ShowBritish English

Words, phrases, expressions, idioms, and other linguistic and dialect features from the United Kingdom. British English refers to the dialects and accents of English used in the United Kingdom, exhibiting significant regional variation in pronunciation and vocabulary across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Although Received Pronunciation (RP) is often historically considered a standard accent, it’s spoken by a small percentage of the population, with most speakers using regional accents and dialects. Distinctive (almost to the point of being clichéd) features compared to American English include differences in vocabulary (e.g., “lift” for “elevator,” “flat” for “apartment”), spelling conventions (e.g., “colour,” “centre,” “realise”), and certain grammatical structures.

An Eke Name, Nickname

The verb to eke, as in to eke out a living or eke out a win, derives from Old English eaca, meaning “addition” or “supplement.” The expression an eke name, or literally “an additional name” was later altered by...

Swullocking

If you need a word describe a really hot, sultry, sweltering day, you can always call say it’s swullocking. In parts of England, the dialectal verb swullock means “to broil with heat.” This is part of a complete episode.