plural verb for a collective body: > > “The Board are considering the application…” > > I don’t know if that’s just a legal usage, or more general in UK usage. It’s general. In British English, a collective body uses the plurab verb; in American Enlish it uses the singular verb. UK: BP have spilled some oil. US: BP has spilled some oil. It seems to me we’re starting to adopt the US version, though. The one that always gets me is the pronounciation of numbers; I can’t help it, but to me the American way sounds like a toddler trying to talk (I realise that the British way of saying many things sound equally odd to Americans): UK: One hundred and twelve US: One hundred twelve UK: Two thousand and ten US: Two thousand ten ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/50 "2010-12-22T19:33:31Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > US - Let’s stay at your house > UK - Let’s stay at yours No, we’d quite happily say “let’s stay at your house”. That’s not American. > [@](#): > > US - I don’t mind > UK - I’m not bothered No, we’d quite happily say “I don’t mind”. That’s also not American. > [@](#): > > When speaking of distances or lengths, Brits don’t seem to pluralize. > “The boat was fifty mile out and the fish we caught was four foot”. I’ve never heard anyone do that. Sounds like a regionalism (maybe Yorkshire? But in that case they’d say “the boat \*were \*fifty mile out”). It’s not common British usage, at any rate. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/51 "2010-12-22T19:34:51Z")
> [@BobArrgh](#): > > UK: wait on line > US: wait in line Another one I’ve never heard anyone here in the UK say. “Wait on line” sounds pretty weird to me. Everyone I’ve ever met says “Wait in line”. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/52 "2010-12-22T19:45:36Z")
> [@rayman5321](#): > > I couldn’t care less is correct The former is said by ignorant people. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/53 "2010-12-22T19:53:07Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > I’ve never heard anyone do that. Sounds like a regionalism (maybe Yorkshire? But in that case they’d say “the boat \*were \*fifty mile out”). > > It’s not common British usage, at any rate. I’d agree, but if someone were to say to me “how tall are you?” I’d reply “six foot” I know, I know…don’t ask me…I don’t make the rules! not that there are any rules of course we make it up as we go along. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/54 "2010-12-22T19:56:57Z")
> [@Puff](#): > > Another favourite: > > US: Get pissed (become angry) > UK: Get pissed (become inebriated) > > hilarity ensues often in either translation. How about: US: Take a piss (to urinate) UK: Take a piss (to mock or tease someone) ---
**Author:** ![Puff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce73a5/32.png) [@Puff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Puff)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/55 "2010-12-22T20:12:56Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > How about: > > US: Take a piss (to urinate) > UK: Take a piss (to mock or tease someone) Close but no cigar - we’d take _the_ piss out of someone. But it is strange how that word comes up different both times. I can think of another instance of it causing confusion too UK: piss and moan (complain) US: I can only imagine this makes any sense in some strange fetishist way… ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/56 "2010-12-22T20:28:32Z")
> [@](#): > > UK: piss and moan (complain) > US: I can only imagine this makes any sense in some strange fetishist way… Actually, it means the same thing in the US. You can buy T-shirts with “Piss and Moan Club” on them. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/57 "2010-12-22T20:33:01Z")
US: Moved into first. UK: Went top. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/58 "2010-12-22T20:37:48Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > … > UK: Two thousand and ten > US: Two thousand ten Or even, in the US, “twenty ten.” ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/59 "2010-12-22T20:43:20Z")
> [@BobArrgh](#): > > UK: wait on line > US: wait in line I’m married to a Brit of Brummie extraction, and we occasionally have similar conversations. I believe the more common UK phrase is “queue up.” Another Brit friend of mine used to enjoy using variations on the phrase “to knock up,” as in to awake by knocking on the door, knowing full well what “knocked up” means in the US. He enjoyed telling my parents that he knocked me up one morning. :rolleyes: The hubby uses “last but one” to refer to the penultimate or what I would call the second to the last of something, such as in a list. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070/60 "2010-12-22T20:45:44Z")
> [@kath94](#): > > …The hubby uses “last but one” to refer to the penultimate or what I would call the second to the last of something, such as in a list. Or “next to last.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-american-different-turns-of-phrase/565070.md?page=4)