List of English words beginning with S that are not used in the United States

What will I learn from the book List of English words beginning with S that are not used in the United States?

There are a lot of words in the English language that are used in everyday life in the Great Britain that is not used in America or has a different meaning. This book is for teachers or people who have an high understanding of the English language already.

Who is the book of English words not used in America aimed at?

The List of English words from A to Z book is a reference book that has been written for students and the general reader. It will help you with any basic questions about spelling, punctuation, grammar and word usage that you are likely to ask. This page list all words and saying beginning with S and shows clear explanations with sentences where they are needed.

This is book should be used to help reference words or sayings. It is not to be used as a dictionary although, it is like a dictionary, as all the words are arranged alphabetically.

How do I use this English book of words from A to Z?

Click on each letter of the alphabet to get the full list of British words and explanation of each.

[ A ] [ B ] [ C ] [ D ] [ E ] [ F ] [ G ] [ H ] [ I ] [ J ] [ K ] [ L ] [ M ] [ N ] [ O ] [ P ] [ Q ] [ R ] [ S ] [ T ] [ U ] [ V ] [ W ] [ X ] [ Y ] [ Z ]

Words beginning with S

sack
to release from work "I've been sacked! The boss just gave me the sack!" (US: fire)
Saloon
a four door car (US: sedan)
sarky
(informal) sarcastic (abbrev.) "Why are you being so sarky?" (US: snarky)
sarnie, sarny, sannie
(informal) sandwich (abbrev.)
sat nav
GPS
scouser
a person from Liverpool, or the singular scouse to describe anything or anyone from either Liverpool or Merseyside.
screw *
a prison guard
scrubber
a lower class, (usually young) woman of low morals
scrumpy
cloudy cider, often high in alcoholic content
scrumping
action of stealing apples from an orchard; also v. to scrump
self-raising flour
self-rising flour
secateurs
gardening tool for pruning plants (US:garden shears, pruners or clippers)
secondment
(/sɪˈkɒndmənt/) the assignment of a person from his or her regular organisation to temporary assignment elsewhere. From v. second (/sɪˈkɒnd/)
Sellotape
from Cellophane, transparent adhesive tape (genericised trademark) (US: Scotch tape)
semibreve
a musical note with the duration of four counts in a time signature of 4/4 (US: whole note; see Note value)
send to Coventry
ostracize, shun (US: send to Siberia, vote off the island)
serviette
(from French) table napkin [DM]. Regarded as a non-U word, but widely used by non-U people. Frequently encountered in Canada.
shafted
broken beyond repair - can also be used to describe extreme exhaustion
Shag
To have sexual intercourse
shandy
a drink consisting of lager or beer mixed with a soft drink, originally ginger beer but now more usually lemonade, in near equal parts.
shanks's pony
on foot, walking – as in "The car's broken down, so it's shanks's pony I'm afraid".
shite
(vulgar) variant of shit
shop
in the sense of "retail outlet" (US: store)
sixes and sevens
crazy, muddled (usually in the phrase "at sixes and sevens"). From the London Livery Company order of precedence, in which position 6 is claimed by both the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors and the Worshipful Company of Skinners.
skew-whiff
skewed, uneven, not straight
skint
(informal) out of money (US: broke)
skip
industrial rubbish bin (US: dumpster)
skive [off]
(informal) to sneak off, avoid work; to play truant (US: play hookey)
slag *
similar to 'slut', a woman of loose morals and low standards.
slag off *
to badmouth; speak badly of someone, usually behind their back
slaphead
(informal) bald man
slapper
(vulgar) similar to slut but milder.
sleeping partner
a partner in business, often an investor, who is not visibly involved in running the enterprise (US: silent partner)
sleeping policeman
mound built into a road to slow down vehicles (UK also: hump [DM]; US & UK also: speed bump)
slippy
(slang) smooth, wet, with no friction or traction to grip something (US: slippery)
slowcoach
(slang) a slow person (US: slowpoke)
smalls
underclothing, underwear, particularly underpants
smart dress
formal attire
smeghead
(slang) idiot; a general term of abuse (for discussion of origin, see smeg (vulgarism)). Popularised by its use in a 1980s BBC sitcom, Red Dwarf.
snog
(slang) a 'French kiss' or to kiss with tongues (US [DM]: deep kiss, not necessarily with tongues)
soap dodger
one who is thought to lack personal hygiene
sod off
(vulgar, moderately offensive) go away; get lost
spacker, spacky, spazmo
(vulgar, offensive to many) idiot, general term of abuse: from "Spastic", referring in England almost exclusively (when not used as an insult) to a person suffering from cerebral palsy. (variant forms spaz/spastic, are used in American English) See also Joey.
spanner
(US: wrench)
(slang) an idiot, a contemptible person (US: a less pejorative synonym for tool.) "He's as stupid as a bag of spanners." (US var.: "He's dumber than a bag of hammers".)
spawny
lucky
spiffing
(informal) very good (old-fashioned, or consciously used as old-fashioned, associated stereotypically with upper-class people) (US: spiffy)
spiv
a dealer in black market goods (during World War II). The term wide boy is also often used in the same sense
spliff *
(slang) a hand-rolled cigarette containing a mixture of marijuana and tobacco, also 'a joint.' (Also used in US, j or blunt more widely used)
spot on *
exactly (US: right on)
spotted dick
an English steamed suet pudding containing dried fruit (usually currants) commonly served with custard.
squaddie
(informal) a non-commissioned soldier (US: grunt)
squadron leader
an Air Force officer rank (US: major)
squidgy
(informal) soft and soggy (US: squishy)
squiffy
(informal) intoxicated (popularly but probably erroneously said to be from British Prime Minister (Herbert) Asquith, a noted imbiber). The word can also be synonymous with skew-whiff.
squiz
(rare) look, most often used in the form to have a squiz at...
stamp
(slang) National Insurance payments (e.g.: I have not paid enough stamps to get my full state pension)
sticky-backed plastic
large sheet of thin, soft, coloured plastic that is sticky on one side; see Blue Peter (US similar: contact paper)
stockist
a seller (as a retailer) that stocks merchandise of a particular type, usually a specified brand or model (US: dealer)
stone the crows
exclamation of surprise (US holy cow)
straight away
immediately (sometimes used in the US; also right away)
stroke
to move your hand slowly and gently over something e.g. stroke a dog. (US: pet)
strop
(informal) bad mood or temper
stroppy, to have a strop on
(informal) recalcitrant, in a bad mood or temper
subway
An underground walkway normally under a road. Not to be confused with the US for an underground railway.
suck it and see
to undertake a course of action without knowing its full consequences (US: take your chances)
suss [out] *
(informal) to figure out (from suspicion)
suspender belt
a ladies' undergarment to hold up stockings (US: garter belt)
swot
1. v. to study for an exam (US cram)
2. n. (derogatory) aloof and unpopular schoolchild or student who studies to excess
sweets
the same term for candy in US
sweet FA
(slang) nothing (from "Sweet Fanny Adams", alternative: "Sweet Fuck All"), "I know sweet FA about cars!" (US: jack shit)
swimming costume
swimsuit or bathing suit; also cozzy for short.