guffaw.

I remember the first time I saw 'tidbit' in an American book. Struck me as slightly bizarre. I think it's taken over a little from Titbit here now.

As has 'ladybug' instead of 'ladybird'.

My niece always calls them ladybugs. I said to her that is what Americans call them but that the British word for them is ladybird, but she says she prefers ladybug.

In for a penny, in for a pound
Penny wise, pound foolish

Both of those are commonly used over here.

You're just joshing...

I thought this was English, but I'm watching Scrubs and it's in one of the episodes.

Joshing is English, but it may have travelled.

'Joshing' is generally seen as a slightly upper-class, public school, and old fashioned way of saying 'joking'. It's recently come back into vogue (last 20 years or so) in a more general sense.



[eta] according to google, it originates in the US in the 19th century. So I guess it travelled here.

I thought "snatch you bald-headed" was North of England.
But before I posted it I checked online.
It may have originated here, but it's been in currency on both sides of the Atlantic at least.

what about "your bald-headed snatch"? Almost unheard of in the 1970s...

Both of those are new for me.

Once again on Scrubs, heard dilly dally as in 'mustn't dilly dally" which I'm pretty sure is English. Reckon the Scrubs writing team must have done a lot of borrowing of phrases from across the Atlantic.

An old music hall number from the early 20th century. I doubt there's a single Brit alive who wouldn't recognise that tune :p


From wiki: