Even the everyday words people use in the U.K. can take on strange or unexpected connotations in the USA. After chatting with some British friends, I started to spot these slippery phrases all around me. Let’s have a look at 14 of them today.
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Swings and roundabouts
People say “swings and roundabouts” when ups and downs cancel each other. One setback is matched by a small win.
Example: “I had to work late last night, but I get to leave early today. Swings and roundabouts.”
Non-Brits might think someone is suddenly talking about theme parks rather than money balancing out.
Boot
Brits use the term “boot” for the storage area in the back of a car.
Example: “The cooler’s in the boot, go grab it.”
To outsiders, it sounds odd like everyday items are being hidden inside a boot rather than a trunk.
Pissed
If you’re “pissed” in the U.K., it means you’re drunk.
Example: “Oh leave him alone, he’s pissed!”
Americans hearing this might assume that someone is mad rather than drunk, leading to some amusing misunderstandings.
Butchers
Short for “butcher’s hook,” this Cockney rhyming slang word means “look.” Outsiders might take it to be literal or think you’re talking about a butchers shop.
Example: “Would you take a butchers at this broken bike for me?”
Dog’s dinner
Describes something as a complete mess or fiasco, the literal description might have foreigners envisioning canine cuisine.
Example: “You’ve made a dog’s dinner of that.”
Outsiders may be completely befuddled and have no idea why anyone is talking about food intended for pets rather than the chaos at hand.
Full of beans
If someone is “full of beans,” they’re lively or energetic.
For example, “Goodness, you’re full of beans this morning!”
Foreigners often don’t realize that it just means high energy.
Give me a tinkle
A casual way to ask someone to phone you. To non-Brits familiar with American English, it generally seems to be about urinating rather than using the telephone.
For example, “Give me a tinkle when you get home.”
When foreigners hear this, they often blush or have no idea, and may completely misunderstand what is being asked of them.
Mint
When something is “mint,” it’s in perfect condition. Foreigners could mistake it for the flavor or candy.
Example: “This old bike is mint!”
Nick
“The Nick” means prison, while “to nick” means to steal.
Example: “Did you just nick that?” / “Don’t get caught or you’ll be in the Nick!”
Outsiders would take it as an informal name reference for a person named Nick.
Over-egg the pudding
“Over-egg the pudding” means to do or say too much or too blatantly.
Example: “Oh, he over-egged the pudding with that presentation.”
Non-Brits hearing this phrase may think of an overcooked or overly creamy dessert, instead of over-the-top fuss.
Take the biscuit
This phrase is a reference to someone doing something annoying or absurd. Non-Brits might think it involves a biscuit, or cookie, literally.
Example: “I could deal with the dog barking at 5.30 a.m., but the lawnmower at 3 a.m. really takes the biscuit.”
Waffle
In the U.K., to be “waffling” means to talk for a long time but say nothing useful or important.
Example: “I wish he’d stop waffling on.” / “What a load of waffle!”
The first thing an outsider is likely to picture if they hear someone “waffling” is breakfast.
Pear-shaped
If something “goes pear-shaped” then it has gone wrong.
Example: “The event was going so well until everything went pear-shaped when the guest speaker canceled.”
Taken literally, it could leave outsiders thinking about fruit instead of a botched plan.
Bob’s your uncle
Bob’s your uncle sums up the end of instructions or a very simple result.
Example: “Just boil the pasta, chuck on the sauce and Bob’s your uncle.”
Foreigners could picture a guy called Bob being an actual uncle and completely miss that it means everything will be alright.
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