EFL teacher David Appleyard
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American > British Glossary | R

Smoothing transatlantic communication
Index of Americanisms
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AmericanAmerican term or expression BritishBritish 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