American > British Glossary | R
Smoothing transatlantic communication
| Index of Americanisms |
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P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | Briticisms |
 American
term or expression |
 British
equivalent, or explanation |
|---|---|
| race car | racing car |
| 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; an offer to do or request to get something at a later time than originally intended |
| raise (n.) | pay or salary rise |
| rally racing | rallying |
| ranch house | bungalow |
| rappel
(cling on to and slide down a rope to rapidly descend a steep slope or cliff) |
abseil |
| 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 | remand centre/home/school |
| rent (out) | let (out), rent (out) |
| rent-a-car | car hire |
| 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/district |
| resume, résumé | curriculum vitae (CV) |
| restroom [euph.] | cloakroom
[euph.] (esp. in public building), toilet, (public) convenience, WC |
| retiree | OAP (old-age pensioner) |
| reverse discrimination | positive discrimination |
| reverse lights (on vehicle) | reversing lights |
| review (v.) (re-read study notes or textbooks) | revise |
| review (n.) (e.g. in preparation for an exam) | revision |
| rhinestone (brightly shining artificial jewel) | diamanté |
| ride (n.) (a free ride in someone else's car) | lift (as in 'I'll give you a lift to the station') |
| right triangle (triangle with one 90° angle) | right-angled triangle |
| ring stand (in a chemistry lab) | clamp stand |
| rink | ice rink |
| road work | roadworks |
| roast (n.) (large piece of oven-cooked meat) | joint |
| (Rocky) mountain oysters | testicles of a sheep or bull served up as a delicacy |
| roil (annoy or agitate; stir up [sediment in] liquid) | rile |
| roller coaster | big dipper |
| room and board (at hotel, etc.) | board and lodging, bed and board |
| roomer
(person who pays for a room and board in somebody else's house) |
lodger |
| roommate | roommate; flatmate; housemate |
| 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 'he's been having a rough time lately') | bad
patch [colloq.]
(as in 'he's been going through a bad patch lately') |
| 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.) (in stockings and pantyhose) | ladder (in stockings and tights) |
| run (v.) (as in 'he ran for public office') | stand (e.g. 'she stood for re-election') |
| rutabaga (vegetable) | swede |
