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British Terms Trivia Quiz

This quiz is a mixture of straight forward British v American words and British phrases that probably sound weird to Americans! This will be easy if you are British.

A multiple-choice quiz by MrHippo. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
MrHippo

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
176,949

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
6177

Last 3 plays: looloo1234 (10/10), paper_aero (10/10), Guest 108 (8/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. You give up your seat on the London Underground so that your British friend can sit down for the journey. He responds by saying "Cheers". What does he mean by this? Hint

He expects you to buy him a drink

He is thanking you for the noble gesture

He wants you to shout at him

He wants everybody in the train to applaud you

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. Whilst in a pub in the north of England, you hear someone saying "Thanks me old mucker". What is meant by this? Hint

Thank you - being said specifically to a farm worker

Thank you, my friend

A derogatory term, used to offend someone

Thank you - being said specifically to an ex-prisoner

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. Your British friend tells you "You're having a bubble". What are you doing? Hint

You are in the bath

You are having a laugh, pulling someone's leg

You are eating fried cabbage

You are annoying someone

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Question 4 of 10

4. Your British friend then calls you a "spanner". What is meant by this? Hint

You are very clever

You travel a lot

You work as an engineer

You are an idiot

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Question 5 of 10

5. Your British friend tells you he wants a "plaster". What does he want? Hint

He wants some sticky tape.

He has broken a limb and needs to get a plaster cast

He wants a Band-Aid

He wants an alcoholic drink

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. Your British friend asks you if you have a "cotton bud". What is he asking you? Hint

He wants a light beer

He wants some flowers

He wants a Q-Tip

He wants some cotton candy

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Question 7 of 10

7. You are eating lunch and your British friend asks you if you would like some pickle in your sandwich. What would you get in your sandwich? Hint

A gerkin / dill pickle

A sweet chutney

Tomato ketchup

A pepper

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. In America it is called a biscuit. What do the British call it? Hint

Scone

Wafer

Cone

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. In America it is Cotton Candy. What do the British call it? Hint

Candy Fluff

Spun Sugar

Candy Floss

Fluffy Candy

10. A difficult one. Your British friend takes you to an ice cream parlour. He orders a scoop of ice cream in a wafer cone, that comes with a stick of chocolate in the ice cream. What is the name for this dish? Hint

A Queen Victoria

A Ninety-Nine (99)

A Choc - ice

A Flake

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Most Recent Scores

Dec 12 2024 : looloo1234: 10/10
Nov 26 2024 : paper_aero: 10/10
Nov 25 2024 : Guest 108: 8/10
Nov 01 2024 : Guest 94: 9/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. You give up your seat on the London Underground so that your British friend can sit down for the journey. He responds by saying "Cheers". What does he mean by this?

Answer: He is thanking you for the noble gesture

I was on holiday (or vacation) in Ohio and kept saying "cheers" instead of "thank you". It was only when someone asked me what I meant, that I realised that this was not in common usage in the US. Or not in Ohio anyway.

2. Whilst in a pub in the north of England, you hear someone saying "Thanks me old mucker". What is meant by this?

Answer: Thank you, my friend

"Mucker" derives from British slang. I know people who use it, although it does not sound nice!

3. Your British friend tells you "You're having a bubble". What are you doing?

Answer: You are having a laugh, pulling someone's leg

This is a term of rhyming slang. It comes from bubble bath - laugh. This can also be "having a bobble" from "bobble hat and scarf".
Fried potato and cabbage make up "bubble and squeak" - just to explain the logic behind one of the wrong answers. I have also been told that if you are having a "bubble" you can be crying. Another member has also told me that they use the term "bubble and squeak" to refer to someone or something from Greece. This goes to show how complex the English language is!

4. Your British friend then calls you a "spanner". What is meant by this?

Answer: You are an idiot

I can say that during my time in America, I have never heard this phrase used. Or to give it an American feel - "you wrench".
Other similar terms include calling someone a "plum", or a "muppet".

5. Your British friend tells you he wants a "plaster". What does he want?

Answer: He wants a Band-Aid

You can use this as a verb. To get plastered - to become intoxicated. I do not remember hearing this in common usage in the US, but hear it a lot in Britain. It must be the friends I keep!

6. Your British friend asks you if you have a "cotton bud". What is he asking you?

Answer: He wants a Q-Tip

I think Bud are missing out on a great marketing line with that one!
The first time I heard a reference to a Q-tip, I had no idea what it was. The only reference I could think of was with regards to pool / snooker (Cue tip).

7. You are eating lunch and your British friend asks you if you would like some pickle in your sandwich. What would you get in your sandwich?

Answer: A sweet chutney

The usual pickle in Britain is Branston Pickle. In my opinion, it looks horrible. It is thick, black and lumpy. I have no idea if you have an American alternative. The nearest you can get to it, is to mix A1 steak sauce with chopped cauliflower, onion, and dill pickle.

8. In America it is called a biscuit. What do the British call it?

Answer: Scone

The British term for cookie is biscuit. I tried to trick you.

9. In America it is Cotton Candy. What do the British call it?

Answer: Candy Floss

Sometimes also called Fairy Floss,it is high in sugar and bad for your teeth!

Answer: A Ninety-Nine (99)

The 99 ice cream was introduced to Britain in the 1930's. The British ice cream industry was run by Italians and they chose the name for the 99. An Italian legend goes that an Italian King had the very finest group of soldiers for his bodyguards - 99 of them. This is why the number 99 represents quality.

Source: Author MrHippo

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
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