EFL teacher David Appleyard
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Smoothing and improving transatlantic communication
Index of Americanisms
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Briticisms

 

AmericanAmerican term or expression BritishBritish equivalent, or explanation
race car racing car
race car driver racing driver
racetrack racecourse
radio wireless, radio
ragman rag-and-bone man
ragweed stickweed
railroad railway
railroad car railway carriage, coach
railroad station railway station
railroad tie sleeper
railroad track railway line
railroad yard marshalling yard, shunting yard
rain check postponed sports event replacement ticket;
offer to do something or request to get something at a later time than originally intended
raise, pay raise pay rise
rally racing rallying
ranch house bungalow
rando [colloq.] unknown or unexpected person, especially one acting oddly or suspiciously 
rappel  (cling on to and slide down a rope
             to rapidly descend a steep slope or cliff)
abseil
razz [colloq.] (heckle, ridicule, tease) rib [colloq.]
reforestation reafforestation
real estate property
real estate agent, real estate broker, Realtor™ estate agent
receivables (in accounting) debtors
recess break (e.g.  between school classes);
adjournment (e.g. in court proceedings)
reform school, reformatory young offender institution, borstal [outdated]
rent let, rent;
hire (for short period)
rent-a-car, car rental car hire, car rental
rental car hire car, rental car
report card (school) school report
resident   boarder (boarding school pupil);
houseman (new hospital doctor gaining on-the-job
                   experience but still undergoing training)
residential section residential area or district
resume, résumé CV, curriculum vitae
restroom [euph.] cloakroom [euph.] (esp. in public building), toilet,
public convenience
retiree pensioner, old-age pensioner (OAP)
reverse discrimination positive discrimination
reverse lights (on vehicle) reversing lights
review (v.) (re-read study notes or textbooks) revise
review (n.) (exam preparation) revision
rhinestone (brightly shining artificial jewel) diamanté
ride (n.) (free ride in someone else's car) lift (as in 'I'll give you a lift to the station')
ride shotgun [colloq.] sit next to the driver
right triangle (triangle with one 90° angle) right-angled triangle
ring stand (in science lab)  clamp stand
roach [colloq.] cockroach
road work roadworks
roast (n.) (large piece of oven-cooked meat)   joint
Rocky Mountain oyster, mountain oyster testicle of sheep or bull served up as delicacy
roller coaster big dipper
room and board (at hotel, etc.) board and lodging, bed and board
roomer lodger
roommate  flatmate; housemate; roommate
rooster (adult male chicken) cock
robe, bathrobe dressing gown
romaine cos lettuce
roster (work-sharing schedule) rota
rotary (circular road junction) roundabout
rough time (as in idiom 'go through a rough time') bad patch [colloq.] (as in 'go through a bad patch')
round trip ticket return ticket
row house terraced house
rowboat rowing boat
rubber [slang] (condom) rubber johnny, johnny [both slang], 
French letter [old-fashioned colloq.], sheath
rubber band elastic band, rubber band
rubber boots wellington boots, wellingtons, wellies [colloq.]
rubbers galoshes
rubbing alcohol surgical spirit
rummage sale jumble sale
run (n.) (vertical hole in stockings or pantyhose) ladder
run (v.) (as in 'he ran for public office') stand (as in 'she stood for re-election')
rutabaga  (vegetable) swede