second class 289 scurf, n. dandruff Both terms used in both countries. scutter, v.i., Inf. scurry scuttle, n. SEE COMMENT A scuttle is a coal pail, usually called a coal scuttle in both countries. The word, however, has an exclusively British additional meaning: a 'wide shallow basket.' S.E. See Standard English. sea, n. beach Sea and seaside are used in Britain where Americans would usually say beach, or less commonly, shore, to mean a 'seaside resort/ like Brighton in Britain or Atlantic City in America. See beach for British use of the word. See also front; bathe. sea fret sea fog Nautical jargon. sea front. See front. season ticket commutation ticket In America one thinks of a season ticket as something entitling one to see all the games at a given ball park. In Britain it usually refers to train travel and can be valid for anything from a month to a year. In this sense, it is occasionally short- ened to season, as in railroad station signs reading PLEASE SHOW YOUR SEASON. A season ticket holder is a commuter. Season ticket can also apply to a series of perfor- mances, in which sense it would be synonymous with subscription. secateurs, n. pi. pruning shears (Accent on the first syllable, which rhymes with DECK.) Such shears are operated with one hand. second, n. magna A university term. Second is short for second-class honours just as magna in the U.S. is short for magna cum laude. In some universities a second-class degree is further divided into an upper or (informally) good second and a lower second. See also first; class. second, v.t. transfer temporarily; detail Denotes a temporary transfer of an employee to another department of the com- pany, or of a soldier to another unit. secondary modern. See eleven plus. secondary subject minor At college. In American colleges, students choose a major (in which they special- ize) and usually a minor. In Britain, the student reads his main subject, and elects a secondary subject. second class. See first class. 290 second eleven second eleven second rank Inf. Or Grade B—a term borrowed from cricket. See eleven. see (someone) far enough Inf. see one in hell Inf. As in I'll see him far enough before I invite him to dinner again. Sometimes given as to see one further. see (someone) off, Slang. Slang, polish (someone) off Nothing to do with fond good-byes. see (someone) out last for the rest of (someone) life Inf. This coat will see me out, says the elderly person who feels guilty about an expenditure at a sale. It'll outlive me, he or she might have said. see the back of Inf. see the last of Inf. Almost always after I'll be glad to . . . self-selection, n., adj. self-service Applying to retail stores. sell (someone) a dummy Inf. put it over on (someone) Inf. A term borrowed from rugby. sell (someone) a pup Slang, stick (someone) Inf. To sell someone a pup is to stick him, i.e., to cheat him, especially by getting a high price for inferior merchandise. Sellotape, n. Scotch tape Proprietary names. In Britain also given as sellotape. sell the pass betray a cause or trust Inf. To cede the advantage to one's adversaries. Term borrowed from the lan- guage of mountain warfare. sell up Inf. sell out Inf. If a Briton were to sell his residence and also wanted to liquidate the furnish- ings he would speak of selling up everything, i.e., selling out lock, stock, and bar- rel. It means 'sell out' also in the sense of 'sell out a debtor's property' in a forced sale. semibreve, n. whole note Musical term. See Appendix ILE semi-detached, adj. two-family In America a two-family house may be divided horizontally or vertically. In Britain a semi-detached residence is a one-family house joined to another by a common or party wall. The two halves are often painted different colors. When more than two residences are joined together, the series is called a terrace. semiquaver, n. sixteenth note Musical term. See Appendix ILE semolina, n. milled durum wheat service engineer 291 S.E.N. practical nurse Stands for State Enrolled Nurse. See also sister. send down expel A term from university life. In referring to school, the British slang term is sack. See also rusticate. send (someone) spare Slang, drive (someone) nuts Slang. See also go spare. send to Coventry Inf. turn one's back on Inf. To ignore socially; give the cold shoulder to. The primary factor of this punish- ment is that nobody is to speak to the poor chap. send-up, n. Inf. take-off Inf. Or put-on. A send-up of a music hall song in America would be a take-off on it. To send someone up is to make fun o/him. Incidentally, in both countries one can be sent up (to jail or gaol). send up rotten pan Slang. To 'deprecate, to get bad reviews.' senior lecturer assistant professor Approximate equivalent in the teaching hierarchy. See reader. Senior Service Royal Navy Senior Service does not means the Army. Senior Wrangler. See wrangler. Senior Wrangler sauce. See brandy-butter, septillion. See Appendix II.D. sergeant-major top sergeant See also R.S.M. serve, v.t., v.i. wait on In a shop, to serve someone is to wait on a customer. Are you being served? (some- times shortened to Are you served?) would usually come out as, Is someone helping you ? in an American store. servery, n. approx. service counter Generally a room from which meals are served. Thus, at a pub one might find a sign pointing to the GARDEN AND BAR SERVERY, indicating the room to which one must go in order to obtain food and drink to be consumed in the garden or the bar. service engineer skilled mechanic An epithet applied to one experienced in refrigerators, dishwashers, etc. 292 service flat service flat, n. hotel apartment In the plural, service flats is seen in the expression block of service flats, which would correspond to an American apartment hotel or residential hotel. See also apartment; flat. service lift dumbwaiter A dumb-waiter in Britain is also what is known in America and in Britain as a lazy Susan. service occupancy. See under vacant possession. serviette, n. napkin Still used occasionally but table-napkin is widely used. servitor. See sizar. set, n. 1. approx. group 2. apartment; suite 3. paving block 4. badger's burrow 1. A school term; thus the A set, the B set, etc., meaning 'group' (within a given grade or form) based on the ability of the students. In this sense, the word is giv- ing way to a newer term, stream. 2. In this use, restricted to apartments in such exclusive and historic addresses as the residence known as Albany in London, with its sixty-nine sets, or to groups of rooms at the various Inns of Court, where sets is short for sets of chambers. See chambers. 3. Variant of sett. 4. Variant of sett, which can also mean badger's debris outside the burrow. set about Slang, lay into Slang. An expression that one gang member would be apt to use to encourage his mates when about to take on a rival gang. Let's set about that lot! set book, n. required reading Specific reading assignment for an examination. set down let off A term used in transportation: passengers are set down in Britain and let off or dropped off in America. Signs seen in Britain: At a railroad station: PICK UP AND SET DOWN, NO PARKING. At bus stops: SETTING DOWN POINT ONLY (interchangeable With ALIGHTING POINT). set fair put up Stable term: to set a horse fair is to put it up, i.e., get it all set for the night. set lunch table d'hôte; prix fixe See also set tea. set out one's stall, Inf. display one's credentials sett. See set, 3. and 4. shape 293 set tea afternoon tea Tea with little sandwiches and cakes, obtainable at hotels and restaurants; a com- plete tea at a fixed price. See also tea. set the Thames on fire Inf. set the world on fire 'He will never set the Thames on fire' is said about a person who shows no sign of great achievement in his life. sexillion, sextillion. See Appendix II.D. shadow, adj. SEE COMMENT In British political life, a shadow cabinet or government is a group of leaders of the party out of power who would be appointed to replace the current group if the outs became the ins. shag fuck Slang. This vulgar Briticism and its American counterpart can be thought of as the verb to engage in sexual intercourse. But as in American explicit vulgarisms, phrases borrowed from Latin seem to represent the dignifying of an act that is better expressed in the language of the barnyard. shake. See in two shakes of a duck's tail. shake down Inf. put up (for the night) Slang. In Britain it is very hospitable of you to shake somebody down, especially if that person lacks a place to sleep. In America, apart from its slang meaning of 'extortion,' a shake-down is an improvised bed. This use is reflected in the British use of shake down. None of this, of course, has anything to do with a shakedown cruise, which is a phrase used in both countries meaning a 'new ship's initial trip' made in order to break in both engine and crew. Shakespearean university. See under Oxbridge. shambolic, adj. chaotic Inf. From shambles. Used occasionally to describe situations or places that are in a state of extreme disorder. shammy. See wash leather. shandrydan, n. rickety vehicle Originally a chaise or shay, a light open two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage for two, usually with a hood; later applied to any ancient dilapidated vehicle. This term is hardly ever met with these days. shandy, n. SEE COMMENT A drink consisting of beer and lemonade or ginger beer in equal parts, which some British children drink in their early teens in preparation for the eventual pint. Short for shandygaff. shape, n. SEE COMMENT An old-fashioned word for any dessert like jello, blancmange, mousse, etc. shaped in a mold. 294 shared line shared line party line The more fortunate have exclusive lines. Also called shared service. share-pushing stock touting Not necessarily fraudulent but with the implication of sharp practice. share raid. See raid. shares, n. pi. stocks Usual name for corporate equities. Stock, or stocks, in British financial circles, usually means 'government bonds/ but can mean 'corporate stock' as well, as in America; and stockholder can refer to either type of security. Tap stocks are those that are always available. The term is applied also to government bonds sold by the government departments holding them when they reach a certain market price. They may be short-term or long-term. Taplets are small issues of this kind. sharpen, v.t. sharp Musical term, make or become sharp. See Appendix I.A.3. shave hook scraper Used to prepare metal for soldering. shaw, n. 1. thicket 2. stalks and leaves 1. Mainly poetic. 2. Mainly Scottish, and referring particularly to turnip and potato crops. sheaf, n. Inf. wad; bankroll Inf. Referring to paper money: sheaf of notes would be a bankroll or a wad in Amer- ica. Sheaf is usually used for a tied-up armful of wheat. shebeen, n. approx. speakeasy (Accent on the second syllable.) An unlicensed pub in Ireland. See licensed. shelf company SEE COMMENT A corporation formed by a lawyer (solicitor) or an accountant, held available for the use of a client needing to organize a company. sheltered trade domestic monopoly Describing a business that gets no competition from abroad, for example, a rail- road. shemozzle, n. Inf. mix-up; row Slang. A mix-up, a mess, a confused situation generally; in a narrower use, a row, in the sense of 'dispute,' a rhubarb, a melee. The British spell this word variously; a sampling of variants: schemozzle, shemozzl, shimozzel, chimozzle, shlemozzl, shlemoz- zle, schlemozzle, schlemazel. Its origin is in London racetrack cant. The first /, and certainly the spelling schlemazel, crept in out of confusion with the totally unre- lated Yiddish term schlemaz(e)l, meaning 'hard-luck guy' shocking 295 shepherd's pie approx. hash Not quite: a shepherd's pie is usually made of chopped meat or the remains of a roast, ground up (minced), topped by a layer of mashed potatoes and baked in the oven. sherbet. See under ice. shilling. See Appendix II.A. shilling shocker dime novel Also known in Britain as a penny dreadful or a penny blood. All of these terms are old fashioned. shingle, n. beach pebbles A beach so covered would be known as a shingle beach (as opposed to a sandy beach). In America it would be called a pebble beach or pebbly beach. shipping order large order Inf. One of those interminable orders being given by the customer just ahead of you. shipshape and Bristol fashion. See Bristol fashion. shire, n. SEE COMMENT (Pronounced SHER, sometimes SHEER, when used as a suffix.) Old word for county, now rarely used except in the plural (the Shires) meaning the 'hunting country.' It is found mainly as a suffix in the names of most of the counties, as, for example, in Hampshire, Yorkshire. shirty, adj., Slang. vexed shoal, n. Inf. crowd Inf. A multitude, like a shoal (or shoals) of correspondence to attend to. shock, n. sensation Inf. Common usage in journalism, especially on the daily posters at newsstands purporting to inform the public what today's big story is, but really only acting as a teaser. Thus: SHARES DROP SHOCK (Stock Market Collapse Sensation!); OLD BAILEY CONFESSION SHOCK (Murder Trial Confession—Wow!); BUDGET SHOCK (Terrible New Tax Bill!!), etc. A shock result in sports is an upset. shocker, n. 1. Inf. stinker 2. cheap novel 1. Inf. Shocker is used to describe a bad case of almost anything; a stretch of wretched weather, a new tax, an embarrassing utterance by a public figure, a dress in very bad taste, overcooked Brussels sprouts, boring dinner party. Some- times it is used in a rather exaggerated way, as in: Isn't letter-writing a shocker! See also shocking. 2. Short for shilling shocker. It can also mean a 'sensational novel' as opposed to a thriller. shocking, adj. Inf. awful Inf. As in Isn't it shocking? (about the weather, etc.). Shocking is used in much the same way as shocker, 1. 296 shoe member shoe mender shoemaker See also mend. shoot, v.t. hunt A Briton hunts foxes and deer but shoots game birds and rabbits. Americans hunt quail, for instance. To let the shooting is to lease the right to hunt birds on your property. shoot, n. 1. shooting party 2. shooting expedition 3. shooting practice 4. shooting area shoot a robin Inf. run into a streak of bad luck Slang. He must have shot a robin would be said of one suffering the lot of Job: one piece of bad luck after another. The Ancient Mariner was concerned with the albatross; a robin suffices in this quaint British expression. It's much worse than spilling salt, walking under a ladder, being crossed by a black cat; more like breaking a mirror. shooting!, interj. Inf. good shot! Inf. A complimentary observation in certain sports like tennis, basketball, etc. shooting-box, n. hunting-lodge shoot the cat Slang, toss one's cookies Slang. To throw up; the common expression is be sick. See also sick up; queer. shoot the crow Inf. decamp Slang. Normally used to describe the sudden departure of someone else, rather than oneself. Where's Jones these days? Shot the crow, it looks like. See also shoot the moon. shoot the moon Slang, skip town by night Slang. See also moonlight flit; shoot the crow; hook it; leave in the lurch. shop, n. store A matter of usage. Shop is used in a few British informal expressions that one does not hear in America. You have come to the wrong shop, means 'I can't help you' (because you are applying to the wrong person). To sink the shop is to keep mum generally and more specifically to keep your activities under wraps. All over the shop means 'in wild disorder.' A nation of shopkeepers refers to Britain itself. Shop-soiled is shop-worn in America. To have everything in the shop window is to play the big shot, without having anything to back it up. shop, v.t. 1. jail 2. squeal on Slang. In the British underword to be shopped is to go to jail, and by extension to be squealed on by your accomplice so that you wind up in jail (spelled gaol in Britain, but pronounced like jail). short time 297 shop assistant. See assistant; clerk, 4. shopping-bag, n. Inf. pack; bunch; bagful Slang. A whole bunch of something; a miscellany. The subject-matter itself may be omitted if the context is clear. 'She arrived with a shopping-bag/ says a doctor, meaning that the troublesome patient barged in with a plethora of ailments, a bagful of ills, all kinds of complaints. shop-walker, n. floorwalker Attendant in a department who directs customers to merchandise of interest to them. short, n. straight drink Inf. A modest serving of hard liquor, sherry, vermouth, etc., as opposed to a mixed drink (e.g., gin and tonic) or beer. This is pub terminology. Note that straight, in this context, is neat in Britain, and hard liquor is spirits. See also double. short back and sides close haircut Not a crew cut (which is called a close crop in Britain); rather, the normal British gentleman's style until World War II, and still, more or less, the Army private's, although that is changing in many parts of the world. short commons short rations Originally a university term denoting the daily fare supplied to students at a fixed charge. The phrase has become somewhat pejorative with the connotation of subsistence living, meager pickings, so that the person said to be on short commons might also be described as on his uppers. shorthand typist stenographer This term is now somewhat old-fashioned and is being supplanted by secretary even if the person involved is not properly speaking a secretary but only a stenog- rapher. This is an example of the British tendency to pay honor to the dignity of labor—a trend very much in favor at the moment, which explains shop assistant for salesperson, automotive engineer for garage mechanic, etc. See also P.A. shorthand writer court stenographer shorts, n. pi. (outdoor) shorts Shorts, in Britain, are not underwear. In America the word can refer to either underwear or outdoor apparel, depending on the context. The British term for underwear shorts is pants, sometimes underpants, though the under would seem to be superfluous because the word pants alone implies that. Pants, in the American sense of 'outdoor wear/ are trousers in Britain. short-sighted. See under long-sighted. short time part time As in, Many workers are on short time , i.e., are still employed, but not full time. Does not apply to a regular part-time worker. 298 shot Shot, fl. SEE COMMENT Slang. Measure of upper cylinder lubricant. Thus, as you drive up to a gas pump (petrol station) in Britain, you may ask for two and two shots, meaning 'two gallons of gas and two shots of lubricant' which is mixed into the gas. shot about Slang, beat Slang. In the sense of exhausted; knocked out. shot of rid of Inf. Said to be a cockney version of shut of, but the variant appears to be in more general use than the original. Shut of would seem to be used when referring to a person who is a nuisance to be got rid of, while shot of can refer to persons or things one would rather do without. Shed of would appear to be an Americanism derived from shut of. shout, n., v.i. treat As a noun, one's turn to buy the drinks. It's my shout this time means. 'This one's on me.' As a verb, to shout is to stand drinks. Heard mainly down under. shouting cake. See schoolboy cake. shove-halfpenny SEE COMMENT Common pub game. Played by shoving well-polished old halfpennies (pro- nounced HAY' PNEEZ) or token disks with the flat of the hand along a board sepa- rated into horizontal sections having numerical values. Possibly the most frustrating game in the world. show, n. 1. chance 2. affair 1. Inf. To say of someone that he had no show at all is to say that he had no opportu- nity of proving or defending himself. One might plead, At least give him a fair show! 2. Inf. Speaking of his new, up-and-coming partner, the older man might say, Jones is doing well, but it's still my show, i.e., I'm still in charge around here. See also bad show!; good show! show a leg Inf. rise and shine Slang. Term used in the Royal Navy to rouse the sleeping sailor. shower, n. Slang, washout Slang. When someone is referred to as a shower, or a perfect shower, he is a total loss, a washout. See also wet. show friendly to (someone) act in a friendly manner towards (someone) Make a friendly gesture towards (someone). But see friendly action. show-house, n. model home And show-flat is model apartment. showing favour SEE COMMENT A term used in criminal law to describe the offense of giving aid and comfort to the criminal element, applied especially to police officers who accept bribes for helping them in their unlawful pursuits, e.g., by tipping them off about impend- ing police raids. [...]... With a bad cold, you may want to stop in for a couple of days 2 Dental terminology Cavities are stopped or filled in Britain, and a stopping is a filling stoppage, n For example, withholding tax deduction from wages street 321 stopping train local (train) An express is a fast train A stopping train makes many stops at many intermediate stations store, n warehouse It is also used to mean a 'shop/ usually... preparatory stage, e.g., The talks may prove to be a staging post on the road to peace Often, a regular stopping place, especially on air travel stall, n 1 stand 2 orchestra seat 1 A stall generally is an outdoor counter or stand for the purveying of goods, particularly food (see coffee-stall) See also set out one's stall 2 A seat in the orchestra stalls, n pi orchestra The stalls are the equivalent... Slang As in, What do you fancy for starters, love? Chi-chi restaurants tend to use the terms starters and afters self-consciously in menus starting handle Automobile term, now rather archaic See wind, v.t., and Appendix ILE crank star turn Inf topnotch talent Inf A turn, in vaudeville days, was an act; a star turn was a headliner The term was extended to include a top performer in any field: the tops... Slang One's particular hideaway at home Also applied to a bar-parlor in a pub See snug sociable, n Designed for two occupants partly facing each other social contract S-shaped couch SEE COMMENT Historically, this phrase has meant a presumed voluntary agreement among individuals pursuant to which an organized society is brought into existence, or an agreement between the community and the governing authority... complications.' Someone is presented with a contract to sign and after reading it through says that it seems perfectly straightforward; or a garage mechanic looks at some engine trouble and happily answers that the problem is perfectly straightforward straight on, adv straight ahead streaky bacon bacon The kind commonly seen in America, less so in Britain; having alternate streaks of fat and lean stream,... Short-staffed would be short-handed in America Staff finder is occasionally seen as a heading in British newspapers where the American equivalent would be help wanted Staff vacancies is another phrase meaning the same thing Staff bureau and staff agency are somewhat more elegant terms for employment agency In educational institutions, staff is used to denote the entire teaching body, as opposed to faculty,... commonly slang, v.t abuse; revile Inf A slanging-match is an altercation, a helluva row, in which everybody washes everybody else's dirty linen but nobody's gets clean slang, back See back slang slant-tailed, adj Automotive term See also Appendix ILE fastback slap, adv Inf right Inf Examples: slap through is right through; slap into is right into To walk slap into someone is to bump into him slap-down, adv... or a weird checked vest 2 Inf Only in the common phrase stark staring mad starkers, adj Slang Sometimes starko See Harry stark naked stark ravers Slang, nuts Slang Raver by itself connotes homosexuality As to the -ers in ravers, see Harry An old-fashioned term, giving way to bonkers start a hare raise an issue Inf Often time-wasting But related to rousing an animal from its lair starters, n pi appetizers... like a pub-crawl, or aimless driving around See also fossick; frig about stook, n shock of grain Stack of sheaves of grain stood on end in a field so that they remain upright stop, v.t., v.i 1 stay 2 fill 1 Thus: He stops in bed till noon, or, Why don't you stop at my house instead of the inn? To stop away is to stay away Also, I'm happy and I want to stop like this A good pal will stop up with you all... used to designate the chief or central figure in any situation But star turn can at times be used pejoratively, to describe a person who is a star in a way that doesn't do him credit state school public school For the meaning of public school as used in Britain, see public school station calendar On the wall at major railroad stations station-manager, n Also station-master bulletin board station agent . word, however, has an exclusively British additional meaning: a 'wide shallow basket.' S.E. See Standard English. sea, n. beach Sea and seaside are used in Britain where Americans would . at a given ball park. In Britain it usually refers to train travel and can be valid for anything from a month to a year. In this sense, it is occasionally short- ened to season, as. American apartment hotel or residential hotel. See also apartment; flat. service lift dumbwaiter A dumb-waiter in Britain is also what is known in America and in Britain as a lazy