British vs American Vocabulary
| British English ↕ | American English ↕ |
|---|---|
| handbag | handbag, purse, shoulder bag |
| high street | main street |
| holiday | vacation |
| hood (car) | convertible top |
In this post
Is handbag a British word?
noun. 1British A small bag used by a woman to carry everyday personal items. ‘They are all small enough to fit in a purse or handbag, and I know that you will be thankful to have them. ‘
Is handbag an American word?
a small bag used by women for carrying personal things such as money and keys. The usual American word is purse.
handbag Definitions and Synonyms
| singular | handbag |
|---|---|
| plural | handbags |
What is handbag in American English?
purse
A handbag, commonly known as a purse in North American English, is a handled medium-to-large bag used to carry personal items.
What is purse called in British English?
What’s more confusing is that the word purse is used in BrE, but for a different kind of object than in AmE. The thing to the right (from phulbari.com) is called a handbag in BrE, and a purse in AmE.
Are torches British or American?
British vs American Vocabulary
| British English ↕ | American English ↕ |
|---|---|
| torch | flashlight |
| trousers | pants, trousers |
| tube (train) | subway |
| underground (train) | subway |
What is a handbag in Cockney slang?
Handbag is Cockney slang for Money.
Is closet American or British?
In American English, → closet is usually used instead to refer to larger pieces of furniture. […] A cupboard is a piece of furniture that has one or two doors , usually contains shelves , and is used to store things. In British English, cupboard refers to all kinds of furniture like this.
What American words are different in England?
Generally speaking, it’s true that most Americans will understand British English speakers and vice versa despite the many differences.
American and British Vocabulary and Word Choice.
| American English | British English |
|---|---|
| attorney | barrister, solicitor |
| cookie | biscuit |
| hood | bonnet |
| trunk | boot |
Is Taxi American or British?
British and American English – Vocabulary – N – Z
| British English | American English |
|---|---|
| N | |
| tap | faucet |
| taxi | cab |
| term | semester |
What do Brits call a wallet?
Purse
Purse. In the UK, a purse is a wallet, which is kept in a handbag.
Is closet an American word?
This fits the etymology, as closet is from the Old French closet, a diminutive of Latin clos, closed.
What’s the difference between a handbag and a purse?
A purse is used to describe a bag with straps that can be worn over the shoulder. Handbag is also used to describe a very similar bag but with more functionality. While purse and handbags are very similar, most people agree that handbags are roomier than purses.
Is parking lot British or American?
A: Yes, “car park” is the usual term in the UK for what is referred to as a “parking lot” in the US, though “car park” is not unknown to Americans, nor “parking lot” to the British.
What do the British call a shower?
A shower cap.
Do British people say eraser?
And we use rubbers to remove pencil marks from paper. That’s an eraser. Yeah, we could say eraser but it’s a bit formal. We normally say rubber.
Is sneakers American or British?
Plimsolls (British English) are “low-tech” athletic shoes and are also called “sneakers” in American English. The word “sneaker” is often attributed to American Henry Nelson McKinney, who was an advertising agent for N. W. Ayer & Son. In 1917, he used the term because the rubber sole made the shoe’s wearer stealthy.
Why do Cockneys call a watch a kettle?
The term means watch, which stemmed from a ‘fob’ watch which was a pocket watch attached to the body with a small chain. The kettle used to boil on the hob of a stove… hence the rhyme.
What is London slang called?
Cockney
Cockney, dialect of the English language traditionally spoken by working-class Londoners. Cockney is also often used to refer to anyone from London—in particular, from its East End.
What does take a Toby mean?
Ride the toby or ply the toby meaning practice highway robbery. There are many other related expressions centering around highway robbery.
Is flashlight an American word?
Us Yanks (and Canucks, eh?) use the term “flashlight”, but everywhere else in the English-speaking world, it’s called a “torch”. Normally I’m pretty good at translating British to American, but today an English colleague of mine quipped “Tap the torch app, would ya?”.