# What do these Britishisms mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 29, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623 "2009-10-29T16:32:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/1 "2009-10-29T16:32:27Z")
I was reading a Jane Green book set in CT, but Britishisms crept in here and there. In one spot, she refers to the female character going to yoga class in yoga pants and a “vest”. What does that mean? I thought maybe it meant t-shirt but then she mentioned t-shirt in the next sentence referring to someone else in the class. Could it be a tank top? [![](http://images.steepandcheap.com/images/items/medium/ODR/ODR0551/SUN.jpg) ](http://images.steepandcheap.com/images/items/medium/ODR/ODR0551/SUN.jpg) Then I was reading a book set in Dublin and the author refers to the guy carrying a “holdall”. And then says it has groceries in it. Would this be a tote bag kind of thing? [http://www.qispackaging.com.au/request\_quotes/images/rfq/plain/nwpp.jpg](http://www.qispackaging.com.au/request_quotes/images/rfq/plain/nwpp.jpg) I know I could look these up but this is more fun, and folks can add others. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/2 "2009-10-29T16:36:22Z")
I don’t know the answer to your question, but it took me a long time to figure out “jumper” - which is a pullover sweatshirt and perhaps also a fleece. At least where I come from, a jumper is [this](http://www.finitesite.com/vesselsofmercy/girlsjumper.html.JPG). Mostly worn by little girls or school teachers. It’s strange to hear a 20-something guy talk about his new Oasis jumper or something. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/3 "2009-10-29T16:39:41Z")
Yes, I think jumper = sweater. Only because of Bridget Jones’s Diary where Mark Darcy shows up in the Christmas jumper. And later from the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/4 "2009-10-29T16:46:28Z")
Right on the vest. A vest in the UK is usually a sleeveless undergarment for the torso - like a US wifebeater thing for a man and like the one in your link for a woman. A holdall is a bag but it’s more of a sports bag IME, rather than a shopping bag. Like a big kit bag you might use to bring all your sports stuff in somewhere, but c be basically used for anything. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/5 "2009-10-29T16:48:12Z")
A vest is an undershirt, and a holdall is a sports bag or similar travel bag, so it would slightly odd to use it for groceries. [edit]Actually, I think the garment in the first link would also be called a vest, or a sports vest or whatever. Particularly because it’s sleeveless. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/6 "2009-10-29T16:59:58Z")
> [@Busy\_Scissors](#): > > A holdall is a bag but it’s more of a sports bag IME, rather than a shopping bag. Like a big kit bag you might use to bring all your sports stuff in somewhere, but c be basically used for anything. Like a duffel bag? [![](http://www.hammerdownusa.com/DuffelBagClean550px.jpg) ](http://www.hammerdownusa.com/DuffelBagClean550px.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/7 "2009-10-29T17:10:40Z")
While we’re defining Britishisms–what are “plus fours”? They refer to them in the fourth Harry Potter book–a wizard wearing inappropriate Muggle clothes is wearing them, but there’s no explanation. ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/8 "2009-10-29T17:11:16Z")
I was surprised to learn that the “boot” and “bonnet” is the trunk and hood of a car. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/9 "2009-10-29T17:22:01Z")
> [@winterhawk11](#): > > While we’re defining Britishisms–what are “plus fours”? They refer to them in the fourth Harry Potter book–a wizard wearing inappropriate Muggle clothes is wearing them, but there’s no explanation. If it’s the same as what golfers wear, they’re knee pants like Payne Stewart (RIP) used to wear. [http://www.watervillegolfclub.ie/images/pic\_payne2\_lg.jpg](http://www.watervillegolfclub.ie/images/pic_payne2_lg.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/10 "2009-10-29T17:26:17Z")
Do people really say, “Pull the other on, it’s got bells on”, like in Terry Pratchett? ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/11 "2009-10-29T17:36:16Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Like a duffel bag? > > [http://www.hammerdownusa.com/DuffelBagClean550px.jpg](http://www.hammerdownusa.com/DuffelBagClean550px.jpg) Like that bag, yes. However, to muddy the waters a bit, the term “duffel bag” over here calls to mind, at least to my mind, an old-fashioned top-opening kind of bag that schoolkids once toted. Can’t find a good picture, but there’s a sketch here: [http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://love-handbags-for-life.co.uk/files/drawings\_duffel.JPG&imgrefurl=http://love-handbags-for-life.co.uk/%3Fq%3DTypes\_of\_handbags\_I&usg=\_\_bliUCBpyU0SJ3vMg5BslVq1x4k8=&h=480&w=429&sz=15&hl=en&start=171&um=1&tbnid=h1FPzFo8HiONgM:&tbnh=129&tbnw=115&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtraditional%2Bduffel%2Bbag%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D160%26um%3D1](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://love-handbags-for-life.co.uk/files/drawings_duffel.JPG&imgrefurl=http://love-handbags-for-life.co.uk/%3Fq%3DTypes_of_handbags_I&usg=__bliUCBpyU0SJ3vMg5BslVq1x4k8=&h=480&w=429&sz=15&hl=en&start=171&um=1&tbnid=h1FPzFo8HiONgM:&tbnh=129&tbnw=115&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtraditional%2Bduffel%2Bbag%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D160%26um%3D1). Although some people do call a holdall a duffel bag too. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/12 "2009-10-29T17:36:32Z")
> [@Emily\_Litella](#): > > I was surprised to learn that the “boot” and “bonnet” is the trunk and hood of a car. so a ‘boot sale’ is what yanks call a ‘flea market’ (not a bug sale) and not the selling of high topped foot ware. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/13 "2009-10-29T18:23:47Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Do people really say, “Pull the other on, it’s got bells on”, like in Terry Pratchett? An older person may do, yes, either in a humorous or serious way. By older, I mean probably 60+, but this will vary of course. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/14 "2009-10-29T18:29:31Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > An older person may do, yes, either in a humorous or serious way. By older, I mean probably 60+, but this will vary of course. The more common phrase is simply “Pull the other one”, which is by no means exclusive to the older generation. (Although probably not a phrase in many urban teenagers’ vocabularies…) (For those that don’t know, it means you don’t believe a word of what someone is saying - related to “You’re pulling my leg.”) ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/15 "2009-10-29T18:42:55Z")
On “Top Gear” they refer to people who drive Audis as “cocks.” Does that mean the same in England as it does in the U.S.? ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/16 "2009-10-29T18:50:16Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > On “Top Gear” they refer to people who drive Audis as “cocks.” Does that mean the same in England as it does in the U.S.? It’s a slang term for penis. What does it mean in the US? ---
**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:** [October 29, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/17 "2009-10-29T19:16:46Z")
I have an orange cat that the boyfriend calls “Ginger Minge”. It was the longest time before I found out that minge wasn’t a synonym for winge, but in fact is a derogatory word for female genitals. I also didn’t know that Packy (for Pakistani) is derogatory until someone on this board told me. Then I realized that all of our European aquaintances throw racial slurs at one another so I don’t know if they’re actually racist or if it’s just good natured teasing. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/18 "2009-10-29T19:24:05Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > It’s a slang term for penis. What does it mean in the US? The same–penis not in a good way. Same as “dick”, “dickhead”. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/19 "2009-10-29T19:58:00Z")
But in that context, an American is far more likely to say “dicks” than “cocks”. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623/20 "2009-10-29T21:14:36Z")
True, and “cocksucker” would be going too far. It’s only an Audi for God’s sake. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-britishisms-mean/515623.md?page=2)