16 British Words And Phrases That Mean Something Totally Different In America

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    Morgan Murrell
    by Morgan Murrell

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Fun fact about me: I love young UK drama series and one of my favorites is The Only Way Is Essex, also known as TOWIE.

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    Think of it as a British version of Laguna Beach, except the majority of the cast is in their twenties and the drama's been turned up a few notches.

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    And as someone who personally enjoys speaking in a British accent, or at least what I think to be a British accent, this show has allowed me to broaden my UK vocabulary to make my conversations sound a little more authentic. Here are a few slang words and phrases I can't get enough of:

    1. Fit

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    What it means in Essex: sexually attractive or really hot.

    What it means in America: to be physically in shape.

    2. "Out of order"

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    What it means in Essex: describes something that someone said or did that is unpleasant or might offend people. It's similar to saying "out of line."

    What it means in America: when a machine isn't working properly or when something is in an incorrect sequence.

    3. Row

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    What it means in Essex: an argument.

    *It's pronounced like "rou." Think of how you say "cow" instead of how you say "toe."

    What it means in America: when pronounced like "toe," row can describe people or things in a straight line or propelling a boat with oars.

    4. "Get the ump"

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    What it means in Essex: to get annoyed, aggravated, or put in a bad mood.

    What it means in America: a phrase used to call the attention of a baseball umpire.

    5. Mug or "Mugging me off"

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    What it means in Essex: when used as a noun, it describes a fool or someone with no backbone. When used as a verb, it describes someone trying to make a fool of you.

    What it means in America: a cup, typically used for drinking hot beverages like coffee or tea.

    6. Dig or "Diggin me out"

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    What it means in Essex: when used as a noun, it refers to a rude or inappropriate comment. When used as a verb, it describes someone to insult you.

    What it means in America: besides breaking up dirt, dig is also used to describe a criticizing remark.

    7. "Having a laugh"

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    What it means in Essex: similar to saying, "are you serious?" or "are you kidding me?"

    What it means in America: to insult or poke fun at some one and cover it up as a joke.

    8. "Taking the piss"

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    What it means in Essex: to mock or tease someone in a cruel way.

    What it means in America: to urinate.

    9. Slag

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    What it means in Essex: a promiscuous woman

    What it means in America: waste matter separated from metal materials or scrap metal.

    10. Bird

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    What it means an Essex: a young woman.

    What it means in America: feathered creatures associated with the Aves animal class.

    11. Fancy

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    What it means in Essex: to like/want something or someone. In the series, it's often used to describe someone you're sexually attracted to or someone you want to be with romantically.

    What it means in America: An object or structure that looks like it's worth a lot of money. It can also be used to describe someone whose appearance looks expensive or bourgeoisie actions.

    12. Lairy

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    What it means in Essex: aggressive, confrontational, or angry.

    What it means in America: spelled "leery," the word means cautious, wary, or suspicious.

    13. "Winding me up"

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    What it means in Essex: to provoke or deceive.

    *It's pronounced like "wined."

    What it means in America: to twist or coil something repeatedly around its base.

    14. Grass

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    What it means in Essex: used to describe someone who's betrayed you, a snitch, informer, or snake.

    What it means in America: a specific type of plant. It is also sometimes used as slang for marijuana.

    15. "Slagging"

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    What it means in Essex: to maliciously talk behind someone's back or to insult someone.

    What it means in America: to produce an extreme amount of trash.

    16. Weapon

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    What it means in Essex: an extremely attractive woman.

    What it means in America: an object designed for inflicting harm or physical damage.

    If you want to hear these words in action or if you're just interested in checking out the show, Seasons 1-20 of The Only Way Is Essex are now available to stream on Hulu.