English Wordbook/R
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< English Wordbook
Staff R of the English Wordbook.
Basic abbreviations: att'd=attested, OE=Old English, NHG=New High German, Du.=Dutch
For a full list of etymological and other abbreviations used in these wordlists, see Forshortenings.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
formight (cf. Du. verkrachten)
| English | Word Class | Anglish | ||
| Attested | Not attested | |||
| rabbit | n | - | homehare, rob (<Flem. or M.Du. robbe "rabbit") | |
| race | n | kind, stock | strind | |
| raccoon | n | - | washbear (cf. Norw. vaskebjørn) | |
| radar | n | forereader, far reader | - | |
| radiant | adj | shiny, bright, beaming, glowing | throughbright (<OE þurhbeorht) | |
| radiate | vb | shine, glow | - | |
| radio | adj & n | wireless (gadget) | livebox | |
| radiotelegraphy | n | broadcasting | - | |
| radius | n | - | spoke, spokelength, spokespan, staffreach, halfspan | |
| rage | n | wrath | greme (<OE gremian) | |
| railroad | n | - | ironroad | |
| range | n | reach, stretch | - | |
| ranger | n | upseer (cf NHG aufseher) | ||
| rancid | adj | rotting, reeking, smelly, stale, foul, dank, rank, taff | ||
| random | adj/n | - | willcury (calque of Du. willekeurig, with the element "-cury" based on OE -cyrge in wælcyrge "Valkyrie")
See The word "random". weirdshape, ranhood | |
| rank | n | - | hoad (<OE hád) | |
| rankle | vb | gall, irk | ||
| rape | vb & n | - | needheem, thrakeheem, reave, rove, befoul, gainswive, plunder, mightswive, dintswive | |
| rapid | adj | fast, quick, speedy, swift | snell | |
| rappel | vb | abseil | - | |
| rare | adj | seldly, seldom, seldseen, unlikely, fewsome | - | |
| rarely | adv | seldom | - | |
| rarified | adj | fewsome, thin | - | |
| rarify | vb | - | selden, befew, bedearth, thin | |
| rarity | n | seldiness,seldomhood, dearth, fewness | - | |
| raspberry | n | - | hindberry (obs. ; cf. NHG Himbeere, Dn. hindbær) | |
| rational | adj | - | rightwise (<OE rihtwís)
shedwise (<OE scéadwís) | |
| rationalism | n | - | witdom, wittroth, fathomdom, fornufttroth (cf. of NHG Vernunftglaube) | |
| ravage | vb | wreck, trash, smash, pull down overwhelm, overrun, overthrow, harry | - | |
| ravine | n | chine, gap, ditch, gulch, ghyll | - | |
| ray | n | beam | streal (<OE strǽl, cf. NHG Strahl) | |
| razor | n | shaver | - | |
| re- | pref | again-, eft-, ed-, gain- | - | |
| re- | pref | and- back- | - | |
| re- | pref | with- | - | |
| realize/realise | vb | acknowledge, dawn upon | - | |
| real | adj | sooth. (See Truth and sooth, verity and reality) | - | |
| reality | n | being | wareness/warehood (calque from continental Germ. langs)
soothness | |
| really | adv | truly | sooth | |
| realm (royal) | n | kingdom | - | |
| realm | n | world | - | |
| reason (cause) | n | grounds, wherefore, why | frume (<OE fruma)
inthing (<OE intinga/inþing) ontimber (<OE ontimber) orsake (cf. NHG Ursache, Du. oorzaak, Swed. orsak) | |
| reason (faculty) | n | - | reðe (<OE rǣd)
anget (<OE andgiet) rake (<OE racu) rightwiseness (<OE rihtwísnes) shedwiseness (<OE scéadwísnes) shed (<OE gescéad) wit (<OE gewitt) forstand (cf. NHG Verstand, Swed. förstånd) fornuft (cf. NHG Vernunft, Dan. fornuft, Norw. fornuft) | |
| reasonable | adj | well-grounded | shedwise (<OE scéadwís)
shedly (<OE gescéadlic) | |
| rebellion | n | uprising | - | |
| rebuke | vb | snape | strife | |
| recall | vb | - | edcall, eftmind, call to mind, think back to, bethink | |
| recapitulation | n | - | eftspelling (<OE eftspellung) | |
| receive | vb | get | beget
onfang (<OE onfōn) underfang (<OE underfón) thidge (<OE thicgan) | |
| recently | adv | lately, newly | shortago | |
| recital | n | reading, singshow, yarn | - | |
| recline | vb | lie back, lie down, stretch heel | - | |
| recognise | vb | acknowledge | onget (<OE ongietan)
yeme, gainknow, acknow | |
| recommend | vb | - | onbefeal (cf. Du. aanbevelen, NHG empfehlen, Dan. anbefale)
befeal on | |
| recompense | n | - | gainyield | |
| reconsideration | n | afterthought | - | |
| reconcile | vb | settle, even | - | |
| reconciliation | n | - | eftthinging (<OE eftþingung) | |
| record | n | - | lorekeep | |
| recover | vb | - | intransitive: edworp (<OE edwyrpan)
transitive: agive [past agave, ppt agiven] (<OE agifan) | |
| recovery | n | comeback, pick-up, upwend, upswing, healing | edworping (<OE edwyrping), greenshoot | |
| recreation | n | - | eftforgiveness (<OE eftforgiefnes) | |
| recriminate | vb | - | blackblame | |
| recruit | vb | fledgling, freshman, greenhorn, newcomer | inspan | |
| rectum | n | - | arsepipe, arseway | |
| recurrence | n | comeback, flashback | - | |
| recurrent | adj | on-and-off | andbearing (<OE býrian 'to happen, pertain to, belong to') | |
| redeem | vb | gainbuy | - | |
| redemption | n | - | eftlesing (<OE eftlésung) | |
| red ochre (Fe2O3) | n | - | reddle/raddle/ruddle (<"rudd"<OE rudu) | |
| reduce | n | lessen, lower | - | |
| redundance | n | - | eftflowing (<OE eftflowung) | |
| refer (to) | vb | bespeak, call | - | |
| refined | adj | trim, couth | - | |
| reflect | vb | show | edleam | |
| reflection | n | glance, backshine | andleaming | |
| reform | n | - | edhue/edhuing (see below), ameeding | |
| reform(er) | vb/n | - | edhue(er) (cf. OE geedhiwod "reformed, given new shape") ameed(er) forbetter(er) (cf. NHG Verbesserer) | |
| refractory | adj | - | witherhedging (<OE) | |
| refrain | vb | forbear | - | |
| refridgerator | n | chiller, cooler | - | |
| refuge | n | haven, frithstead | - | |
| refugee | n | haven seeker | - | |
| refulgent | adj | shining | - | |
| refuse | n | chaff | - | |
| refuse | vb | spurn, withhold | asake, gall, wern (<OE wiernan), atdeem (<OE ætdeman) | |
| refute | vb | gainsay
belie | allay (<OE álecgan)
forkithe (<OE forcýðan) onsake (<OE onsacan) withshove (<OE wiþscúfan) witherlay (cf. NHG widerlegen) | |
| regard | vb | look at set down | - | |
| regarding | prep | about | - | |
| regenerate | adj | freshen | edquick (<OE edcwic) | |
| regicide | n | - | kingslaughter, kingslaying, kingmurder | |
| regime | n | yoke, rike | - | |
| regiment | n | - | fight(ing)thede | |
| region | n | landship | - | |
| regret | vb | rue | - | |
| regular | adj | everyday | reghelish | |
| regulate(tion) | vb/n | wield(ing) | - | |
| reign | n | kingship, queenship | rede, athelingship | |
| reinforce | vb | strengthen, trim, gird, bolster, harden up, uphold, make firm, underset | - | |
| reject | vb | shun, spurn | forwarp [past forworp, ppt forworpen] (<OE forweorpan, cf. NHG verwerfen)
lean (sth/sb) off (separable) awayen withchoose (<OE wiþceosan) | |
| rejuvinate | vb | - | edyoung | |
| relapse | vb | backslide | - | |
| relate | phr vb | to belong to, bear upon, stand with, link with, tie in with, tell of, bring word of, deal with, give tidings of, write of, make known, set out, unfold, be akin to | cithe (<OE cythan) | |
| related | adj | akin (to), kindred, sibbed to, tosameness | forwent (cf. NHG verwandt) | |
| relative(s) | n | kin, kindred, kinfolk, kinsmen, kinship, sib, sibling, bysib, own flesh & blood | blood-bondling, bloodsib | |
| relations | n | dealings, bond, link up, hook up, tie up, fellowship | - | |
| relationship | n | kinship | maithhood (<OE mǽgðhád)
forwentship (cf. NHG Verwandtschaft) | |
| relax | vb | rest, loosen up, slacken, chill out, unwind | - | |
| relaxation | n | - | eftforgiveness (<OE eftforgiefnes)
stillness (<OE stillnes/stilnes) unspan (< OE spannen) | |
| relaxation (dressage) | n | - | looselettenhood (cf. NHG Losgelassenheit) | |
| relaxed | adj | smooth, loose, mellow | - | |
| release | n | outlung, loosing | - | |
| release | vb | let go, loose | alease | |
| reliable | adj | trustworthy | - | |
| relieve | n | lighten, soothe, unburden, allay, still (the fears), salve | - | |
| religion | n | worship | lief | |
| religious | adj | worshipful | liefbound | |
| relinquish | vb | upgive (obs. att'd), yield up, foreswear, forego
give up (Cf. NHG aufgeben, Du. opgeven, Swed. ge upp) | agive (obs. att'd, from OE agiefan, cf. NHG ergeben) | |
| reluctant | adj | chary (att'd), unwilling, loath | pullbackish | |
| remain | vb | - |
blive (<OE belifan, cf. NHG bleiben, Du. blijven) bide, linger | |
| remainder | n | - | lave | |
| remains | n | ashes, body, dead body, lich, bones; leftovers, leavings, scraps, waste, sweepings, dust; afterglow | - | |
| remedy | n | heelth, salve, boot (etymology 3 ) | - | |
| remember (recall) | vb | - | edcall, amon (<OE ġemunan), mind back, call to mind, bethink
umbethink (<dialectal North & Scots English) | |
| remember (store memory) | vb | stockmind, bear in mind, keep in mind | - | |
| remember (memorise) | vb | - | inmind | |
| remind | vb | - | eftmind | |
| reminder | n | - | eftminding, umbethinking (dialectal North & Scots English) | |
| reminisce | vb | - | eftmind | |
| remnant | n | leftover | - | |
| remote | adj | outlying | - | |
| remove | vb | foredo (with immaterial object), outtake, take out, astir, stir, draw, unsheath | edshrithe | |
| renaissance | n | - | gainbirth, newbirth, edbirth, widderbirth, witherbirth | |
| renal | adj | kidney | - | |
| render | vb | make, give, forswear, yield | - | |
| renew(al/ed) | vb/n/adj | - | ednew(ing) (<OE edniwian) | |
| renounce | vb | give up, forsake, yield, asake, offgive, say down (seperable) | offsib (<Ic. af-sifja) | |
| renovate(tion) | vb/n | do up | ednew(ing) (<OE edniwian/edniwung) | |
| reorganization | n | - | ed-/eftshiplay (ed-/eft- <OE + calque of Ic. skipulag) | |
| reorganize | vb | - | ed-/eftshiplay (ed-/eft- <OE + calque of Ic. skipuleggja) | |
| repartee | n | wit, banter | - | |
| repeat | vb | - | edsay, edledge (<OE edlǽcan) | |
| repel | vb | ward off, put off, withdrive | - | |
| repent | vb | forthink (cited by William Tyndale), be sorry, wit one's wrongdoing, berue | after-think (Lancashire dialect) | |
| repercussions | vb | - | kickback | |
| repetition | n | - | edledging (<OE edlǽcung), gainsaylyth, gaindolyth, dailiness (monotonous), witherhauling (cf. German "Wiederholung") | |
| replace | vb | - | edstowe, right (<OE rihtan) | |
| replenish | vb | fill up | edfill | |
| reply | vb | answer | andswear (<OE andswaru)
andword (<OE andwyrd, cf. NHG Antwort, cf. Du. antwoord) andgain (cf. NHG entgegnen) edfold | |
| report | n | - | bewriting | |
| repose | n | rest | - | |
| reprehensible | adj | - | forwarply (cf. NHG verwerflich) | |
| represent | vb | - | aspell, fortread (cf. NHG vertreten) | |
| representative | n | - | aspellend, aspeller, fortreader (cf. NHG Vertreter), spokes(wo)man, forstander | |
| repress | vb | quell, crush, trample, keep under, ride roughshod over | thrutch down (<OE þryccan) | |
| reprimand | vb | upbraid, tell off | - | |
| reprove | vb | scold, upbraid, chide | forwite, threep or threap (<OE þréapan) | |
| represent | vb | stand for | betoken | |
| reproach | vb | upbraid, chide | - | |
| reptile | n | - | creepdeer (cf Nor. krypdyr)
crawldeer (cf Swed. kräldjur) | |
| republic | n | - |
kinwise (<OE cynewise) leedwealth (cf. Ic. and Faroeese lýðveldi), commonwealth ("Common" is Latin), folkdom, folkrike | |
| reputation | n | mark | namecouth (<OE namcuþ)
goodbearing, edwite | |
| request | n | call | - | |
| request | vb | bidding, ask, beseech, ask for | - | |
| require | vb | need, tharf | - | |
| requirement | n | need, must | needbetharfness, neddtharfliness, beedbehovedness | |
| rescribe | vb | write back | edwrite | |
| rescue | vb | free, bring off |
nere (<OE ánerian, NHG nähren) redd (<OE hreddan “to save, deliver, recover, rescue”) | |
| research | n | delving | speering, afterspeering
forshing (cf. NHG Forschung) forshening (cf. Dan. forskning) <PG faurskon legwork (informal) | |
| research | vb | - | seek, speer, forsh | |
| resmblance | n | alikeness, look, blee, bly | - | |
| resemble | adj | seem like, look like | - | |
| resentment | n | bitterness, ill-feeling | hattleness | |
| reservation | n | booking | forebeholding (cf. NHG Vorbehaltung) | |
| reserve | vb | back-up | - | |
| reserve | vb | book, keep | berg | |
| reserve | adj | spare | berg (<OE beorgan 'to save, preserve') forehold (cf. NHG vorbehalten) | |
| reserved | adj | character: withdrawn booked | - | |
| reservoir | n | - | waterberg | |
| reside | vb | live, dwell | abide, wone, erde, wick | |
| residence | n | home, dwelling | abode, erding, erdingstow | |
| residence permit | n | - | dwell-leave (= Icel. dvalarleyfi) | |
| residue | n | stufflave | ||
| resign | vb | step down, forlet, bow out | - | |
| resilient | adj | wending | - | |
| resist | vb | withset, withstand, hinder | withlay | |
| resistance | n | withsetting | withlaying, backlash | |
| resolute | adj | doughty, steadfast, unbending | stithe (<OE stith), anrede | |
| resort | vb | - | brook, betake | |
| resource | vb | - | orshaft | |
| respect | n | heed | edsight | |
| respond | vb | answer | - | |
| response | n | answer, feedback | - | |
| responsible | adj | trustworthy, upstanding, steady, sound, answerly | - | |
| responsive | adj | quick, awake, sharp, open-minded, quick-minded, willing, answering | - | |
| rest (else) | n | - | lave | |
| restart | vb | - | edstar, start anew (from scratch) | |
| restaurant | n | cheap: beanery |
mealhall guestspot (cf. NHG. Gaststätte) | |
| restore(ation) | n | - |
ednew(ing) (<OE edniwung) edstow(ing), edstall(ing) | |
| restored to life | pt phr | - | edquick (<OE edcwic) | |
| restrain | vb | hold back, fetter | athold | |
| restraint | n | holding back, fetter | - | |
| result | n | outcome, outfollow, upshot, aftermath | offleading (<Ic. af-leiðing) | |
| resurrect | vb | gainrise (att'd Cheke) | edsty (<OE stīgan) | |
| resurrection | n | gainrising (att'd Cheke) | - | |
| retail | vb | - | fordrive (cf. NHG vertreiben) | |
| retain | vb | withkeep, keep | athave | |
| retaliate | vb | hit back, strike back, take an eye for an eye | yield back, wend upon | |
| retard | n | dimwit, dolt, dullard, dwease | - | |
| retard | vb | laten, slow, stunt | - | |
| retardation | n | slowing, latening | - | |
| retardation | n | - | backwardness, beslowedness | |
| retirement | n | - | forleaving | |
| retort | n | yieldback, wisecrack, backanswer | - | |
| retract | vb | take back, withdraw | - | |
| retreat | vb | withdraw | - | |
| retrograde | adj | backward | - | |
| return | n | homecoming, comeback, backfare, two-way | gainfare (<OE geanfær) wearveness (<OE gehwyrftnes) gainwerve(ness) (<OE) to someone: andgive | |
| return | vb | come back | edwhirve (<OE edhwirfan), edwend, andcome | |
| reveal | vb | bare, unsheath | yondshow, unhele, swettle | |
| revel | vb | bathe, wallow, frolic | - | |
| revelry | n | merry-making | - | |
| revenant | n | - | dreg (<OE dréag) | |
| revenge | vb | yieldback, get back, get even with | - | |
| revere | vb | worship | - | |
| reverence | n | blessed awe | - | |
| reverie | n | daydream, sweven | - | |
| reverse/reversal | n | setback, blow | - | |
| revert | vb | - | backtrack, edwharve | |
| revive | vb | - | edquick(en) (<OE edcwician)
liven through, awaken, quicken, inliven, bring to, aquick, forquick, give life to, bring back to life, edliven | |
| revolution | n | - | ewhirft (<OE gehwyrft), overhaul, overthrow, overthrowing, uprisin
turning: whirft (<OE hwyrft)umbewrithing | |
| revolve | vb | spin | umbwerve | |
| reward | n | meed | gainyield, afterleen (<OE æfterléan), aftergift | |
| reward | vb | meed | afterloan (<OE léanian), aftergive edloan (<OE edléan) | |
| rhetoric | n | - | redekith (cf. Du redekunde), wordcraft, mathelcraft | |
| rhinoceros | n | - | nosehorn (calque of Greek rhinokeros (rhinos "nose" + keras "horn")
hornpig, hornhog, hornswine | |
| rhyme | n | rime | - | |
| rhythm | n | riff | - | |
| ridiculous | adj | - | laughingly | |
| rifle | n | - | scratchgun, shattergun, shouldershooter (<OE sculdorscēota), furrowgun (<OE furhscēota) | |
| righteous(ness) | adj | - | rightwise(ness) (<OE rihtwís(nes)) | |
| rigid | adj | stiff, hard | - | |
| rigorous | adj | thorough | - | |
| riot | n | - | crowdburst | |
| risk | n | gamble, long shot | - | |
| risky | n | gamblesome | unsound | |
| river | n | ea (aa OED)
brook run waterway stream | a small stream:riþ(the word is still to be found in North Frisian in the form ride, rie, to denote the bed of running water)
estuary: fleet (<OE fleotan) gutter: rindle (<OE rynele) runnell: flood (<OE flod) burn, bourn (<OE burna) | |
| rite | n | - | aright (<OE gerihte)
onsayedness (<OE onsægednes) | |
| river course | n | flow | - | |
| rivulet | n | beck, brookling, stream, runnel, rith, sike | - | |
| robin | n | redbreast | ruddock | |
| robust | adj | strong, sinewy, hale, halesome, hearty, sound, doughty, fit, full-blooded, full-blooded, full-strength, hardy, healthy, mighty, red-blooded, stout, strong-willed | - | |
| rock | n | stone | - | |
| rocket | n | - | rock, rocker (O.H.G. rocko "distaff," O.N. rokkr) | |
| role | n | playwork, deedwork | - | |
| roll | vb | onspin | - | |
| roman | adj | - | romish | |
| romanticism | n | - | lovecraft
storm-and-throng-troth (cf. H Du. Sturm und Drang) | |
| rooster | n | cock | - | |
| rose (flower) | n | - | loveblossom, lovebloom | |
| rotate | vb | spin | werve | |
| rotund | adj | wheelshaped | - | |
| round | adj | wheelshaped | trind (shaped from OE 'trinda' and NE 'trindle') | |
| route | n | pathway | - | |
| royal | adj | kingly, cweenly | - | |
| royalty | n | kingship (att'd <OE cynescipe) | - | |
| rude | adj | unbehaved (cf. Nor. ubehøvlet, Du. onbehouwen) | - | |
| ruin | vb & n | wreck, mar, downfall | - | |
| rule | vb | lead, look over, oversee, oversee | rede, hold sway | |
| ruler | n | leader, overseer, baldor | reder | |
| rumour | n | hearsay | - | |
| rural | adj | outburg, fieldly | lundly | |
| rush | n & vb | hurry | shind | |
| Russia(n) | name/n/adj | - | Russland(er/ish) | |
| rustic | n | backwoodsman, boor, bumpkin, bushwhacker, clodhopper, churl, crofter, greenhorn, hayseed, hind, hillbilly, husbandman, plowman, redneck, share-cropper, swain, woodsman | - | |
