R

Racialism Devotion to one’s race.
Raciology study of racial differences
Racket Businesses that make money through illegal activities, loud, unpleasant noise
Raconteur One skilled in telling stores or anecdotes.
Radiate Send rays of light or heat.
Radicivorous eating roots
Radio Meter Instrument used for measuring the emission of radiant energy.
Radiology study of X-rays and their medical applications
Rag Old and tom clothes.
Rain Guage An apparatus used for recording rainfall at a particular place.
Raison detre The thing that is most important to someone or something
Rallentando Gradually slowing tempo.
Rampant (Something unwelcome) flourishing or spreading unchecked, unrestrained in action or performance
Ramshackle In a very bad condition and needing to be repaired
Rancid Having a strong and unpleasant smell or taste from no longer being fresh
Ranger Warden employed to patrol a tract of forest.
Ranivorous eating frogs
Ransom amount of money paid to free a prisoner.
or
free a prisoner on payment.
or
Money that is paid in order to free someone who has been captured or kidnapped
Rant Talking loudly and in a way that shows anger
Rapacious Greedy especially for money
Rapacious Greedy especially for money.
Rapport Sympathetic relationship.
or
Friendly relationships
Rapprochement Developing friendlier relations between countries or groups of people who have been enemies
Rapture State or feeling of great happiness, pleasure, or love
Raring Ready and excited to start to do something
Rascal Persons and especially young persons who cause trouble or do things that annoy people
Raticide Substance or person who kills rats
Rationale Reasons or explanations for something
Rationalism A belief that reason is the fundamental source of knowledge
Rave Talking or writing about someone or something in an excited or enthusiastic way
Realism Tendency to view or represent things as they really are.
or
A doctrine that objects of cognition are real
Realpolitik Systems of politics based on a country’s situation and its needs rather than on ideas about what is morally right and wrong
Rebate Reduction in a tax or debt.
or
Partial refunds to someone who has paid too much for tax, rent, or a utility
Rebellion Open opposition toward a person or group in authority
Rebuff Refusing (something, such as an offer or suggestion) in a rude way
Rebut Present opposing arguments or evidence.
or
Present from or before birth.
Rebuttal Proving (something) is false by using arguments or evidence
Recalcitrant Having an obstinately uncooperative attitude towards authority or discipline
Recall Call back to the mind.
Recant Publicly says that you no longer have an opinion or belief that you once had
Recapitulate Repeat the main Points.
or
Giving a brief summary of something
Receipt Written acknowledgment of having received something.
Recess Secret place difficult of access.
Recession Periods of temporary economic decline during which trade and industrial activities are reduced
Recidivist one who habitually relapses into crime.
or
one who cannot be cured of criminal activities.
Recipient/ Receiver One who receives something.
Reciprocity Practice of give and take.
or
Power of reading the thoughts of others.
Recital Dance or musical performance
Recite Say aloud from memory.
Reckoner Tables or devices designed to assist with calculation
Recluse One who Iives alone and avoids others.
or
Persons who live alone and avoid other people
Reconcilable Capable of being brought into agreement reconciled.
Reconcile Bring about harmony or agreement.
Reconciliation An act of causing two people or groups to become friendly again after an argument or disagreement
Recreation Amusement or refreshment after hard work.
Recto Any right hand page of a book.
Recuperate Returning to normal health or strength after being sick, injured
Recurrent Happening or appearing again and again
Recusant Persons who refuse to submit to an authority or to comply with a regulation
or
one who refuses to attend catholic Church services; nonconformist
Redemption An action of regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for payment, or clearing a debt
Redress Correcting something that is unfair or wrong
Redundant Repeating something else and therefore unnecessary
Refectory dining-hall of a monastery or other institution
Referendum Public votes on a particular issue
Referral An act of sending someone to another person or place for treatment, help, advice, etc.
Reflexology study of reflexes
Reformism Tendency to favour progress or reform.
Refuge One who takes refuge in a foreign country.
or
Person forced to flee to seek shelter.
or
One who takes shelter from dangers.
or
Someone who has been forced to leave a country because of war or for religious or political reasons
Refurbish Repairing and make improvements to (something, such as a building)
Regalia Special clothes and decorations (such as a crown or scepter) for official ceremonies
Regicide Murder of a king.
or
Killing/Killer of a human being.
or
Killing of a monarch
Regimen Plans or set of rules about food, exercise, etc., to make someone become or stay healthy
Regula rule of a religious order
Rehabilitate Restore to former position.
Reincarnation Ideas or beliefs that people are born again with a different body after death
Rejoinder Usually a rude or angry reply to something written or said
Rejuvenate Make or become young and vigorous again.
or
Making (someone) feel or look young, healthy, or energetic again
Relapse Fall into a former state.
or
Returning of an illness after a period of improvement
Relegate/Demote Dismiss or reduce to a lower position.
Relic Something that is from a past time, place, culture, etc.
Relinquish Giving up (something): to give (something, such as power, control, or possession) to another person or group
Relocate Moving to a new place
Remand Send back a criminal into custody for further investigation.
Remind Cause a person to remember.
or
Cause troops etc. to spread out in readiness for battle.
Reminisce Recall past events or experiences.
Reminiscence Recalling of past events or experiences.
or
An act of remembering or telling about past experiences
Remiss Not showing enough care and attention
Remission Pardon or forgiveness of sins by God.
Remorse Strong feeling of guilt about something one has done.
or
Feeling of being sorry for doing something bad or wrong in the past
Remuneration Reward for work or service.
Renal Of or about kidneys
Rendezvous Place fixed for meeting or assembling.
or
An arrangement to meet somebody at a particular time and Place
Rendition Performances of something
Renegade Person who changes his religious belief.
or
Persons who leave one political, religious, etc. group to join another that has very different views: someone or something that causes trouble and cannot be controlled
Repartee Witty clever retort.
or
Conversations in which clever statements and replies are made quickly
Repatriate Return to one’s own country.
Repentant Person who feels sorrow and regret for something wrong he did in the past.
Repercussion Indirect effect or remote effect of some event.
or
Indirect and usually bad results of an action or event that may happen some time afterwards
Repertoire All the things that a person is able to do
Replenish Supply with fresh fuel – refill.
or
Making something full again by replacing what has been used
Replica Copy or reproduction of a work of art.
or
Exact or very close copy of something
Repository Place where things are stored for safety.
or
Places where a large amount of something is stored
Reprimand Speaking in an angry and critical way to (someone who has done something wrong, disobeyed an order, etc.
Reprisal Paying back injury with injury.
Reproductive Relating to or involved in the production of babies, young animals, or new plants
Reproof Expression of mild disapproval.
Reptiles Egg laying animals that creep or crawl.
Republic Government by elected representatives without a monarch.
Requeim Prayer for the dead.
or
Abymn for the bed a funeral song.
or
Practice of using spies
or
Practice of spying.
Requiescat prayer for the dead
Requisition Asking for or demanding and taking (something) for one’s use
Rescript answer of pope or emperor to any legal question; edict or decree
Reservoir Artificial lake for restoring water.
or
Usually artificial lakes that are used to store a large supply of water for use in people’s homes, in businesses, etc. : extra supply of something
Resident Person living permanently in a certain place.
or
One who lives in a place
Resilient Able to become strong, healthy or successful again after something bad happens
Resources Collective wealth of a country or its means of producing wealth.
Respiratory Of or relating to breathing or the organs of the body that are used in breathing
Respite Time of relief or rest.
or
Short break or escape from something difficult or unpleasant
Respondent A person who gives a response or answer to a question that is asked especially as part of a survey
Responsory set of responses sung or said after liturgical reading
Restitution Restoring of something stolen to its owner.
or
An act of returning something that was lost or stolen to its owner
Resuscitate Bringing (someone who is unconscious, not breathing, or close to death) back to a conscious or active state again
Retable self or ornamental setting for panels behind an altar
Retaliate Give tit for tat.
or
Return the same sort of ill-treatment.
Retard Slowing down the development or progress of (something)
Reticent Not saying all that is known or felt.
or
Reserved in speech.
Retort Replying to something in a quick and often angry way
Retract Saying that something you said or wrote is not true or correct
Retreat Movements away from a place or situation especially because it is dangerous, unpleasant, etc. : place that is quiet and private
Retrochoir space in choir behind high altar
Retrograde Returning to an earlier and usually worse state or condition
Retromancy divination by looking over one’s shoulder
Retronym New name as modification of older term used alone
Retrophilia love of things of the past
Retrospective Effective from a particular date in the past
Revamp Making (something) better or like new again
Revelry Wild and noisy celebrations
Reverberate Be repeated several times as it is reflected off different surface
Reverence Honor or respect that is felt for or shown to (someone or something)
Reverend Titles for a priest or minister in the Christian church
Reviary book containing daily Church service
Revive Bring back to life.
Revoke Officially cancelling the power or effect of (something, such as a law, license, agreement, etc.)
Revolution Complete and forcible overthrow of an established government or system.
Rhabdology knowledge or learning concerning divining rods
Rhabdology art of calculating using numbering rods
Rhabdomancy divination using a rod or stick
Rhapsodomancy divination by opening works of poetry at random
Rhapsody Written or spoken expressions of great enthusiasm, praise, etc.
Rheology science of the deformation or flow of matter
Rheophile living or thriving in running water
Rhetoric Language that is intended to influence people and that may not be honest or reasonable
Rhetoric Language that is intended to influence people and that may not be honest or reasonable
Rheumatology study of rheumatism
Rhinology study of the nose
Rhizophagous root-eating
Rhizophilous growing or thriving on or near roots
Rhochrematics science of inventory management and the movement of products
Rhyme One of two or more words or phrases that ends in the same sounds
Rhypophagy eating filth
Rhythm Regular, repeated patterns of sounds or movements
Rhythm The regular, repeated pattern of sounds or movements
Ribald Referring to sex in a rude but humorous way
Rickety Not strong or stable and likely to break
Ridge Places where two sloping surfaces meet
Rig Control or affect (something, such as a game or election) in a dishonest way in order to get a desired result
Rigmarole Long, complicated, and annoying process, descriptions
Rinkomania obsession with skating
Rip-off Something that is too expensive
Rite An act that is part of a usually religious ceremony
Ritual Established or prescribed procedure for a religious or other rite.
or
Formal ceremonies or series of acts that are always performed in the same way
Ritz Used in reference to luxurious accommodations
Robbery Larceny by threat of violence: plundering during riots or in wartime
Rock-bottom Lowest possible level
Rodenticide Killing of rodents
Rogue Men who are dishonest or immoral
Roister Swaggering boisterous manner – Revil noisily.
Roister Enjoying oneself or celebrating in a noisy or boisterous way
Rollicking Enjoyable in a lively or noisy way
Romantic Devoted to passion, beauty and imagination.
Romanticism A belief in sentimental feeling in artistic expression
Rookie Persons who have just started a job or activity and have little experience
Rort Fraudulent or dishonest acts or practices
Roster Lists of the people or things that belong to a particular group, team, etc.
Rostrum Platform for public speaking.
or
Small raised platforms on a stage
Rot Slowly decay or cause (something) to decay
Rota Lists that show who must do a certain job
Rote Process of learning something by repeating it many times without thinking about it or fully understanding it
Rotocracy government by those who control rotten boroughs
Rounds man One who goes round to ask for orders and deliver goods.
Rout Defeating (someone) easily and completely in a game or contest
Rowdy Rough or noisy
Rudimentary Not very developed or advanced
Rue Feeling sorrow or regretting for (something)
Ruffian Strong and violent persons (especially a man) who threaten and hurt other people
Ruffle Move or lift (something) so that it is no longer smooth
Rumble Making a low, heavy, continuous sound or series of sounds
Ruminant Cud-chewing animal.
Ruminate Thinking carefully and deeply about something
Rummage Searching for something especially by moving and looking through the contents of a place
Rumour/Hearsay Unverified official information acquired from another
Run own Gradual reduction in the size of a business, activity, etc.
Run-of-the-mill Average or ordinary
Runology study of runes
Run-up Periods immediately before an action or event
Runway Track along which aero planes take off and land,
Russophile one who admires Russia or the Russians
Russophobia fear of Russia or Russians
Rusticate Suspending (a student) from a university as a punishment
Rustle Quick series of soft, light sounds caused when things (such as leaves or pieces of paper) rub against each other
Rut Situations or ways of behaving that do not change