244 pergola pergola, n. trellis Pergola, in America, evokes the image of a rustic garden house to escape into out of the rain or for children to play house in or adolescents to daydream in. Technically it means an 'arbor' or 'bower.' But in Britain, especially in the coun- try, it is the name for a trellis running in a straight line and usually constructed of slim tree trunks as uprights and branches as crosspieces and Y-shaped sup- ports, all still wearing their bark, and forming a frame for the training of climb- ing roses. period return. See return. perish, v.t. destroy Perish is, of course, in both countries an intransitive verb. The transitive use is very rare in America and is now heard only in dialect. In Britain one still is per- ished by (or with) cold, thirst, etc. This does not mean one has died of it but merely been distressed or at least made seriously uncomfortable. When heat or cold perishes vegetation, it does mean 'destroy.' Perishing can be used in Britain as an adverb, as in perishing cold. It's perishing cold, which means 'terribly cold,' is another British way of saying bloody cold. perks, n. pi. fringe benefits Inf. Shortening of perquisites. Gaining currency in America. permanent way roadbed Railroad term. It means the 'roadbed' or the 'rails' themselves. The epithet perma- nent derives from the earliest days of railroad construction, when the gangs laid temporary trackage, and then later put in the permanent tracks, after the right of way had consolidated. perry, n. pear cider A fermented pear juice drink in Britain. See also cider; scrump. personal allowance personal exemption Income tax term. personal call person-to-person call See also pay for the call; caller. Perspex, perspex, n. plexiglass peterman, n. Slang safe cracker Also in America called a 'peteman.' petrol, n. gasoline Apetrol station is a filling station. petrol bomb Inf. Molotov cocktail petty, n. Slang. John Slang. A lavatory. Heard mostly in the North of England. pewter, n. Slang, booty Slang. Used in this context pewter means only 'prize' (money or any object), the pile on the agony 245 kind of loot you bring home from a church bazaar. This use was derived from the fact that the prize was often a tankard, usually of pewter. P.G. boarder Inf. Stands for paying guest, a euphemism for what Americans would call a boarder and Britons call a lodger. Paying guest would seem to be close to a contradiction in terms. Can be used as a verb: to p.g. (or PG) with someone is to board with him. picotée, n. SEE COMMENT A variety of carnation having a border of a color different from the main color of its petals. The border is usually darker. pictures, n. pi., Inf. movies See also film; cinema. pie, n. meat-pie; deep-dish pie An ordinary American pie would be called a tart in Britain (see tart). In Britain, unless otherwise specified, pie means 'meat pie' (see pasty), rather than anything involving fruit, and a request for a fruit-pie {apple pie, cherry pie, etc.) would pro- duce the equivalent of an American deep-dish pie. pie and pint man SEE COMMENT Slang. A person of extremely modest means. The pie in question is a meat pie (see pie); the pint is a pint of bitter (see bitter; pint). A meat pie and a pint of bitter (beer) would make the meal, presumably at a pub, of one living on a low budget. By contrast, a pieman is a vendor of pies. pie shell pie crust Especially the prepared type for sale at the grocer's. pig-in-the-middle, n. Inf. SEE COMMENT The innocent victim of a situation; one caught in a difficult situation not of his own making, like a dispute between good friends both of whom appeal to him for support. From the children's game piggie-in-the-middle, in which a child is caught in a circle of his peers and must struggle to get out. pig it 1. live like a pig 2. eat like a pig Slang. Becoming current in America. To pig it with someone is to share his quarters, with the connotation of having to squeeze in and live untidily for the time being. pigs might fly, and. See and pigs might fly. pi-jaw. See jaw. pikelet, n. SEE COMMENT A small, round, crumpet-like cake, originating in Wales. In many families, served mainly at Christmas. pile on the agony Inf. lay it on thick Inf. To intensify the painful narrative, sparing no detail; but it may also be used to indicate any excessive or exaggerated action or display, such as, e.g., a painfully lavish entertainment or feast. See also come it strong. 246 pillar-box pillar-box mailbox In the form of a high, hollow, red pillar. See also letter-box; post-box. pinch, v.t. Inf. swipe Slang. Pinch and swipe meaning 'steal/ and pinch meaning 'arrest' are used in both countries; but in the meaning 'steal/ pinch is favored in Britain and swipe in America, where pinch more commonly means 'arrest.' In America you're pinched if you are caught swiping; in Britain, you're nabbed if you are caught pinching. pinch-point, n. SEE COMMENT Restriction on vehicles beyond a certain width. See except for access. pink, v.i. Inf. ping; knock Inf. Describing the sound made by an automobile engine when the ignition is over-advanced. pink gin SEE COMMENT Gin and angostura bitters, with water added. pinny, n. apron Inf. Child's abbreviation of pinafore. pint, n. approx. beer If a Briton asks for a pint he means a 'pint of bitter' an Imperial pint of twenty ounces. If his thirst or budget is of more modest proportions, he will ask for a half, or half a bitter, which means 'half a pint/ i.e., ten oz. Since bitter is usually of two grades, ordinary bitter and best bitter, the regular client, whose taste in the matter is a known quantity, need not specify. Otherwise he will volunteer the grade, or the person behind the counter will ask. Standing by itself, in this con- text, a pint in Britain means about the same thing as a beer means in America. At one of the meetings of the E.E.C. in 1976, the British were formally allowed to hang on to pints in beer, so long as they went metric in everything else. See also pub; during hours. pinta, n. pint of milk Inf. (The i is long as in ice.) Originated in the National Dairy Council's advertise- ment Drinka pinta milka day! Never to be confused with pint. Probably a corrup- tion of pint of. pip, n. Slang, beep Slang. When you make a call from a telephone booth, as your party answers, you hear a series of rapid pips and must promptly insert your coin in order to be heard. Short pips, called beeps, are the sounds you are supposed to hear, in Amer- ica, every 15 seconds, if your call is being recorded. pip, v.t. 1. Slang, blackball 2. Slang, wing (wound) 3. Slang, pull rank on 4. Slang, nose out Slang. For use 4. see pip at the post. play a straight bat 247 pip at the post, v.t. Inf. nose out Inf. The post referred to is the winning post in a horse race. Pip at the post means 'defeat at the last moment.' pissed, adj. Inf. blind drunk Slang. Usually reserved for instances of advanced inebriation. A vulgarism like pee, which is heard widely. See also sloshed; squiffy; to the wide; well away. pit n. rear of orchestra What is called the orchestra in America turns up in Britain as the stalls. The pit used to be the name for the rear of that part of the theater. pitch, n. SEE COMMENT A technical term in cricket: the narrow rectangular strip between the wickets along (or parallel to) which the batsmen run; often confusingly to neophytes, itself called the wicket. In football (soccer), however, the whole field is called the pitch. Pitch is sometimes used colloquially, like wicket, to mean situation: to be on a good pitch (or wicket) is to be in a good spot. It is also slang for hangout or spot, to describe the established location of a beggar, peddler, prostitute, pimp, tout, or other street person whose living strongly involves the territorial imperative, and in this use is synonymous with turf. pitch upon select by chance Inf. The police pitched upon him as the likeliest suspect. placeman, n. public office holder With the strong implication that the appointment was motivated by self-interest. placet, n. aye An affirmative vote in an ecclesiastical or university body. Placet is the imper- sonal third person singular of the Latin verb placere (to please, be acceptable). Cf. content. plain, adj. homely See under homely. plain as a pikestaff, Inf. Inf. plain as the nose on your face A pikestaff is a wooden stick with a pointed tip. planning permission building permit Short for town and country planning permission. A town and country planning com- mittee is the British opposite number to an American zoning board. plantation, n. planted grove Of trees or shrubs. plaster, n. Band-aid platelayer, n. tracklayer A man hired to inspect and repair railway rails. play a straight bat play fair Inf. Act correctly; do the right thing. A term from cricket that is applied widely. 248 play for safety play for safety pl a y sa ^ e play for (someone's) side, Inf. be on (someone's) side; side with (someone) play oneself in settle down Inf. The cricket batsman initially feels out the bowler in order to 'get his eye in/ and thus settle down before he feels that it is now safe to start to attempt runs. This initial period of settling down is known as playing oneself in—one of the many cricket terms lent to the general language. Thus, a detective interviewing a nervous witness gives him time to play himself in before serious, pointed ques- tioning begins. He talks about the weather, the curse of heavy traffic on the roads, the current political crisis, and then—wham!—goes into the active phase: "You knew the deceased for many years, didn't you, Mr. Wiggins?" and "Where were you on the night of ?" and so on and so on. If he's successful, the detective has given the witness an opportunity to play himself in. play-pit, n. sandbox play the game. See game, n. playtime, n. recess School term, applicable to kindergarten and first grade, children four to six years old. In prep school (ages eight to thirteen) the term is breaktime. play (something) to leg brush (something) off Inf. A term borrowed from cricket. When the batsman plays a ball to leg, he turns or sweeps it away with his bat, rather than attempt to hit it hard and try to make runs. Thus, to play a ball to leg is a defensive tactic; and to play an embarrassing question to leg is to brush it off somehow and evade the issue. play truant pl av hooky The American term is almost unknown in Britain. play up!, inter]. Inf. come on! Inf. Yelled by sports fans to urge on their team, as in, Play up, United! play (someone) up 1. play up on (someone) 2. pester 1. In Britain your trick knee or your hi-fi plays you up; in America it plays up on you. 2. Pupils who deliberately annoy their teachers are said to play them up. PLC/Plc/pk SEE COMMENT Stands for public limited company, one whose shares (under the Companies Act of 1980) can be traded on the Stock Exchange. The three letters follow the name of such a company, as opposed to Ltd. following the name of a private limited com- pany. In America, Inc. is used whether or not the corporation's stock can be traded on an exchange. Pleasure! Don't mention it! A somewhat warmer response than the usual Not at all, Pleasure is a contraction of It's a pleasure or My pleasure. Don't mention it is heard, and sometimes Think noth- ing of it. You're welcome, which until recently was never heard and immediately pocketbook 249 marked the user American, is now uttered more and more frequently by Britons. See also Not at all. plimsolls, n. sneakers Another British term is gym shoes. Plimsolls is the common British word for sneakers, so named after Samuel Plimsoll, who also lent his name to the expres- sion Plimsoll's Mark (or Plimsoll Line), which is the line showing how far a ship is allowed by law to be submerged when loaded. In addition, he is known as one of the moving forces behind the British Merchant Shipping Act of 1876. plonk, n. cheap wine Slang. Plink-plonk was a variation on blink-blonk, a jocular play on vin blanc by the British Tommy in World War I. When the plink was dropped, the plonk that stayed on should still have been reminiscent of blanc, but somehow came to apply to any cheap wine. Plough, n. Big Dipper Other British names for the Big Dipper are Charles's Wain and Great Bear. But see big dipper. plough, v.t. Slang, flunk Slang. That is, to flunk a pupil, not an exam. Undoubtedly short for plough under. Sometimes used intransitively, in which case it does mean 'flunk an exam/ but exam is understood. ploughman's lunch approx. bread and cheese Inf. A large piece of French bread, an enormous slab of Cheddar cheese, a vast chunk of butter, and a couple of sour pickled onions. A favorite at pubs. plough the sand(s), Inf. work in vain ploy, n. 1. job 2. toy Inf. The meaning toy refers to educational toys, and looks like a portmanteau for- mation of play and toy. In other words, a toy that keeps the kids busy with a job, like fitting things together. Ploy is now anything calculated to get results by out- witting or upsetting the other fellow. plum duff plum pudding (The duff is dough pronounced like ROUGH.) plump, v.i. vote wholeheartedly po, n. Inf. pottie Slang. Short for the pot in chamber pot, and pronounced like the POT in the French pot de chambre. The French pronunciation is supposed to make it less clinical. pocketbook, n. 1. pocket notebook 2. billfold In Britain a lady's handbag is always called a bag or a handbag, never a pocketbook. That term is reserved there for a pocket notebook or a folding wallet, which the British also call a notecase or billfold. 250 podge podge, n. Inf. fatty Inf. Podge gives rise to the adjective podgy, which has its American equivalent in pudgy. See also fubsy. po-faced, adj. approx. impassive Slang. A po-faced person is one who exhibits a deliberately blank expression, a poker face, to his audience. There is more than a hint of hauteur in this epithet. See po. pogged, adj. Slang, stuffed Slang. After too much food: I'm pogged! point, n. 1. electrical socket 2. railroad switch 1. Point often appears as electrical point or power point. Sometimes it is used in combination with another word, as in razor point, thus indicating an electrical outlet to be used for a particular purpose. point duty. See pointsman, 1. pointsman, n. 1. traffic policeman 2. switchman 1. Point duty is the traffic detail and a policeman on point duty is a traffic cop. 2. The railroad man in charge of switches. poker school poker session policy, n. landscaped ground The landscaped area around a country house. Usually in the plural, the policies, and more common in Scotland than in England. politician, n. 1. approx. government official 2. political scientist Going back a few years, a politician was one, whether or not in power at the moment, skilled in the science of government and politics generally. The term had little, if any, pejorative implication as in America, where it brings to mind the scheming and manipulation characteristic of party politics: unenlightened self- interest, the smoke-filled room. Until recently in Britain, a statesman was merely a higher order of politician in the British sense, the recognition of whose service, experience, wisdom, and resulting power entitled him to the more eminent label. Until recently, politicians in Britain were still statesmen, whereas in America, politi- cians were politicians! polling-day, n. election day The British also use the term voting-day, as well as the American term. Signs read- ing POLLING STATION appear where VOTE HERE signs would be posted in America. polo neck turtleneck Applied to sweaters with high collars which are folded down, so that there is a close-fitting double layer around the neck. See also turtle-neck; roll-neck. poove 251 polytechnic, n. approx. community college A vocational or technical high school or college. Often shortened to poly. ponce, n., v.i. pimp Slang. A much fancier British synonym is souteneur, taken over from the French, in which language its literal meaning is 'protector/ indicating something about certain French attitudes. To ponce about is to swagger, apparently on the assump- tion that ponces make a very good living and have the wherewithal to live it up. pond, n. pool Artificial or natural. In America, pond usually describes a body of water smaller than a lake. In Britain, it means a 'pool made by hollowing or embanking.' The British also use it as a verb. Transitively, it means to 'dam up' (e.g., a stream); intransitively, of water, to 'form a pool.' pong, n. approx. stink Slang. No slang American equivalent. pontoon, n. blackjack A card game. Pontoon is a corruption of the French name for the game, vingt-et-un. The game is also known as twenty-one. A pontoon, of course, is a flat-bottomed boat serving as a bridge or ferry. pony, n., Inf. £25 poodle puppet Slang. Pejorative used in political circles. poodle-faker, n. SEE COMMENT Slang. A quite specialized word, describing a naval officer who paid social visits ashore to curry favor in certain quarters. poof, n. Slang, pansy Slang. Derogatory term for male homosexual or an effeminate man. Sometimes spelled pouf; pouffe; poove; puff. poon, n. Slang, jerk Slang. Public school slang, describing a middle class jerk (twit)—one of those hopelessly middle-class types frowned upon by those superior public school chaps. The adjective poonish is applied to genteel middle-class activities and func- tions, like sherry parties and flower shows. See synonyms under git. poop, n. Slang, dope Slang. Short for nincompoop. poor tool Inf. total loss Inf. To be a poor tool at an activity is to be a total loss at it, a bust. poove. See poof. 252 pop pop, n., v.t. 1. n., v.i., Inf. hock (pawn) 2. v.t. fasten 1. Slang. Popshop means 'pawnshop.' 2. Slang. To fasten with poppers. Also, pop up. poplin, n. broadcloth In Britain, broadcloth describes a special kind of woolen material. See broadcloth. popper, n. snap Used to fasten articles of apparel. See also snapper; pop, 2. poppet, n. Inf. sweetie Inf. A term of endearment used especially in describing or addressing little ones and pets. popsie, n. Slang, cutie Slang. Originally the epithet for an old man's darling, but now extended to include anybody's cutie. porch, n. covered approach to doorway porridge, n. 1. (cooked) oatmeal 2. SEE COMMENT 1. To keep your breath to cool your porridge is to 'keep your advice for your own use/ i.e., to practice what you preach. When shopping, don't ask for oatmeal; raw oatmeal is oats in Britain. 2. Slang. To do porridge is to 'serve time.' Synonymous with do bird. A popular television comedy series about life in prison is entitled "Porridge." porter, n. doorman The British often use hall porter to distinguish a doorman from a railway porter. Porterage is used to describe the services of a doorman. Where an American would say that his apartment house has a doorman, the Briton would say that there is a porter at his block of flats or porterage is laid on with his flat. See also commissionaire. portmanteau, n. blend word The figurative meaning is that of a made-up word combining the sounds and meanings of parts of two other words, like squarson, combination of squire and parson; mingy, combination of mean and stingy; smog, combination of smoke and fog, etc. posh, adj. Inf. stylish smart position, n. situation Position has two British uses which one almost never hears in America: it means 'situation,' in the sense of 'location,' of a house or other building. The other British meaning is also 'situation' but in the figurative sense of the 'way things stand.' For instance: The position is that the company is insolvent, or, Do you under- stand the position? Post Office 253 positive discrimination affirmative action The promotion and encouragement of increased employment of members of minority groups and women. post, n.,v.t. mail See also G.P.O.; letter post; recorded delivery. postage (posting) and packing shipping and handling As used in mail order advertising, where the 'handling' charge often appears to ring in a wee bit of extra profit. See also dispatch. postal course correspondence course postal shopping mail order buying postal van mail car Railroad term. postal vote absentee ballot post-box mailbox The smallish red iron boxes in rural areas bear the initials of the sovereign in whose reign they were erected. A Briton will announce with pride that the box near his home is a V.R. box! Occasionally called posting box or letter box. See also pillar-box. post-code, n. zip code In Britain, a combination of numbers and letters. Example: NW5. poste restante general delivery Permanently borrowed from the French. Literally it means 'mail remaining' ('waiting to be picked up'). post-free postpaid post-graduate, adj. graduate As in post-graduate student, degree, etc. postman, n. mailman postman's knock man unskilled hunter Inf. The phrase means an 'unskillful hunter' (shooter, in Britain—see shoot) who fires two barrels at almost everything he spies on the wing and rarely hits anything. post-mortem autopsy More commonly used in Britain. Post Office SEE COMMENT Usual name for the G.P.O. Americans think of their post office as a place to mail letters and parcels and buy stamps and money orders. The Post Office in Britain has a much wider scope; see G.P.O. [...]... designation pertaining to pantomimes, usually called pantos The principal boy is always played by a girl, or should be There is a principal girl, too; also a star; also a girl The principal boy tradition has been broken occasionally in recent years, usually in the un-traditional glamorous pantos at the London Palladium printed paper rates third-class mail prison van See van private, adj On envelopes, meaning... Britain are generally tiny things compared to what Americans mean by the term A Briton would consider a prawn a large, rather than a small, shrimp What Americans think of as shrimps are generally called scampi in Britain, a term usually confined in America to cooked shrimps in restaurants with continental cuisine prefect, n approx monitor A school boy or girl who attains a quasi-official position to. .. is a swell time; a rare o/rf time is even sweller But watch out, because in the expression have a rare time of it, rare time means quite the opposite: a 'tough time.' rate, n local tax Usually in the plural, meaning 'local real estate taxes.' A ratepayer is a local taxpayer Rather!, interj., Inf Also translatable as 'without doubt!' rating, n Low rank of British sailor, just above ordinary seaman rats!... fascinating.' roach, n small carplike fish Caught for sport only in streams and an occasional moat Eaten very rarely, if at all, nowadays road-metal See metalled road road, n way Inf The British use road in a number of instances where Americans use way In someone's road means 'in someone's way/ and to get out of someone's road is to get out of his way But railroad is the common term in America, railway... wicked practice of exacting excessive rent from tenants R .A. D .A Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Pronounced RA-DA as an acronym.) radiogram, n radio-phonograph Radiogram is no longer heard much in Britain or in America R .A. F Royal Air Force This doughty band, who fought the Battle of Britain, are almost invariably referred to by their initials rag, v.t., v.i., n 1 v.i., v.t., Inf fool around; tease 2 n.,... weird and grotesque floats rag-and-bone man, Inf A peddler who deals in old clothes etc Inf junkman raglan See under Balaclava raid, n burglary In America raid brings up the image of a group assault of one sort or another, particularly military or police One reads in British newspapers of a raid made last night on a house or shop All it means is a 'burglary/ the work of one or more persons called raiders... Slang, boodle 2 Slang, favorite (horse racing) 3 SEE COMMENT 1 Slang Used alone or in the expression pots of money To put the pot on a horse at a British race-course is to shoot your wad or bet your stack at an American track The British also use the expression to go nap on a horse to describe the same vice (see nap) 2 Slang The pot is also British slang for the favorite in a horse race 3 Slang A British. .. old-fashioned Briticisms stunner, smasher, etc ravers See stark ravers (have a) rave-up, n Slang A helluva good time Slang, (have a) ball razzle, n Slang, spree; binge; toot Slang Americans go on a spree; happy Britons go on the razzle They also go on the spree (note the definite article) See Appendix I .A. 2 R.D insufficient funds These letters are an abbreviation of Refer to drawer, a bank indication... the architect Used alone, as an adjective, redbrick connotes a "self-made" image as opposed to the privileged, upper-class image of Oxford See also Oxbridge redcap military policeman redemption fee prepayment penalty A term used in mortgage financing; the fee charged for paying off before maturity Red Indian Indian Meaning 'American Indian.' When a Briton says Indian he means a 'native of India.' If... ship Originally nautical, for pump out the bilge, it was extended to the general language to mean urinate pun, v.t tamp Pun appears to be a variant of pound A punner is a tamper, i.e., a tool with which one tamps the earth, rubble, etc punch-bag, n Also given as punching-bag punching bag punch-up See dust-up puncture, n flat Puncture would sound old-fashioned or at least pedantic in America Flat is slowly . it away with his bat, rather than attempt to hit it hard and try to make runs. Thus, to play a ball to leg is a defensive tactic; and to play an embarrassing question to leg is to brush. in a card game; but informally it means to 'bet on a horse race' or 'speculate on the stock market/ and the usual meaning is 'bettor' or 'speculator' as. Britain are generally tiny things compared to what Americans mean by the term. A Briton would consider a prawn a large, rather than a small, shrimp. What Americans think of as shrimps are