R

racket (noun)§

racket (noun) (1 of 2):
Confused clattering noise; clamor. (MW)

A loud distressing noise. (AHD)

A loud, unpleasant noise. (BD)
A loud unpleasant noise; a din. (NOA)

An unpleasant loud continuous noise. (CD)

A loud confused noise or disturbance; a din. (CHM)
Uproar, disturbance, especially as resulting from noisy or disorderly behavior; din, cacophony, excessive or obtrusive noise. (OED)

racket (noun) (2 of 2):

An illegal or dishonest scheme for obtaining money; a person's line of business or way of life. (NOA)

A dishonest or illegal activity that makes money.  A way of making a large unfair profit. (CD)

A fraudulent scheme, enterprise, or activity; a usually illegitimate enterprise made workable by bribery or intimidation; an easy and lucrative means of livelihood.  Occupation, business. (MW)

A dishonest or fraudulent business or practice.  An easy, profitable means of livelihood.  A business or occupation. (AHD)

A business that makes money through illegal activities.  An easy way to make money.  A job or business. (BD)

A fraudulent or illegal means of making money.  A job or occupation. (CHM)

Any form of deception, criminal trickery, hoaxing.  A job, an occupation, not necessarily illegal.  An easy job or situation, especially a sinecure. (Green's)

A dishonest or fraudulent line of business; a method of swindling for financial gain; a scam.  A dishonest scheme or stratagem; a trick, a deception.  A criminal enterprise, especially one conducted by an organized group.  With weaker or no implication of dishonesty, an occupation, a line of business; an easy or profitable source of livelihood; a chosen way of life; a particular activity or way of behaving. (OED)

ratiocinate (verb)§
To make judgments about something based on sensible thinking or logic. (CD)

Form judgments by a process of logic; reason. (NOA)

To reason methodically and logically. (AHD)

Reason. (MW)

To think or argue logically and methodically; reason.  Carry on a process of reasoning. (CDC)

Reason methodologically and logically. (VC)

To reason; to argue. (JDO)

To reason, especially deductively; to offer reason or argument. (WUD)

To reason; to carry out or form judgements by a process of logical reasoning. (OED)
ratiocinative (adjective)

red-top (adjective and noun)§

A tabloid newspaper characterized by sensationalism. (CDC)

A popular newspaper that sells a large number of copies. (CD)

A tabloid newspaper, the logo is usually printed white reversed out of a red block. (Green's)

A tabloid newspaper.  Of or relating to a tabloid newspaper.  With allusion to the red background on which the titles of certain British newspapers are printed. (OED)

Grok:  Refers to a type of tabloid newspaper characterized by its sensationalist headlines, celebrity gossip, and populist news coverage.  These newspapers are called red-tops because they typically feature bold, red mastheads, the title block or logo at the top of the front page.  Red-tops are known for their accessible, often informal language and focus on entertainment, scandals, sports, and human-interest stories, rather than in-depth political or economic analysis.  They contrast with broadsheet newspapers, which are traditionally seen as more serious and intellectual in tone.  Key characteristics of red-tops:  Sensationalist and eye-catching headlines; focus on celebrity news, crime, scandals, and sports; large, bold images and minimal text compared to broadsheets; often politically populist or aligned with specific political views.  Examples of red-top newspapers in the UK:  The Sun, Daily Mirror, Daily Star.  These publications are part of the UK's tabloid press and are widely read, though they are sometimes criticized for prioritizing sensationalism over journalistic depth.  Red-tops frequently pay for stories and photos as part of their business model, focusing on exclusive and sensational content to attract readers.  However, this practice is subject to ethical, legal, and regulatory oversight, and it remains a controversial aspect of tabloid journalism in the UK. (Grok)

Note:  In addition to the red-tops, pretty sure I would like to use red-top as an adjective or perhaps even an adverb.  Thus:  red-top journalism or red-top reporting.

redolent (adjective)§

Having or emitting an odor or fragrance; aromatic.  Suggestive; reminiscent. (AHD)
Redolent of/with, strongly reminiscent or suggestive of something.  Fragrant or sweet-smelling. (OD)
Exuding fragrance; aromatic.  Full of a specified fragrance; scented, redolent of.  Evocative; suggestive. (MW)
Smelling strongly of something or having qualities, especially smells, that make you think of something else. (CD)

Having a strong smell; full of a fragrance or odor.  Causing thoughts or memories of something. (BD)

Fragrant; smelling strongly of it; strongly suggestive or reminiscent of it. (CHM)

Having a strong pleasant odor.  Noticeably odorous.  Serving to bring to mind.  When something is redolent of something, it makes you think of that thing by making a pretty strong impression on you.  People used to use redolent of something with a strong, distinctive odor; now, think of it as stinks of, but in a fancy way. (VC)

If something is redolent of something else, it has features that make you think of that other thing.  If something is redolent of something else, it smells strongly of that other thing.  Having a pleasant smell; fragrant; having the odor or smell of; scented with; reminiscent or suggestive of.  Sweet-smelling; fragrant; smelling of; suggestive or evocative of.  Having a pleasant odor; fragrant; odorous or smelling; reminiscent. (CDC)

Sweet of scent. (JDO)

Diffusing odor or fragrance; spreading sweet scent; scented; odorous; smelling; usually followed by of. (WUD)

Originally, having or diffusing a pleasant smell, aroma, or scent; sweet-smelling, fragrant.  In later use chiefly, strong smelling, pungent.  Of a smell, pleasant, sweet, fragrant; in later use also, strong, pungent.  Also, figurative and in figurative contexts.  With of or with, now the usual sense, permeated or imbued with a smell or aroma; having a particular smell.  Also, having a smell suggestive or reminiscent of some quality, feeling, etc.  Figurative, imbued with or rich in a quality, a feeling, etc.; strongly suggestive or reminiscent of a particular thing. (OED)

reliquary (noun)§

A container for holy relics. (NOA)

A container or shrine in which sacred relics are kept. (MW)

A container for holy relics. (CHM)
A receptacle, such as a coffer or shrine, for keeping or displaying sacred relics. (AHD)
A container where religious relics are stored or displayed, especially relics of saints. (VC)

A reliquary is a container where religious objects connected with a saint are kept.  A receptacle or repository for relics, especially relics of saints.  A case or other container in which relics are kept and displayed for veneration. (CDC)

A depositary, often a small box or casket, in which relics are kept. (WUD)

A receptacle, often made of precious metal and richly decorated, in which a religious relic or relics are kept, as a small box, casket, or shrine.  Figuratively, something that preserves the memory of events or persons of the past. (OED)

remigration (noun)§

The act of migrating again; especially, the act of returning to one's original or previous home after a migration. (MW)

The act or process of returning or migrating back to the place of origin. (CDC)

Removal back again. (JDO)

Migration back to the place from which one came. (WUD)

The action of remigrating; return; an instance of this. (OED)

remigrate (verb):  To migrate again or back. (OED)

Grok:  Refers to the process or policy of encouraging or facilitating the return of immigrants or their descendants to their country of origin or ancestry.  It is often discussed in political or social contexts, particularly by groups or individuals who advocate for reducing immigration or reversing its effects.  The term can carry different connotations depending on who is using it – Some see it as a neutral concept tied to voluntary repatriation, while others associate it with nationalist or anti-immigrant agendas.  It is a relatively modern term, popping up more in European debates around identity and migration in recent years. (Grok)

Note:  The left claims remigration is a new word for mass deportation.

remit (noun)§

An area of responsibility; scope. (AHD)
An area of responsibility or authority. (MW)

An area of responsibility and authority. (BD)
The task or area of activity officially assigned to an individual or organization. (NOA)
The topic that a person, committee, or piece of research is expected to deal with or has authority to deal with. (VC)

The area that a person or group of people in authority has responsibility for or control over.  The types of activity that a person or organization has responsibility for. (CD)

A set of instructions, a brief; an area of authority or responsibility.  Frequently used in:  within one's remit or beyond one's remit, etc. (OED)
See:  brief, purview

See:  Note on Terms of Responsibilities

rent seeking or rent-seeking (economic concept; noun and adjective)§

The fact or practice of manipulating public policy or economic conditions as a strategy for increasing profits (noun).  Engaging in or involving the manipulation of public policy or economic conditions as a strategy for increasing profits:  Rent-seeking lobbyists (adjective). (OD)

Competition for politically protected transfers of wealth. (EB)

The fact or process of seeking to gain larger profits by manipulating public policy or economic conditions, especially by means of securing beneficial subsidies or tariffs, making a product artificially scarce, etc. (OED)

Rent-seeking refers to the expenditure of resources by individuals, firms, or groups to obtain economic rents, unproductive transfers of wealth, through political lobbying, regulatory manipulation, or other non-market means, rather than by creating new value via production or innovation. (Groki)

Rent seeking is defined as any practice in which an entity aims to increase its wealth without making any contribution to the wealth or benefit of society.  It is typically done by manipulating the political environment and can result in social harm.  A common example of rent seeking is the act of lobbying for government-funded subsidies. (Investopedia)

Grok summary.

revanche (noun)§
A usually political policy designed to recover lost territory or status. (MW)
A policy or movement aimed at achieving the return of a nation's lost territory. (NOA)

The act of retaliating, especially by a nation or group to regain lost territory or standing; revenge. (AHD)

A policy aimed at recovering a nations’s lost territory, especially in retaliation against an enemy nation. (VC)

The policy of regaining territory or land that has been lost.  The policy of a state intent on regaining areas of its original territory that have been lost to other states as a result of war, a treaty signed under duress, etc. (CDC)

The return of a nation's lost territory; a policy, movement, or act of aggression aimed at achieving this. (OED)

revanchist (adjective):  revanchist policies; (noun):  a revanchist.

Rhodesia (country)§

The former name of a large territory in central and southern Africa that was divided into Southern Rhodesia (now Zambia) in 1923 and into Northern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 1924. (NOA/Apple Dictionary)

ribald (adjective)§
Characterized by or indulging in humor that is vulgar and lewd. (AHD)

Referring to sexual matters in an amusingly rude, coarse, or irreverent way. (NOA)

Marked by coarseness or lewdness; crude, offensive.  Characterized by or using coarse, indecent humor. (MW)

Referring to sex in a rude but amusing way. (BD)

Ribald language refers to sex in a rude but humorous way. (CD)

Said of language, a speaker, humor, etc., humorous in an obscene, vulgar or indecently disrespectful way. (CHM)

Of behavior or especially language, characterized by obscenity or indecency.  Something ribald is funny, but in a vulgar or off-color way.  Ribald humor is generally considered to be inappropriate around children, and if you make a ribald comment, you might inadvertently offend someone. (VC)

A ribald remark or sense of humor is rather rude and refers to sex in a humorous way.  Coarse, obscene, or licentious, usually in a humorous or mocking way.  Characterized by coarse or vulgar joking or mocking; especially, dealing with sex in a humorously earthy or direct way.  Vulgar or indecent in speech, language, etc.; coarsely mocking, abusive, or irreverent; scurrilous. (CDC)

Low; base; mean; filthy; obscene. (WUD)

Of language, humor, etc., coarse, vulgar, scurrilous, irreverent; subsequently especially, referring to sexual matters in an amusingly rude or irreverent way. (OED)

rife (adjective)§

In widespread existence, practice, or use; increasingly prevalent.  Abundant or numerous. (AHD)

Prevalent especially to an increasing degree.  Abundant, common.  Copiously supplied; abounding – usually used with with:  'rife with rumors.' (MW)
Especially of something undesirable:  Of common occurrence; widespread. (NOA)

Very common and often bad or unpleasant.  Having a large amount of something bad or unpleasant; full of something bad or unpleasant. (BD)

If something unpleasant is rife, it is very common or happens a lot.  Full of something unpleasant.  Of something unpleasant, very common or frequent.  If a place is rife with something unpleasant, it is full of it. (CD)

Usually said of something unfavorable, very common or frequently occurring; extensive; current.  Abundant; numerous.  Usually rife with something, having a large amount or number of something bad or undesirable. (CHM)

If you say that something, usually something bad, is rife in a place or that the place is rife with it, you mean that it is very common.  Of widespread occurrence; prevalent or current.  Very plentiful; abundant.  Abounding in.  Frequently or commonly occurring.  In widespread existence, activity, or use.  Current in speech or report, as in rumors are rife.  Numerous. (CDC)

Excessively abundant.  Full of or widespread, especially when you're talking about something negative.  Rife can follow the word it’s describing, as in corruption was rife during his administration.  More commonly, however, rife comes before the word it modifies, accompanied by the preposition with, as in her story was rife with inconsistencies. (VC)

Prevalent; prevailing; abounding.  It is now only used of epidemical distempers. (JDO)

Prevailing; prevalent; abounding. (WUD)

Of common or frequent occurrence; prevalent; widespread.  Of harmful, destructive, or undesirable things or conditions; or of good or neutral things or conditions.  With singular nouns, abundant, plentiful, ample; with plural nouns, large in quantity or number; numerous.  Often with with, as in:  rife with corruption, rife with opportunities. (OED)

roan (adjective and noun)§

Having the base color, such as red, black, or brown, muted and lightened by admixture of white hairs.  An animal, such as a horse, with a roan coat.  The color of a roan horse, used especially when the base color is red. (MW)

Denoting an animal, especially a horse or cow, having a coat of a main color thickly interspersed with hairs of another color, typically bay, chestnut, or black mixed with white.  Also noun, an animal with a roan coat. (NOA)

Said of a horse's coat, thickly flecked with grey or white hairs, black (blue roan), bay (red roan), or chestnut (strawberry roan).  Said of the coats of other animals, for example, cattle, reddish-brown or bay similarly flecked with grey or white hairs. As a noun, a roan color.  An animal, especially a horse, with a coat of this type. (CHM)

A roan is a horse that is brown or black with some white hairs.  Of a horse, having a bay (red roan), chestnut (strawberry roan), or black (blue roan) coat sprinkled with white hairs.  A horse having such a coat.  Of a solid color, as reddish brown, brown, or black, with a thick sprinkling of white hairs.  A roan color.  A roan horse or other animal.  Of the color sorrel, chestnut, or bay, sprinkled with gray or white.  A horse or other animal with a roan coat.  A roan color. (CDC)

Having a chestnut, bay, or sorrel coat thickly sprinkled with white or gray.  The characteristic coloring of a roan horse.  A roan horse or other animal. (AHD)

A horse that is red, black, or brown with a few white hairs. (CD)

A horse that has white hairs mixed in with hairs of a darker color. (BD)

Of a horse, having a coat in which the prevailing color, usually bay, sorrel, or chestnut, is thickly interspersed with white or grey, typically producing a dull red or reddish-grey.  Also and in earliest use, designating the overall color itself. Sometimes with distinguishing word, as black roan, blue roan, red roan, silver roan, strawberry roan, etc.  Applied to other animals, as cows, etc.  As a noun, a roan horse; a roan cow, ox, bull, etc. (OED)

See:  merle

rot (verb and noun)§
verb

To go to ruin.  To become morally corrupt; degenerate. (MW)

To decay morally; become degenerate. (AHD)

To become corrupt. (CHM)

To make putrid; to bring to corruption. (JDO)

Figuratively, to perish slowly; to decay; to die; to become corrupt. (WUD)

Figuratively, to decline or decay, especially morally or socially; to diminish towards extinction, go to waste. (OED)

noun

Moral or social decay or corruption.  You can use the rot to refer to the way something gradually gets worse.  For example, if you are talking about the time when the rot set in, you are talking about the time when a situation began to get steadily worse and worse. (CDC)

A state in which something becomes bad or does not work as well as it should. (LDOCE)

A process of deterioration; a decline in standards.  As in, the rot. (NOA)

A process of deterioration; a decline in standards; corruption. (OD)

Figuratively, degeneration, decline.  A marked decline, in resources, standards, behavior, etc. (OED)
Note:  Here we mean moral decline or decay; as opposed to the decomposition of organic matter or wood.

rum (adjective)§

Chiefly British

Odd; peculiar. (NOA)

Unusual and strange. (CD)

Strange or odd. (BD)

Strange; odd; bizarre. (CHM)

Odd, strange; difficult, dangerous. (MW)

Odd; strange.  Presenting danger or difficulty. (AHD)

Beyond or deviating from the usual or expected. (VC)

If you describe people or things as rum, you mean that they are rather strange.  Peculiar; odd; queer.  Bad, poor, etc.  Problematic; difficult. (CDC)

Old-fashioned; queer; odd. (WUD)

Odd, strange. Also, bad, spurious, suspect. (OED)

rumbustious (adjective)§
Rambunctious. (MW)

Rambunctious. (BD)

Boisterous or unruly. (NOA)

Full of energy, fun, and noise. (LDOCE)

Uncontrollably exuberant; unruly. (AHD)

Noisy and cheerful; boisterous. (CHM)
Noisy, energetic, and rough. (CD)

Noisy and lacking in restraint or discipline. (VC)

A rumbustious person is energetic in a cheerful, noisy way.  Rambunctious, boisterous, unruly, etc.  Wildly boisterous. (CDC)

Boisterous, turbulent; unruly. (OED)

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