Introduction

My husband used to remember a quote George Bernard Shaw (perhaps it’s the suggested family relation) when he talked about two nations divided by a common language. Since the pandemic lockdown it's only the two of us so he uses American terms and I use British.

I soon learned there was a lot more to learning the British lingo besides bonnets, boots and lifts. Wellies related back to the first Duke of Wellington. Bonnets of course are not hats but the hood of the car. lifts are elevators - have known these for years. Soft drinks or soda are called fizzy drinks. Lemonade is carbonated! Baby carriages are called prams. The loo is sometimes just referred to as the toilet, but asking for a bathroom can throw people off (no baths in grocery stores), so too polite to say toilet, I reverted to loo. Diapers are called nappies. God forbid you compliment a coworker on her pants! Please consider trousers or jeans, because pants are undergarments!

Fun words used differently in two English-speaking countries. But note, my knowledge is from the North East US and southern England. Obviously there are regional differences in how words are used across the US as well as different parts of the UK.

By the way, the UK is not quite the same as the British Isles. There is a fantastic power point video on YouTube which explains and shows a Venn diagram of all the nuances between Great Britain, United Kingdom, and England - you'll recognise it from the sheer speed at which the info is presented! But basically, the UK is currently made up of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The British Isles include The Republic of Ireland (part of the European Union).

British idioms

Jump the shark
Jumping the shark is an idiom used to describe a moment when something that was once popular but has grown less so makes an attempt at publicity which only serves to highlight its irrelevance. This is especially applicable to television series or other entertainment outlets.
Bob's Your uncle
Similar: And there you have it. Also: Ta-da! or et Voila!
Ta
Thank you - northern UK US, esp mid to northern England.
Cheers!
Unlike the American, to your health, or the Italian chin chin, Cheers is more of a thank you as used in south of England
N.B.
N.B. An abbreviation for the Latin phrase nota bene, meaning “note well.” It is used to emphasize an important point. Connecticut usage: "Note:"

Food

Chicken salad
Sliced chicken with pieces of fresh salad veg added. Our local baguette shop offers lettuce, tomato, onion, and cucumber.
Chicken mayo sandwich
Diced up chicken breast mixed with mayonaise, like the american chicken salad, which tends to add chopped onion, celery, herbs, and or relish
Relish
Pickled cucumbers, minced, used on burgers, dogs, occasionally sandwiches
Crisps
British term for what americans call potato chips
Chips
Roasted slices of potato, what american's would call fries, or more precisely, the thick cut steak fries. These are served with the classic fish n chips (dont forget the mushy peas!)
Fries
Thinner French-fried potatoes, aka chips. but commonly today one can see both chips (thick cut) and fries (thin cut) in British stores
Mushy peas
When I first learned about mushy peas, I wondered if they were like mashed potatoes made of peas. In actuality, it's more like peas in sauce similar to baked beans, but yes green.