Common American Slang

A Guide to American Conversation:

  • The telephone is never engaged, it is always busy
  • You don't disconnect a phone, you simply hang up
  • You don't stop at signals, you halt at the lights
  • You don't pass out from a university, you graduate
  • You don't accelerate, you step on the gas
  • If your tire is punctured, it means you have a flat
  • There are no petrol bunks or petrol pumps, there are gas stations
  • You never post a letter, you always mail it
  • You don't stand in a queue, you are in a line
  • You no longer like something, you appreciate it.
  • # is not a hash, it is a pound sign.
  • There is no full stop at the end of a statement, instead you find a period

Currency:

  • Penny = 1 cent
  • Nickel = 5 cents
  • Dime = 10 cents
  • Quarter = 25 cents
  • Half Dollar = 50 cents
  • Silver Dollar = 100 cents

American Terms and Their Indian Equivalence:

  • Apartment = flat
  • Battery = cell
  • Beat up = worn out, shabby (said of a thing)
  • Beat around the bush = avoid an issue
  • Been had = to have been taken advantage of
  • Big shot = a supposedly important person or someone who thinks he/she is
  • Big deal = anything important, exciting
  • Bike = cycle
  • Break the ice = make a beginning
  • Buck = dollar bill
  • Bombed = see "high"
  • Boot = trunk
  • Booze = alcoholic beverage
  • Bummer = a term to designate that something undesirable has happened
  • Cab = taxi
  • Cash = paying someone with currency rather than a check
  • Check = cheque
  • Check out = look over a situation
  • Cilantro = coriander
  • Collect Call = a telephone call where the recipient of the call pays
  • Cookie = biscuit
  • Cool or neat = slang term denoting approval for something or someone
  • Cool it = calm down
  • Cop = slang for policeman
  • Cut it out = stop it
  • Crack up = to lose emotional control in laughter
  • Date = to go out with someone; also the person with whom you go
  • Down = to feel depressed, sad
  • Downtown = Central Business District of any American city
  • Down to earth = practical, straightforward, (person)
  • Drive one up the wall = drive one nuts; to make one very nervous, or upset
  • Drop = to withdraw from a course on or before the set date
  • Drugstore = Pharmacy/Chemist
  • Eggplant = Brinjal
  • Electricity = current
  • Elevator = lift
  • Eraser = rubber
  • Fall for = take a strong liking for
  • Fed up = disgusted with, or tired of
  • Fender = bumper
  • Flammable = inflammable
  • Flashlight = torch
  • Freak out = to lose control of oneself, go crazy
  • Gas = petrol
  • Give a ring = to call on the telephone
  • Go to pot = to deteriorate
  • Grass = slang term for marijuana
  • Gripe = to complain
  • Hang up = in reference to the telephone it means do not hang up the receiver
  • Hang in there = keep trying; do not be discouraged
  • Hassled = troubled by
  • Have a lot on the ball = to be capable, talented, or efficient
  • High = intoxicated ("loaded") from liquor or drugs
  • Hit the sack = go to bedHood = bonnet
  • How's it going? - How are you?
  • Hung up = to be in conflict over a problem
  • I.D. = identification
  • In a nutshell = very briefly and concisely
  • Jock = an athlete
  • Keep your shirt on = be clam, be patient
  • Know the ropes = be familiar with the details of an undertaking
  • Lemon = bad buy or purchase
  • Loaded = to get intoxicated
  • Long Distance Call = STD/Trunk call
  • Make ends meet = budget within one's income
  • Make up = (1) to apologize after a fight or disagreement
    (2) To do an assignment after it was due
    (3) Cosmetics a woman uses
  • Mailbox = post box
  • Mid term = test given during the middle of the quarter
  • Motel = inexpensive hotel
  • Motorbike = motorcycle
  • Muffler = silencer of a car
  • Okra = ladyfinger
  • On the house = free, no cost
  • Old man = slang term for father
  • Once in a blue moon = seldom, infrequently
  • Out of it = (1) somebody whose mind is far away or preoccupied
    (2) Somebody not fitting into a certain group
  • Out of the question = unthinkable, impossible
  • Over my dead body = not if I can stop it!
  • Out of sight = term of approval denoting something exciting or very good
  • Panhandler = beggar
  • Payphone = public telephone
  • Pedestrian Crossing = zebra crossing
  • Peanuts = groundnuts
  • Phony = someone who is insincere, also fake
  • Play it by ear = to respond to circumstances as they arise
  • Play second fiddle = be second in importance
  • Pop-Quiz = a test given with no prior warning
  • Pop/Soda = aerated drink/soft drink
  • Pot = a term used for marijuana
  • Psyched up = to mentally prepare yourself for something; excited about something
  • Pull one's leg = to tease someone
  • Pull strings = use influence
  • Pull the wool over someone's eyes = deceive or mislead someone
  • Put someone on = to tease or try to fool. "Are you putting me on?"
  • Put your foot in your mouth = say something you regret having said
  • Rip off = to steal; charge an exorbitant price for some item
  • Redneck = hillbilly
  • Restroom = toilet
  • Returned Check = bounced cheque
  • Run around with = be friends with
  • Screwed up = confused
  • Shook up = upset
  • Show = movie or film, cinema
  • Sidewalk = footpath/pavement
  • Skip or cut = not go to class
  • Stoned = to get high on grass
  • Straight = one who goes along with the norms of society, conservative
  • Subway = underground railway system
  • Take a rain check = to postpone an invitation, accepting it for a later date
  • Take for granted = to assume
  • Through the grapevine = through gossip
  • To Go = carry out (especially referring to food)
  • To the max = to the maximum or greatest degree
  • Traffic Light = traffic signal
  • Trash Can = dustbin
  • Uptight = worried, tense
  • Under the weather = sick, not feeling well
  • Windbreaker = windcheater
  • With flying colors = with victory or success
  • Wasted = an extreme lack of energy. Also can mean "high"
  • Ya'll = you all
  • Zee = the letter "Z"
  • ZIP Code = postal code
  • Zero in on = focus or concentrate on
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