List of British Words Not Widely Used in The United States - Q

Q

quango

quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation. A semi-public (supposedly non-governmental) advisory or administrative body funded by the taxpayer, often having most of its members appointed by the government, and carrying out government policy.

quaver

a musical note with the duration of one half-count in a time signature of 4/4 (US: eighth note). Also compound nouns semiquaver (US: sixteenth note), demisemiquaver (US: thirty-second note), hemidemisemiquaver (US: sixty-fourth note); see note value).

quid

(informal) the pound sterling monetary unit; remains quid in plural form ("Can I borrow ten quid?") (similar to US buck, meaning dollar)

quids in

(informal) a financially positive end to a transaction or venture "After all that, we'll be quids in!" (US: money ahead)

quieten

used in the phrase "quieten down" (US: quiet down)

quiff

forelock (initially Hiberno-English); a hairstyle (from the 1950s onward).

quim

(vulgar slang) female genitalia, the vagina