English may be a shared language, but American and British speakers often diverge in the words and expressions they use. And while many of their idioms share the same meaning, some vary in their wording. While these idiom pairs are historically connected, they’ve evolved to fit the everyday language of their respective regions. Some differences are subtle, while others are more pronounced, reflecting cultural differences on either side of the Atlantic.
American: Toot One’s Own Horn
British: Blow One’s Own Trumpet
Depending on where they live, English speakers refer to different instruments when boasting about themselves. To “toot your own horn” in American English is the equivalent of “blowing your own trumpet” in British English. Both expressions describe talking about oneself in a prideful way, though often in a self-aware manner. In essence, you’re giving yourself credit for being right about something or having accomplished something impressive. For example, someone might say, “Not to toot my own horn, but that presentation was pretty great.”
In Britain, on the other hand, they might say, “I don’t mean to blow my own trumpet, but I think I secured the deal.” One of the earliest records of the origins of this expression comes from a translation of “…In Praise of Folly” by Desiderius Erasmus, first published in 1511: “…And indeed what is more befitting than that Folly should be the trumpet of her own praise, and dance after her own pipe?” Here, the author likens self-praise to a trumpet or dancing to one’s own music.
American: Not Touching Something With a 10-Foot Pole
British: Not Touching Something With a Barge Pole
Americans and Brits express their desire to distance themselves from something using slightly different poles. The expression means to refuse to associate with someone or something because it’s unpleasant, risky, suspicious, or controversial in nature and refers to literally maintaining a distance.
For instance, a picky American eater might say, “I wouldn’t touch Brussels sprouts with a 10-foot pole.” But a Brit? They wouldn’t touch those sprouts with a “barge pole.” The American version dates to the mid-18th century, while the British version emerged during the early 19th century. The British version refers to long poles employed on a barge (a flat-bottomed boat) for propulsion, docking, or fending off objects.
American: Threw a (Monkey) Wrench in the Works
British: Threw a Spanner in the Works
If something disrupts or impedes your day, you might say a “monkey wrench was thrown into the works.” This idiom essentially describes something that ruins a plan or causes you to approach things differently: “The rain threw a wrench in our beach day.” Informal American English tends to shorten the expression, omitting “monkey” and/or the second half (“in the works”), while British English typically sticks with the full expression. A “spanner” is the British equivalent of a wrench.
The idiom’s origin lies in the notion that a small metal tool such as a wrench or spanner can really wreak havoc when lost in a machine, just as a metaphorical wrench (e.g., bad weather, delays, or illness) can make plans go awry. One of the earliest printed records of this expression appears in a 1907 edition of the Chicago Tribune: “It should look to them as if he were throwing a monkeywrench into the only market by visiting that Cincinnati circus upon the devoted heads of Kentucky’s best customers.”
American: Skeleton in the Closet
British: Skeleton in the Cupboard
Brits and Americans keep their metaphorical skeletons in different places. Whereas Americans store them in the closet, Brits keep theirs in the cupboard. These expressions refer to an embarrassing or potentially ruinous secret from the past, as in, “Journalists dug to see if the Hollywood star had any skeletons in his closet/cupboard.”
This turn of phrase has existed since the early 19th century, though its exact origins are unclear. One of the earliest documentations of the actual idiom is from an 1816 edition of the British periodical The Eclectic View, which highlighted societal fears of uncovering uncomfortable truths, in this case genetic diseases. The author writes, “In these, as in many other highly important questions, men seem afraid of enquiring after truth; cautions on cautions are multiplied, to conceal the skeleton in the closet or to prevent its escape….”
American: Beat a Dead Horse
British: Flog a Dead Horse
“Flogging” may sound medieval on this side of the pond, but for the Brits, it’s a common alternative for the American term “beating.” This expression means to waste time, effort, and/or conversation on something that’s already been decided or is impossible. It originated from the noun “dead horse,” which in the 1830s denoted “an exhausted or profitless topic or issue.”
“Flog” is a mainly British term dating to the 17th century. Its earliest definition is “to beat or strike with a rod or whip.” When this idiom first emerged, “flog” was more common than “beat” in Britain, resulting in the altered wording. Today, “flog” is often used differently in modern British English, as slang for selling something illegally, quickly, or cheaply.
American: Knock on Wood
British: Touch Wood
The Brits take a gentler approach to this idiom, which is said to ward off misfortune and prevent jinxing something. Instead of the American “knock,” British speakers use a different verb: “touch.” For example, Americans might say, “The weather looks great for this weekend — knock on wood!” In contrast, the Brits would say, “The weather has been nice lately; I hope it stays like this — touch wood!”
This phrase has been around since at least the 19th century, but it’s unclear who started it, the British or the Americans. The practice of knocking on wood for luck is found in various cultures worldwide, though its origins remain uncertain. It may stem from an ancient Celtic tradition, or perhaps something more modern — a 19th-century children’s game of tag called “Tiggy Touchwood.”
Regardless of the origins of all these idioms, they highlight the deep connections between traditions, superstitions, and language across different cultures.
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