What do British call sidewalks?

Also, a US sidewalk is a British pavement, and curb is spelled kerb (curb in UK English is a verb i.e. to “curb your enthusiasm”).
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on blog.collinsdictionary.com


Why do Brits call the sidewalk pavement?

T: Pavement refers to the paved area of the road that's designed exclusively for pedestrians. It's taken from the Latin pavimentum, which means “trodden down floor.” Trodden on because it's for pedestrians.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on ef.com


Do British people say sidewalk?

It is called a sidewalk in American English, but can also be called a pavement (mainly British English and South African English), a footpath (Australian English, Irish English, Indian English and New Zealand English) or footway (Engineering term).
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on simple.wikipedia.org


What are sidewalks called in London?

Many Commonwealth countries use the term "footpath". The professional, civil engineering and legal term for this in North America is "sidewalk" while in the United Kingdom it is "footway". In the United States, the term sidewalk is used for the pedestrian path beside a road.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on en.wikipedia.org


What do the British call a driveway?

A driveway (also called drive in UK English) is a type of private road for local access to one or a small group of structures, and is owned and maintained by an individual or group.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on en.wikipedia.org


The Little-Known Patterns on British Streets



What do Brits call a fridge?

◊ In U.S. English, fridge is informal, but in British English it is the usual word for a refrigerator.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on britannica.com


What is toilet paper called in England?

Bog roll. Taken from the 16th-century Scottish/Irish word meaning 'soft and moist,' bog means restroom or lavatory. Bog roll, naturally, is an idiom for toilet paper.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on thehealthyjournal.com


What do British people call Americans?

Yankee is sometimes abbreviated as “Yank.” People from all over the world, including Great Britain, Australia, and South America, use the term to describe Americans.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on nationalgeographic.org


What American phrases confuse Brits?

Americans often use idioms that can easily confuse foreigners. Phrases like "spill the beans," "piece of cake," "cold turkey," and "table an item" actually have nothing to do with food. Similarly, expressions like "cat's out of the bag" and "for the birds" have nothing to do with animals when Americans say them.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on insider.com


What do they call sidewalks in Ireland?

Americans call it a sidewalk, but in Ireland, it's called a footpath. This is quite simply a path for your feet.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on irishcentral.com


What do British people call the curb?

A curb (North American English), or kerb (Commonwealth English except Canada; see spelling differences), is the edge where a raised sidewalk or road median/central reservation meets a street or other roadway.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on en.wikipedia.org


How do British people say curb?

Kerb in British English

“Kerb” is the British English spelling for a raised street edge: British English: I nearly tripped on the kerb while crossing the road.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on proofed.com


What are pavements in UK?

In the UK, a pavement is the hard raised level surface at the side of a road that people can walk on: I set it down on the pavement by the door of the shop. American speakers call this a sidewalk. In the US, pavement means the hard surface of a road: Cars were skidding on the pavement.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on macmillandictionary.com


What do Brits call the front yard?

On a residential area, a front yard (United States, Canada, Australia) or front garden (United Kingdom, Europe) is the portion of land between the street and the front of the house. If it is covered in grass, it may be referred to as a front lawn.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on en.wikipedia.org


What do British people call a porch?

A veranda is a covered area that is attached to the front and the sides of a house or other building. A veranda is external, but may include various types of railings, columns and screens. A veranda is also known as a wrap-around porch. The American spelling is veranda, the British spelling is verandah.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on grammarist.com


What do Brits call zucchini?

Courgette (UK) / Zucchini (US)
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on eurocentres.com


What British words do Americans not understand?

The UK and America are two nations divided by a common language.
...
Synonyms for British Words Americans Don't Understand
  • Fringe: Bangs. ...
  • Jumper: Sweater.
  • Trainer: Sneaker.
  • Dummy: Pacifier.
  • Plaster: Band-aid.
  • Nappy: Diaper.
  • Hole-in-the-Wall: ATM.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on blog.ymtvacations.com


What American words do British people not understand?

In this article, we present eight American words British people don't understand!
  • Bangs.
  • Crosswalk.
  • Mad.
  • Pacifier.
  • Pants.
  • Pissed.
  • Take a rain check.
  • The 411.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on blog.lingoda.com


What do the British call umbrellas?

A brolly is the same as an umbrella. [British, informal]
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on collinsdictionary.com


What do Brits call the phone?

A 'dog and bone' is a telephone. 'He called me on the old dog and bone this morning'.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on britishcouncil.org


Which American accent is closest to British?

Possibly the closest US American accent to British (sounding and geographically) is mid-Atlantic. This is typically spoken by a US American who has lived a long time in Britain, or vice versa a Brit who spent years in the US.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on thehealthyjournal.com


Why do Brits say whilst?

'Whilst' started to be used as a conjunction, equivalent to 'while', in the 13th century. In modern British English, 'whilst' is supposedly a more formal variant of 'while'.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on theguardian.com


What is British slang for sandwich?

In England, a sandwich is called a butty! Add some British food slang to your vocabulary that will impress English folk and confuse your American friends.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on facebook.com


How do you flush a British toilet?

Flushing a Toilet with a Lever

In this aspect, they are usually similar to other Western style toilets. Push down on the lever with your hand. Be sure that you push the lever as far down as it will go, but don't hold it there for more than a second. Release it quickly after you feel it stop.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on wikihow.com


What do the French use instead of toilet paper?

France, Portugal, Italy, Japan, Argentina, Venezuela, and Spain: Instead of toilet paper, people from these countries (most of them from Europe) usually have a bidet in their washrooms. A bidet like a toilet, but also includes a spout that streams water like a water fountain to rinse you clean.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on therestroomkit.com
Previous question
How safe are elf BARs?