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British English for the Novice D

British English for the Novice D

Date: Oct 03 2007

Topic: British English

Author: rhyme_reason

Lesson

DAFT AS A BRUSH phrase. 1. Foolish or crazy, as in, "He's DAFT AS A BRUSH".  

DEAD ON adj. 1. Exactly (when said of time), as in, "The meeting will start DEAD ON 9:00".

DECKO n. 1. A look, as in, "Have a DECKO and see for yourself".

DEMERARA n. 1. Brown sugar. One usually serves DEMERARA with coffee and sugar with TEA.  

DEMIJOHN n. 1. Bottle used in the fermenting step of wine making.

DIARY n. 1. Appointment calendar.

DIGS n. 1. Long term rented accommodation in a private house, often used by university students and itinerant workers. Typical DIGS comprise a bedroom and access to a bathroom and toilet. The bathroom and toilet are normally shared with the family that own the house. The bedroom may be shared with other tenants. Some meals or cooking facilities may be provided. Meals are often shared with the family. Cooking facilities are often masterpieces of miniaturisation beside which the achievements of calculator makers pale into insignificance. Members of the opposite sex are not allowed in (or even near) DIGS. This rule is strictly enforced by the landlady, invariably a light sleeper with super-acute hearing. Note that DIGS is always plural, as in: "Have you got a FLAT yet? No, I'm still in DIGS." or: "What are your DIGS like? OK, except for the landlady's man-eating ALSATIAN.". Short term or holiday DIGS are never called DIGS, instead they are called BED AND BREAKFAST or B&B. A BEDSIT is a DIGS with an absentee landlady.

DIP v. 1. To lower, as in, "DIP your lights for oncoming traffic".

DIRT n. 1. Filth. This is never dirt (soil) as used for plants.  

DIVERSION n. 1. Detour. These are permanent features of most roads in the U.K.  

DOLE n. 1. Welfare or Social Security, as in, "He hasn't worked for months - been on the DOLE."

DOLLAR n. 1. Five SHILLINGS or twenty-five PENCE. This has its origins from "Thaler", an Austrian coin of very wide circulation, both in the Mediterranean and elsewhere, from about 1600 on. The word was in comparatively wide circulation in English by about 1720 (a period of great shortage of silver British coinage). Its use in U.K. English predates the decision of the Continental Congress to adopt it as the official name for the U.S. currency.

DOLLY PEGS n. 1. Wooden clothes pins made from one piece of wood (not two pieces of wood with a metal spring between). DOLLY PEGS used to be made into tiny dolls, hence the name.

DORMOBILE n. 1. A small camper bus. This was originally a model name of such a camper.

DOSS AROUND v. 1. To slum. A DOSS house is for vagrants to stay the night at. As in, "I wanted a year off before university, but I also wanted to do something positive and not just DOSS AROUND."  

DOUBLE DECKER n. 1. A two-level bus.

DOUBLE GLAZING n. 1. Storm windows. Windows in the U.K. are notoriously poorly designed and seldom close tightly. In an attempt to make them less drafty, DOUBLE GLAZING may be installed on the inside of the window. A dead air pocket is created by installing a thermal glass "door" to the window casing. A rubber seal ensures a close fit with the rest of the casing. Most DOUBLE GLAZING windows slide like a patio door, but some must be opened inwards before the regular window may be opened outwards. During warmer weather the DOUBLE GLAZING may be removed.

DOWNS n. 1. Hills.

DRAUGHTS (drahfts) n. 1. The game of checkers. 2. Wind currents prevented by DOUBLE GLAZING. ( The English do not have a word spelled d-r-a-f-t-s).

DRAWING PIN n. 1. Thumb tack.  

DRAWING ROOM n. 1. Living room. The term comes from "withdrawing room". This This is the room the ladies would withdraw to while the men drank. DROP HEAD n. 1. Convertible (automobile).

DRESSING GOWN n. 1. Bathrobe.

DRINKING UP TIME phrase. 1. Period of ten minutes following the end of PUB licensing hours (TIME) allowed for customers to finish their drinks. Anyone who still has a drink after DRINKING UP TIME is breaking the law.

DRIVING LICENCE n. 1. Driver's license. Serious driving offences are recorded directly on your U.K. DRIVING LICENSE and are known as ENDORSEMENTS. Three of these and you're done driving.

DUAL CARRIAGEWAY n. 1. Divided highway.

DUSTBIN n. 1. Trash barrel.

DYNAMO n. 1. Generator.

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