rattletrap
The mouth. Anything shaky and mean, but pretentious and vulgar, is said to belong to the RATTLETRAP order of things.
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rattling
Jolly, pleasant, well-appointed. "A RATTLING good spread" means an excellent repast, while a true friend is said to be a "RATTLING good fellow."
rattling mumpers
Beggars who ply coaches. CANT.
ravel out
To unravel
raw
A tender point, or foible; "to touch a man upon the RAW," is to irritate one by alluding to, or joking him on, anything on which he is peculiarly susceptible or "thin-skinned." Originally stable slang.
raw deal
An unfair or unfavorable situation
Rawhead and Blood-Bones
A bogy at one time the terror of children. Servants awe children and keep them in subjection by telling them of Rawhead and Bloodybones. — LOCKE.
rawhead and bloody bones
A bull beggar, or scarechild, with which foolish nurses terrify crying brats.
rax
barracks
ray of light
A sign of hope in a difficult situation
Raymond Lully
The Illuminated Doctor. William Occam (d. 1349), an English Franciscan, The Singular or Invincible Doctor.
razz someone's berries
to tease or mock someone
razzled
drunk
re-raw
"on the RE-RAW," tipsy or drunk.
reach for the sky
To aim high and strive for great things
reach for the stars
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
reach me downs
Or HAND ME DOWNS, clothes bought at secondhand shops. From "REACH ME DOWN that, and let’s see if it fits." In Houndsditch and other celebrated old clothes’ marts, the goods are kept hanging on pegs so as to be well within view of intending buyers.
reach of a river
The part which lies between two points or bends; so called because it reaches from point to point.
reaction to something
Response or feeling caused by an event
read and write
able to understand and create written language
read between the lines
Understand the implied or hidden meaning
read in
to infer or understand something implicit
read lips
understand what someone is saying without hearing them
read minds
To know someone's thoughts or intentions without being told.
read oneself in
To familiarize oneself with a subject or situation
read out
to read something aloud
read someone to filth
To completely and utterly criticize or insult someone
read someone's lips
understand what someone is saying without hearing them
read someone's mind
Know someone's thoughts or intentions without being told
read the car
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
read the green
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
read the room
Understand the atmosphere or mood of a social situation
reader
A pocket-book. CANT.
reader
A pocket-book; "Touch him for his READER," i.e., rob him of his pocket-book.
reader merchants
Pickpockets, chiefly young Jews, who ply about the Bank to steal the pocket-books of persons who have just received their dividends there.
ready
The ready rhino; money. CANT.
ready
Or READY GILT (maybe GELT), money. Used by Arbuthnot—"Lord Strut was not very flush in READY."
ready and waiting
Prepared and available to act immediately
ready or not
Regardless of preparation or willingness
ready to roll
Completely prepared to start something
ready up
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
ready-reckoners
The Highland regiments of the British army.
real deal
Authentic or genuine
real live
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
real McCoy
The authentic or genuine article
Real Presence
The doctrine that Christ Him- self is present in the bread and wine of the
real quick
Very quickly or briefly
reality check
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
reality distortion field
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
reality is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can imagine
Reality is often more surprising and unusual than what we can think of
really enjoy
take great pleasure in something
really good
exceptionally fine or excellent
really like
enjoy something or someone very much
ream job
anilingus
reap the harvest
Enjoy the benefits of one's efforts
reap the whirlwind
Suffer the consequences of one's own actions
rear one's head
To appear or become apparent
rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic
Make minor changes to a situation that is beyond repair
Reason does not come before years. (Strauss, 1994 p. 1150)
Maturity and wisdom come with age and experience
reason is the slave of passion
Emotions often control decision-making, overriding rational thought