One of the plagues of the American attempting a canon fic is the britishism
and, what's worse, no matter how hard we try, our stories can often end up
sounding as if they came from the early 1800's. Following is a list of
expressions, statements, adjectives, etc... that JKR commonly uses in the
Harry Potter series. This list has been compiled by Lynnie_lil from
the American editions.
Abash (verb)- embarrass
Affront (verb)- insult; confront
Apothecary (noun) - druggist
Badger (verb) - annoy persistently
Baleful (adj) - deadly
Bamboozle (verb) - trick; hoodwink
Bemuse (verb) - bewilder; confuse
Bicker (verb) - engage in petty quarrel
Borborygamus (noun) - intestinal rumbling caused by moving gas
Cadge (verb) - sponge; beg
Catbird seat (noun) - position of great prominence or advantage
Cinder (noun) - ashes
Chortle (verb) - laugh; chuckle in exultation
Chuck (verb) - toss; discard
Codger (noun) - an odd or cranky and usually elderly fellow
Comeuppance (noun) - deserved rebuke or penalty
Consternation (noun) - amazed dismay and confusion
Corpulent (verb) - Obese
Diatribe (noun) - biting or abusive speech or writing
Disconcert (verb) -confuse; upset
Disgruntle (verb) - to put in a bad humor
Duffer (noun) - incompetent or clumsy person
Dulcet (adj) - agreeable; pleasing
Dumpy (adj) - short and thick in build; shabby
Enmity (noun) - ill will; mutual hatred
Exacerbate (verb) - to make more violent; bitter or severe
Explicit (adj) - clearly and precisely expressed
Fickle (adj) - unsteady in character & disposition; inconstant
Filch (verb) - steals furtively
Flibbertigibbet (verb) - a silly flighty person
Flick (verb) - to strike lightly in a quick sharp motion
Flinch (verb) - to shrink from; wince
Furtive (adj) - done by stealth
Icy (adj) - intensely cold; being cold and unfriendly
Impedimenta (n pl) - things that impede
Imperious (adj) - commanding; lordly [used as a curse]
Ominous (adj) - foretelling evil; threatening
Ostentation (noun) - a pretentious or excessive display
Pell-mell (adv) - in mingled confusion; headlong
Petrol (noun) - gasoline
Pilfer (verb) - to steal in small quantities
Pitch (noun) - a playing field for sports
Post (noun) - the mail. British.
Prat (noun) - the butt; British term for someone stupid or foolish
Prise (verb) - British variation of pry, to pull things apart
Preposterous (adj) - contrary to nature or reason
Raucous (adj) - boisterously disorderly
Sardonic (adj) - derisively mocking
Scathing (adj) - bitterly severe
Seethe (verb) -to become violently agitated
Singe (verb) - scorches lightly; remove hair or down with flame
Skive (verb)- to avoid work of any kind
Smarmy (adj) - to be overly polite (often insincere)
Smithereens (noun) - fragments; bits
Snigger (verb) - snicker
Spiffing (adj) - excellent or first rate (used to make fun of wealthy or
pompous people)
Sporadic (adj) - occurring now and then
Stump (verb) - perplexes; walk clumsily and heavily
Surmise (verb) -guess
Soporific (adj) - causing sleep or drowsiness
Starkers (adj) - naked. British term
Swap (verb) - trade; exchange
Tap (noun) - faucet. British.
Tetchy (adj)- irritably or peevishly sensitive
Tipsy (adj) - unsteady or foolish from the effects of alcohol.
Treacle (noun) – molasses. British.
Trepidation (noun) - nervous agitation; apprehension
Trundle (n/vb) - to roll along; wheel
Wallop (n/vb) – a powerful blow or impact; to hit hard
Woebegone (adj)- being in a sorry condition
Impervious (adj) - incapable of being penetrated [used as a spell]
Loathe (verb) - dislike greatly
Loony (adj) - crazy; foolish
Malady (noun) - a disease or disorder of body or mind
Menagerie- a collection of wild animals for exhibition
Mollify (verb) - appeases; soften
Mollycoddle (verb) - pamper
Nick (verb) - to steal
Oaf (noun) - stupid or awkward person
