RABBIT (Noun)
A poor performer or novice at a sport.
RABBIT (Verb) (Slang)
TALK, or specifically to go on at some length, as in “He can rabbit, can’t he”. This is yet another example of Cockney rhyming slang filtering into the English language. RABBIT AND PORK = TALK. Yes, “PORK” and “TALK” do rhyme in a Cockney accent!
RAC
ROYAL AUTOMOBILE CLUB. In addition to providing roadside services, like AAA, the RAC is the governing body for motorsport in the UK.
RAILWAY
RAILROAD. Hence -- RAILWAY STATION, RAILWAY LINE, etc.
RANDY (Slang)
HORNY.
RASHER
See BACON.
[BLOW A] RASPBERRY
[GIVE A] BRONX CHEER. RASPBERRY TART = FART. Yet another example of rhyming slang.
RAWLPLUG
Proprietary brand of fastener allowing you to put a screw into a hard surface like a wall.
READ (At university)
MAJOR IN. A Briton would say that he or she was READING Mathematics at Cambridge, for example.
READIES (Slang)
CASH or READY MONEY.
REAL ALE
See BEER.
REC or RECREATION GROUND
PUBLIC PARK, usually one with a large grassy area for playing sports.
RECCE
RECON. Pronounced “rek’-ee”, this is the British short form of RECONNAISSANCE.
RED-CAP
MILITARY POLICEMAN.
REDUNDANT
To be made REDUNDANT is to be laid off by your employer. (See also CARDS and SACK)
REEL (Thread)
SPOOL. (See COTTON)
RETCH
RETCH. But pronounced “reech”.
RETURN [Ticket]
ROUND TRIP. At a railway station ticket office it is sufficient to say “Return to London, please”. There is a certain discounted ticket you should look out for, known as an OFF-PEAK RETURN. (See also SINGLE)
REVERSE (Car)
BACK-UP. Hence “back-up lights” are “reversing lights”.
REVERSE THE CHARGES
CALL COLLECT.
REVISE (Schoolwork)
REVIEW. You will find British kids doing REVISION before an important test or exam.
REXENE
Artificial leather, like NAUGAHYDE.
RI
Short for RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION. There is no separation of Church and State in the UK, indeed, the Queen is the head of the Church of England.
RIFLE [THROUGH]
SEARCH THROUGH. Perhaps an adaptation of RIFFLE.
RING (Telephone)
CALL. “I’ll give you a ring”, or “I’ll ring you” therefore mean “I’ll give you a call”, or “I’ll call you”.
RING ROAD
BELTWAY.
RISE (Income)
RAISE. In Britain you ask your boss for a rise.
ROBIN
ROBIN. The British robin is, however, much smaller than its American cousin. Since it doesn’t migrate, it symbolizes winter or Christmas rather than being a harbinger of spring as it is in the States.
ROCK (Confection)
Stores in resorts, especially seaside resorts, often sell a confection called a stick of ROCK. This is like a peppermint stick, only larger, which has the name of the resort running through the length of it. It is usually peppermint flavored but fruit flavors also exist, and it is usually pink, but not always.
ROCK SALMON
Euphemism for a number of types of fish that you might buy at a Fish and Chip shop.
Typically it is catfish or dogfish. It is never salmon.
ROPY (Slang)
The word is pronounced “rope’-ee”, and means “of poor quality”.
ROUNDABOUT (Vehicular)
TRAFFIC CIRCLE. They abound in Britain, and naturally you drive round them in a clockwise direction. They range in size from mini-roundabouts, which look like no more than a large Frisbee lying in the center of the intersection, to huge ones that can occupy several acres. There are even roundabouts like the one in Swindon, shown below, which have mini-roundabouts on them!
ROUNDABOUT (Recreation)
CAROUSEL, or MERRY-GO-ROUND. This word covers both the large ones at a carnival (see [FUN] FAIR) and the small ones in a children’s playground.
ROWING BOAT
ROWBOAT.
RSPCA
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ie the British equivalent to the American SPCA.
RUB SHOULDERS WITH
RUB ELBOWS WITH.
RUBBER
ERASER. If a Briton asks you if you have a pencil with a rubber on the end of it, don’t think he or she is being kinky! Prophylactics are referred to as CONDOMS, pronounced “con’-dom’ “, DUREX, which is a proprietary name, or FRENCH LETTERS (Slang).
RUBBISH
TRASH or GARBAGE.
RUBBISH TIP
GARBAGE DUMP or LANDFILL.
RUGGER (Slang)
RUGBY, or RUGBY FOOTBALL. There are two distinct types of rugby played in Britain -- Rugby Union and Rugby League. The latter is typically played in the north of England. Rugby Union is considered by its aficionados to be the pure form of the game, and is played throughout the British Isles.
RUM (Adjective)
ODD or STRANGE.
RUN (Poker game)
STRAIGHT. Hence a STRAIGHT FLUSH is called a RUNNING FLUSH.
RUNNING-IN
BREAKING-IN. In Briton you RUN-IN the engine of a new car.
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