Does the word scrubber has the same meaning in the US as in the UK. My company keeps calling this application we're developing a "scrubber" and it makes me giggle on the calls which doesn't sound very professional does it?

As a Yank, a 'scrubber' to me is something that cleans up something - like a scrub brush. Also a scrubber is what they put onto the smoke stacks at the power stations to 'scrub' the air clean of pollutants.

What does it mean to Brits?

Oh that's a word I haven't heard in a long time. In my school days (back inthe day - early 70's) it was applied to "bad girls". Girls who would - with boys all and sundry .

power stations?

it would take forever to brush the inside of the power station chimneys clean.

We used to power wash them, with a massive rig.

Then we'd be able to identify the refractory brickwork that had cracked and stitch them or just completely remove the entire lift of brickwork.

and it's not done "to clean the air" it's done because the sulphur that comes out eats away the inside of the liner of the stack and needs removed periodically so we could see what needs repaired.

I just got asked by email what it meant in the UK by my US colleagues as they couldn't understand why I was laughing. This definition is from the Urban Dictionary (which can be quite rude but hilarious).

A scrubber is “a female who spits and uses foul language. Many have been known to smoke cigarettes and dress poorly and are unhygienic. Some don’t care too much about themselves and sleep with lots of men and may have a revolving door to the bedroom …”

It has great definitions of Chavs as well - such a popular word here now..

No, and get over 'fanny pack' before you get here too.

(no, the giggling does NOT sound very professional).

[QUOTE=meauxna;7244522]No, and get over 'fanny pack' before you get here too.


Now that one truly is a classic - I dont think any Brit could seriously "ever " use that word without their mind being elsewhere

Power plant, power stations..same difference.


As it was explained to me, not from an expert mind, a power plant scrubber was bascially a giant filter that helped to filter out polllutants. I assume that they are still called the same thing..I suppose I could be wrong.

http://www.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/...n-control.html

oooh ok, we're talking two different things then. I thought you were talking about the wire brushes Dick Van Dyke was dancing with in Mary Poppins.

I know what you mean.

You are basically correct. That is a dry scrubber. There are also wet scrubbers. Scrubbers are also used on most, if not all, industrial furnaces.

wet scrubber......

They don't seem to understand what a slapper is either! Might call my boss one - just because I can!

Ohh there are so many! I think it would be a service to the Wiki to compile an exhaustive list of common Queen's English vulgarities not widely used or understood in America

Don't know about you, but it seems almost expected, nee encouraged that Brits use colorful language. My friends and colleagues seem to think that my foul mouthed antics are somehow 'earthy and charmingly British, but will be horrified if they utter so much as a hell or damn!

Edited with handy *'s for those who are easily offended by the more Anglo-Saxon vernacular.

I will start with:

Arse
B*llocks
W**nker
Chav
Scrubber
Ponce
Tw*t
Twit
B*gger (as a verb)
Kn*b
Jessie
Gypo
Pikey
Pleb

What else have you got? Entries from Roger Mellie's profanisaurus are not permitted!

Extra points to anybody who actually has any of these words on a US vanity plate ;-)

Ah !!! Susan Porter from my youth .. a perfect match ..

wherever you are ... thank you

same as a wet deck.