
American > British Glossary | R
Smoothing transatlantic communication
Index of Americanisms |
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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 |