Words Brits use that Americans don't?

Bum bag:
A bag worn on a strap around the waist (US: fanny pack)

 

Bumble (about)::
Meaning to wander aimlessly or stroll/walk without urgency to a destination

 

Chancer:
Meaning, an opportunist (one who risks.takes a chance). In derogotory terms associated with a type of fraudster

 

Jobsworth:
A minor clerical/government worker who refuses to be flexible in the application of rules to help clients or customers (as in "it will cost me more than my job to bend the rules"). Also used more broadly to apply to anyone who uses their job description in a deliberately obstructive way.

 

Motorway:
A controlled-access highway, the largest class of road on the British road network, designed for fast, high volume traffic. Abbreviated to M, as in M25 or M1. (US: equivalent to freeway / German Autobahn)

 

Nick:
1. (v.) to steal
2. (n.) a police station or prison
..... >

 

In some US states they're officially called thruways; in others, turnpikes.

 

< .....
Nicked:
Arrested ("you're nicked") – related to "the nick", see above (US: up the river, busted )

 

NHS:
The National Health Service, the state run healthcare system within the United Kingdom

 

Numpty:
(originally Scottish, now more widespread) a stupid person

 

Nowt:
Meaning nothing; not anything.
- As in "I've got nowt to do later."
= "I have nothing to do, nor needs to be done, later"
Northern English. (see also 'Owt' = anything)
- As in the phrase "you can't get owt for nowt"
= "you can't get anything for nothing"

 

The American equivalent would be stickler, though it wouldn't necessarily be limited to describing a government worker. Could be a teacher for example.

 

P45:
A form issued upon severance of employment stating an employee's tax code. (US: pink slip)
The idiom "to get your P45" is often used in Britain as a metonym for being fired
The alternate phrases "to get your cards", or "get your books" are also used – dependent on region.

 

Pikey:
A pejorative slang term, used originally to refer to Irish Travellers.
Now refers to anyone whose lifestyle is characterised by itinerancy, theft, illicit land occupancy with destruction of amenities, and disregard for authority, without reference to ethnic or national origin.
* (Now considered unacceptable as considered as an ethnic slur among Irish Travellers or British Romany Travellers)

 

Pub:
Shortened name for public house (US: bar)
..... >

 

< ...Publican:
The name given to the landlord / landlady of a public house.

 

Rumpy pumpy:
Slang name for sexual intercourse, used jokingly. (Popularised in England by its usage in The Black Adder and subsequent series; the suggestion of actor Alex Norton of a Scots term.

 

Send to Coventry
Meaning to ignore, to ostracize, to shun (US: 'send to Siberia')

 

Shanks's pony:
Meaning to travel on foot, walking – as in "The car's broken down, so it's shanks's pony I'm afraid".

 

Sleeping partner:
Meaning a partner in business, often an investor, who is not visibly involved in running the enterprise (US: silent partner)