I can never find a translation file for converting commonly used terms for technical tools and equipment etc in the UK for the equivalent term used in the USA , or vice versa, often involves trade names. Plenty of sites mentioning equivalent car part names eg bumper : fender etc This is my start - please reply adding others or any possible errors. The list with any additions is/will be on
UK term : USA term
Allen Key : hex key , hex wrench answerphone : answering machine Avo (meter, short for Avocet ) [old analogue multimeter ] : VTVM (vacuum tube voltmeter; usually
line-powered) or a VOM (volt-ohmmeter; usually battery-powered) banana plugs : ? billion (before year 1974 ) : million million (the) box, telly, tv : television (set) Bulgin connectors : ? choc block connectors : ? earth [voltage reference] : ground elastic band, bungee cord : flex enameled copper wire : magnet wire engineer's persuader for percussive maintenance : knockometer flex : electric cord Gilbows : tinsnips Harwin connectors : ? Hellerman pliers ,(triple prong sleeving expanders) : ? imperial (measurements ) : inches,feet,yards,miles LOPT , Line Output Transformer (pronounced Lop-tee) : IHVT (Flyback Transformer) mains (power) [electricity supply company power feed ] : line (power) maths (mathematics ) : math metric (measurements) : European mobile (phone) : cellphone, wireless, cellular phone Mole grips : lock jaw pliers, vice grips plug in power supply : wall wart power point : electric socket QM connectors : ? phono connectors : RCA connectors spanner : wrench scope (oscilloscope) : o'scope , waveform analyser Stanley knife : box cutter Stilsons : pipewrench thou (thousandth of an inch ): mil (measurement) trillion (before 1974 ? ) : million million million valve : tube Vero board : matrix board video : vcr (machine) white goods : appliances wireless : radio