Quick entries: R

Note: Many of the entries here will eventually become full-length posts. Some are rough and have not been fully researched. If you have any corrections or would like to add anything, please comment.

Radios: not radioes.

Rainwater: The one-word spelling is accepted, but it is commonly spelled rain water.

Rancor vs. rancour: rancor in American English; rancour everywhere else.

Randomise vs. randomize: In the U.S. and Canada, it’s randomize, randomized, randomizing, randomization, etc. Outside North America, it’s randomise, randomised, randomising, randomisation, etc.

Razzmatazz: a complex play or maneuver meant to confuse an opponent.

Read vs. red: The verb read is uninflected in the past tense and as a participle. Red is a color.

Receipt vs. reception: One definition of receipt is the act of receiving. Receipt is more commonly used in this sense than is reception, which bears that definition but usually means a social function serving as a welcome or a greeting.

Recognise vs. recognize: American and Canadian English: recognize, recognized, recognizing, recognizable, etc. Outside North America: recognise, recognised, recognising, recognisable, etc.

Reconnoiter: to make a preliminary inspection, especially in preparation for a military maneuver. It’s the verb corresponding to reconnaissance.

Redneck: a white, rural, conservative, bigoted American. The term is potentially offensive when used to describe other people, though some Americans proudly self-apply it.

Redoubt: a small, temporary fortification.

Rejig vs. rejigger: Both mean to rearrange or adjust. Rejig is preferred outside North America. Both are used, about equally often, in the U.S.

Rend, rent: The verb rend makes rent in the past tense (e.g., After reading the letter, he rent it into tiny pieces.) and as a participle (e.g., But he immediately regretted it, and tried to tape the rent letter back together.)

Renege: to fail to carry out a promise. From the Latin renegare, meaning to deny. There is no nege.

Repertoire vs repertory: They are interchangeable.

Repetition vs. repetitiveness: Repetition is the act of repeating. Repetitiveness is the quality of being repetitive, which often has negative connotations (a repetitive thing repeats tediously).

Resistant: resistent is a misspelling.

Resolve vs. solve: Resolve: (1) to decide; (2) to find a solution; (3) to bring to a successful conclusion. Solve: to find a solution. Resolve in its second sense is synonymous with solve.

Restive: sounds like it should mean restful, but actually means restless or uneasy, especially under restriction.

Rigmarole: (1) nonsense; (2) a confusing, complicated process.