Differences between US and UK English are particularly pronounced in informal and idiomatic language. There are lots of idioms that are used in one variety but not the other, for example go pear-shaped (to fail or go wrong) is used in British but not American English and strike pay dirt (discover something valuable) is American but not British.
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ICING/FROSTING ON THE CAKE
Some, such as that idiom, come about because of general UK/US vocabulary differences. The icing (UK)/ frosting (US) on the cake, is something that makes a good situation even better.
⠀It was a great trip, and seeing the gorillas was the icing/frosting on the cake.
Similar differences account for the idiom a skeleton in the cupboard (UK)/ closet (US and UK), which means an embarrassing secret.
Before he’s appointed, we need to make sure there are no skeletons in his cupboard/closet.
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BLUE-EYED/ FAIR-HAIRED BOY
Some idioms start from very similar ideas but are phrased slightly differently in the two varieties. For instance, while Brits might refer slightly mockingly to a man or boy who is liked very much as a blue-eyed boy, Americans would call him a fair-haired boy, and while someone who looks very pleased with themself looks like the cat that got the cream in British English, they are like the cat that ate the canary in American English.
⠀As far as Mum was concerned, Alex was her blue-eyed/fair-haired boy and could do no wrong.
⠀She came rushing in, looking like the cat that got the cream/ate the canary.
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Similarly, when Brits spend so much time thinking about small details that they miss something very important, they can’t see the wood for the trees, while Americans use forest in that phrase:
⠀I was so busy concentrating on minor design faults, I couldn’t see the wood/forest for the trees.
From www.dictionaryblog.cambridge.org
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