Unique British Words From D to M

Here are some more  unique British words that you will rarely if ever hear spoken in North America but you are sure to hear peppering the speech of the natives!

 

Daft – to be odd, crazy or silly as in “Don’t be daft!”

Dene – another word for a seaside dune or deep valley

Dibble – a slang word for the police

Divvie –  foolish or idiotic as in “that was a divvy thing to do

Doddle – slang that means “easy to do” as in “It’s a doddle to make tea!”

Dogsbody – someone who does menial tasks for another as in “Jack became John’s dogsbody when he could not pay back his loan.”

Dole – informal term that means being on welfare.

Dosh – slang for money

Double-parked – to be carrying a drink in each hand

Drawing pin – slang for thumb tack

Electric fire – means electric heater

Faff – to waste time or dawdle as in “I faffed around the mall rather than do my homework.”

Fairy cake – cup cake

Flyover –  a road that crosses over another road

French letter – slang for a condom

Fringe – slang for the bangs that cover the forehead

Gangway – a pathway between seats in a theater

Gen – slang for the word info or information as “I am getting the gen on the traffic.”

Git – slang that means a scumbag, annoying person or idiot

Gob – mouth and used mainly as “Shut yer gob.”

Gobsmacked – slang that means being utterly astonished

Goolies – slang for testicles

Gormless – describes a stupid or clumsy person

Gutties – slang for running shoes

Hob – a stove burner

Hold-all – a duffel bag

Ice-lolly – slang for a popsicle

Ironmongery – slang for a hardware store

Jacket potato – a baked potato

Jammy – to be lucky as in “She was a jammy woman who married a millionaire.”

Jimmy – to urinate

Jitty – an alleyway that connects two streets

Jumble sale – same as a rummage sale in the U.S.

Jumper – means a pullover or sweater

Kecks – refers to trousers or underpants

Kitchen roll – means a roll of paper towels

Knickers – women’s panties with the most famous phrase being “Don’t get your knickers in a twist!”

Ladybird – what a Brit calls a Ladybug

Laundrette – means Laundromat

Lift – means an elevator

Lock-in – the practice of a pub-owner locking the door so that he can run a speakeasy after last call

Lodger – refers to a tenant who is renting a room

Loo – refers to the toilet

Lorry – describes a large truck

Loudhailer – a megaphone as in I brought the loudhailer to the soccer game

Manky – feeling ill, hangover or out of sorts

Mardy – describes someone who is a crybaby

Mither – to bother or pester someone

Monged out – to be completely hungover

Motor house – a name for a garage

Mush – a casual term for a friend, mate or pal

 

In the next installment of our look at  Britain Wise we will be looking at even more words that you will never hear anywhere in the United States and not even parts of Canada!