12 American Words Not Widely Used In Britain | H

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Continuing our series of alphabetised words and phrases common to the U.S. that are not widely used in the UK, here are 12 such words beginning with the letter 'H'.


1. Half bath
A room for personal hygiene that lacks a shower or bathtub, in the American sense of the term, which lacks a place to actually bathe. UK equivalent: water closet.

2. Hard candy
UK equivalent: boiled Sweets.

3. Heavy cream
UK equivalent: double cream.

4. Hickey
A bruise on one's skin resulting from kissing or sucking. UK equivalent: love bite.

5. Highball
An alcoholic drink made with a spirit, particularly whisky, and water, soda water or any carbonated beverage, served in a tall glass with ice.

6. Hobo
Tramp; homeless, unskilled, itinerant worker; subculture of wandering homeless people, particularly those who make a habit of hopping freight trains.

7. Hominy
Maize kernels that have been soaked in a caustic solution then coarsely ground. See also grits.

8. Hood
Engine compartment cover of front-engine automobile. UK equivalent: bonnet.

9. (Play) hooky
To play truant from school; to cut class. UK equivalents: skive, bunk off, playing wag, wagging off.

10. Horseback riding
UK equivalent: riding or horse riding.

11. Howdy
Short for how do you do? Casual greeting that originated in the southern states. UK equivalent: How do?

12. Hush puppy
A bite-sized ball of deep-fried cornmeal batter commonly eaten in southern America. Non-existent in the UK, except for the international brand of shoes of the same name.

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