 |
 |
 |
British | Canadian | American |
P | ||
pack of cards | deck of cards | deck of cards |
pad, sanitary towel, brick | maxi-pad, pad | (feminine) napkin, pad, maxi-pad |
paddling pool | wading pool | wading pool |
pager, beeper | pager, beeper | beeper |
| pancake | pancake, flapjack, ploye | pancake, flapjack, hotcake |
pancake roll, spring roll | egg roll, spring roll | egg roll, spring roll |
pansy, fairy, gay, poof, poofta, bent, queer, nancy boy, (all offensive, except for `gay`) | gay, fag, faggot, homo, fairy, queer, lesbo, nancy, (all offensive, except for `gay`) | gay, fag, faggot, homo, fairy, queer, lesbo, (all offensive, except for `gay`) |
pantry, larder | pantry | pantry |
pants, knickers, undies, smalls (female) | panties, underwear, undies, ginch, gonch, gitch, gotch | panties, underwear, undies |
| paperback | paperback, softcover | paperback, softcover |
paper knife | letter opener | letter opener |
paper round | paper route | paper route |
parka, anorak | parka, anorak | parka |
parliament | parliament | congress |
paraffin | paraffin, kerosene | kerosene |
pass away, pop one's clogs | pass away | pass away, pass |
pastry base | crust | crust |
patience, solitaire (card game) | solitaire | solitaire |
patrol car, panda car | squad car, patrol car, smokey (dated) | squad car, patrol car, smokey (dated) |
pavement | sidewalk | sidewalk, pavement (unusual) |
| pay cut | wage cut, rollback, pay cut | wage cut, rollback, pay cut |
pay packet | pay packet, pay envelope | pay envelope |
| pay slip | pay slip, pay stub, pay statement | pay slip, pay stub, pay statement |
pedestrian crossing, zebra crossing | crosswalk | crosswalk |
pelican crossing | pedestrian-controlled crosswalk | pedestrian-controlled crosswalk |
pelmet | valance | valance |
| people carrier, MPV, multi-purpose vehicle, | minivan | minivan |
pensioner, OAP, old aged pensioner | senior, OAP, old aged pensioner | senior, senior citizen |
pepper, capsicum | pepper, capsicum, bell pepper | bell pepper, sweet pepper |
| percolator (coffee) | percolator, perk | percolator |
perfume, scent | perfume | perfume |
| pernickety | pernickety, persnickety (informal) | pernickety, persnickety (informal) |
personnel department | personnel department, human resources | human resources |
perspex | plexiglass | plexiglass |
petrol | gas, gasoline | gas, gasoline |
petrol station, filling station, service station | gas station, filling station, gas bar, service station | gas station, filling station, service station |
phone (v), on the phone, phone in, phone up, ring, ring round, ring up | phone, call, phone in, call in, phone up, call up, call round | call, call in, call up, call round |
phone box, call box | phone booth | phone booth |
photocopier | Xerox machine, photocopier | Xerox machine, photocopier |
physiotherapist, physio | physiotherapist, physio | physical therapist |
pick up, pick up truck | pick up, pick up truck | pick up, pick up truck |
pictures, cinema, picture house | movie theatre, theatre | movie theatre, theater |
| pig | pig, hog | pig, hog |
| pigsty | pigsty, pigpen | pigpen, pigsty |
pigtail, plaits | braids | braids |
pillar box, postbox | mailbox | mailbox |
| pillock | useless or stupid person | useless or stupid person |
| pillowcase | pillowcase, pillow slip | pillowcase, pillow slip |
pinafore | jumper | jumper |
pinch, steal, nick | steal | steal |
pinny, apron | apron | apron |
| pissed, drunk, plastered, smashed, slaughtered, arse-holed, sozzled, pissed, pissed as a fart, pissed as a newt, pissed up, battered, bevvied, shit-faced, bevvied up, caned, bladdered, blitzed, blootered, blotto, cabbaged, drunk as a skunk, gatted, lagered (up), lashed up, leathered, legless, ripped, mortalled, off one's chump, off one's face, off one's tits, out of it, paralytic, pickled, pie-eyed, rat-arsed, ratted, steaming, stewed, three sheets to the wind, trashed, trolleyed, trousered, twatfaced, twatted, sloshed, wankered, wasted, well gone, tanked up | pissed, drunk, ripped, smashed, plastered, wasted, stoned (old-fashioned) , shit-faced, hammered, three sheets to the wind, falling down drunk, and? | drunk, ripped, wasted, hammered, shit-faced, and? |
pissed off, hacked off, miffed, naffed off, narked, ticked off, brassed off, cheesed off | pissed, pissed off | pissed |
pitch (sport) | field | field |
pit stop | pit stop, rest stop, rest area | rest stop, rest area |
placement, work experience | internship | internship |
plaits, pigtail | braids | braids |
plaster, sticky plaster, sticking plaster | band aid | band aid |
plasterboard | drywall, wallboard, gypsumboard | drywall, wallboard, gypsumboard, sheet rock |
plimsolls, pumps | Keds | Keds |
Plough (constellation) | Big Dipper | Big Dipper |
| pluck (with tweezers) | pluck, tweeze | pluck, tweeze |
plughole | drain | drain |
| pneumatic drill | pneumatic drill, jackhammer | pneumatic drill, jackhammer |
pocket money | allowance | allowance |
podgy | pudgy | pudgy |
| polar neck, roll-neck | turtleneck | turtleneck |
police, cops, the Old Bill, pigs, the law, the fuzz ,
bizzies | police, RCMP, cops, pigs, the fuzz, the Mounties, the law, five-o, po-po | police, cops, pigs (dated), the fuzz (dated), the heat, the law |
policeman/woman, copper, PC Plod, bobby, cop, police constable | police officer, Mountie, patrolman, smokey (dated), cop, policeman/woman, police constable | police officer, patrolman, smokey (dated), state trooper, cop, trooper |
| polling station | polling station, polling place | polling station, polling place |
polo neck | turtle neck | turtle neck |
polystyrene | styrofoam | styrofoam |
poo, poo-poo | poo, poo-poo, poop | poop, poo |
poof, poofta, bent, queer, nancy boy, pansy, fairy, gay (all offensive, except for `gay`) | gay, fag, faggot, homo, fairy, queer, lesbo, nancy, ass-pirate | gay, fag, faggot, homo, fairy, queer, lesbo |
poorly, sick, ill | sick | sick |
pop, fizzy drink, soft drink | pop, soft drink | soda, soft drink, soda pop, pop, cold drink |
Poppy Day, Remembrance Day | Remembrance Day, Poppy Day | Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day |
| porch | porch, veranda | porch, veranda |
| porcupine | porcupine, porky | porcupine, porky |
pork scratchings | pork rinds | pork rinds |
porridge | porridge, oatmeal | oatmeal |
positive discrimination | employment equity, affirmative action, positive discrimination | affirmative action |
post | mail, post | |
postal order | money order | money order |
post(age) & packing (p&p) | shipping & handling (s&h) | shipping & handling (s&h) |
postbag | mailbag | mailbag |
postbox | mailbox | mailbox |
postcode | postal code | zip code |
postgraduate student | graduate student | graduate student |
postman | mailman, letter carrier | mailman, letter carrier |
postbox, pillar box | mailbox | mailbox |
| poste restante | general delivery- | general delivery |
post mortem | autopsy | autopsy |
postnatal | postnatal, postpartum | postnatal, postpartum |
postponement | postponement, raincheck | postponement, raincheck |
potatoes, spuds | potatoes | potatoes |
| potter (v) | putter | putter |
| potty | crazy | crazy |
| pound, quid, sterling | dollar, buck, loonie (one dollar), toonie, twoonie (two) | dollar, buck, greenback, a single (one dollar) |
power cut | power cut, power failure, outage | outage |
power point, socket | outlet, socket | outlet, socket |
| pram | baby carriage | baby carriage |
| prat | stupid or foolish | stupid or foolish |
prawn | shrimp, prawn | shrimp |
prawn cocktail | shrimp cocktail | shrimp cocktail |
| pregnant, up the duff, to have a bun in the oven | pregnant | pregnant |
| premature baby | premature baby, preemie | premature baby, preemie |
| pre-menstrual tension (PMT) | pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) | pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) |
press stud | snap | snap fastener, snap |
| press-ups | push-ups | push-ups |
primary school | elementary school, grade school | elementary school, grade school |
| prime minister | prime minister, first minister | president (nearest equiv.), prez (slang), Mr President |
| prise open | pry open | pry open |
prison, jail, gaol, the nick, clink, slammer, chokey | prison, jail, hoosegow penitentiary, clink, pen, jailhouse, lock-up, pokey | prison, jail, lock-up penitentiary, hoosegow, jailhouse, pen, pokey |
| private detective, private eye (just referring to a magazine) | private detective, private investigator, private eye | private detective, private investigator, private eye |
pub, public house, bar, boozer, rub-a-dub | bar, pub, beer parlour | bar |
publican | bar owner | bar owner |
| public school, private school | private school | private school |
public prosecutor, crown, crown prosecutor | crown, crown prosecutor, crown counsel, federal prosecutor, provincial prosecutor | district attorney |
public conveniences, ladies, gents, WCs, toilets | washroom, ladies, women’s room, men’s room | restroom, comfort station, bathroom, ladies, women’s room, men’s room |
public transport | transit, mass transit | transit, mass transit |
pudding, dessert, sweet, afters | dessert | dessert |
| puke, throw up, blow chunks, barf, chuck, chuck up, chuck one's guts up, chunder, gip, hurl, pray to the porcelain god, ralph, spew, spew up, spew one's guts up, be sick, honk | barf, puke, upchuck, throw up | barf, puke, upchuck, blow one's lunch, blow one's cookies, spit (something up), throw up, toss one's cookies |
pullover, jumper, sweater, jersey | sweater | sweater |
pumps, plimsolls | gym shoes | gym shoes |
puncture | flat | flat, blow out |
purse | change purse | change purse, coin purse |
| push-bike, bicycle, bike | bicycle, bike | bicycle, bike |
pushchair, buggy | stroller, buggy | stroller, buggy |
pussy, cat, pussycat, moggie | cat, pussycat | cat, pussycat |
| pylon | hydro tower | ? |
