Rewordings
English, No. 1, p. 13
racial profiling pp. Detaining, questioning, or arresting a person whose race is part of a profile
of traits that allegedly identify the most likely perpetrators of certain crimes.
Example Citation:
A room full of senior police officers and prominent politicians agreed yesterday that racial
profiling in Ontario exists and must be stamped out. Former Ontario lieutenant-governor
Lincoln Alexander called his summit on race relations "historic" as he announced that he had
secured commitments from all levels of police and government to end racial profiling by police
and restore confidence in the public complaints system.
– John Duncanson, "Summit pledges to halt racial profiling," The Toronto Star, November 26,
2002
racino n. A horse racing track that also includes slot machines, video gambling terminals, or
other casino features.
Example Citation:
Here's how racinos work, and why fans, breeders, and track owners like the idea: Racetracks
install slots, generally thousands at a time, on-site. Racing fans, presumably between races,
spend a few dollars on the slots. The income made by the track, after sizable payouts to the state
and the lottery system, is funneled back in the form of bigger purses for each race. The
difference between a racino-funded purse and one without slot money can be as much as $
175,000.
– Heather Timmons, "Can slot machines rescue racing?," Business Week, December 2, 2002
ragerage n. Anger directed at people who commit acts of road rage, air rage, and so on.
Example Citation:
"It is important that we are not drawn into the trap of believing that conditions such as 'road
rage', 'air rage' and now 'computer rage' exist in their own right: they are merely buzz terms used
to describe bad behaviour for which the perpetrator must accept responsibility.
Any who seek to disagree with this view could of course argue that I suffer from 'rage rage', a
condition into which, sadly, I have no insight."
– Luke Birmingham, "All the rage," The Times (London), June 11, 1999
rain dance n. A mostly ceremonial sequence of actions performed in the hope that they will
solve a computer problem.
Example Citation:
"Tim had no idea why the computer wouldn't boot, so he decided a rain dance would be in
order. He removed the cover and proceeded to jiggle the circuit boards, poke the memory chips,
and unplug and replug the cables."
ranchburger n. A traditional, one-story ranch-style house, particularly one in a suburban
development where the surrounding houses have a similar design. Also: ranch-burger, ranch
burger.
Example Citations:
You'll see examples of Ranch homes whose only charm may have been their location
transformed into a wide variety of architectural expressions. In an odd twist, the very fact that
many of these homes began as plain and ordinary "Ranchburgers" is exactly the reason they are
great makeover candidates.
– M. Caren Connolly, "Ranches: Design Ideas for Renovating, Remodeling, and Building New ,"
Taunton Press, August, 2003
random adj. Adjective: Describes a person who is undirected, unproductive, and frivolous.
Noun: A person who isn't a hacker.
Example Citation:
"I had to cut the interview short because the guy was way too random to be of any use to us".
"I bailed out of that Net seminar because it was just a bunch of randoms asking bogus
questions".
range anxiety n. Mental distress or uneasiness caused by concerns about running out of power
while driving an electric car.
Example Citations:
"For example, when we started, 87 per cent of the owners said 'range anxiety' – a concern that
the car would run out of power and strand them – was their biggest concern about an electric car.
"Now that they have some real-world experience with (the 135 km range of ) the car, they know
how far (or, actually, how little) they drive, where they can recharge, and so on. (Now) only 17
per cent still have that concern."
– Jim Kenzie, "First electric Smarts arrive in America," The Toronto Star, June 18, 2010
ransom factor n. The tendency for one party in a civil case to settle out of court to avoid the
potentially high cost of fighting the case.
Example Citations:
The third and most worrying implication for newspapers under the arrangement is what is
becoming known as the 'ransom factor': the fear that the potential size of costs may persuade
the press into settling on a case which should be fought. ...
The Telegraph's lawyer, James Price QC, coined the phrase 'ransom factor' to describe the
impact on media groups of the high costs payable to claimants' lawyers who act under fee
agreements. He warned that these were an enormous incentive to newspapers to buy out of
litigation, regardless of the merits of the case.
– Jessica Hodgson, "Newspapers falling prey to legal eagles," The Observer, September 28, 2003
ransomware n. Malicious software that encrypts a person's computer files and demands a
ransom to decrypt the files.
ExampleCitations:
A new trojan that holds computer files "hostage" and then then demands a $US300 ($410)
ransom for their safe return has been identified by a virus tracking company.
The trojan has been labelled "ransomware" because it uses malicious code to hijack user files
and to encrypt them so they cannot be accessed. It then asks for payment in return for the
decryption key.
– Louisa Heran, "PC file kidnappers demand ransom," Sydney Morning Herald, March 15, 2006
rat dance n. A random series of actions that produces a useful (and usually unintentional) result.
Example Citation:
"Franсois tossed whatever he find into the pot, added a few spices, simmered the whole mess for
a while, and was shocked to find the finished dish actually tasted quite good. It was a total rat
dance meal."
rat-race equilibrium n. A workplace balance in which an employee's willingness to work long
hours for possible promotion is equal to an employer's belief that working long hours merits
promotion.
ExampleCitation:
According to the standard theories, unreasonable work weeks are self-defeating...because
workers get tired or demand high overtime rates or simply rebel. However, according to a newer
model, some businesses manage to develop what economists call a 'rat-race equilibrium.' The
rat-race occurs when managers use a willingness to work long hours as a sign of some tangible
yet much-desired quality that merits promotion.
– James Gleick, Faster, 1999
rawist n. A person who eats only unprocessed, unheated, and uncooked food, especially organic
fruits, nuts, vegetables, and grains. adj.
– rawismn.
Example Citation:
The shared belief, as articulated on the many and growing Web sites dedicated to the practice, is
that cooked food is poison – "dead food" – that we primates were never designed to eat. "In
nature, all animals eat living foods," wrote T.C. Fry, an early raw-food advocate who
nonetheless passed away six years ago at the relatively early age of 70...This health regime goes
beyond mere Veganism: For the Rawist, even a simple baked potato has been rendered not only
less nutritious, but carcinogenic by virtue of its time spent in an oven.
– Karen von Hahn, "Raw raw," The Globe and Mail, November 23, 2002
RDI n. Aches and pains caused by driving a car, particularly by driving with poor posture or
improper seat position. [From the phrase repetitive driving injury; cf. repetitive stress injury]
Example Citations:
What those officials rarely acknowledge is how much that four-wheeled love affair is actually
costing us. Various research studies conducted over the last 20 years strongly suggest that
commuting by car – which is how 91 percent of residents in metro Atlanta get around each day –
is not only expensive, but also takes a serious toll on our health and quality of life. A new term
has even been coined to describe the deleterious effects of sitting behind the wheel for too long,
"Repetitive Driving Injury," or RDI.
– Lyle V. Harris, Put brakes on car love affair," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 9, 2007
read-only user n. A person who uses the Internet exclusively for reading Web pages, e-mail,
and newsgroups instead of creating their own content.
Example Citation:
"Until recently, the Internet relied almost exclusively on individuals to create content, so noncontributors weren't appreciated and came to be known, pejoratively, as 'read-only users'."
real estate refugees n. People who move out of the city and into the surrounding suburbs and
towns so they can purchase a larger home on a bigger lot.
ExampleCitations:
Santa Marians are not accustomed to a lot of sound and fury, nor to cameras beaming chaotic
scenes at their courthouse into living rooms from Kokomo to Katmandu.
"Our big things are the strawberry festival and the Elks rodeo," Machelle Hammond said.
The city of 80,000 sees little crime, with an average of two homicides yearly.
It draws many new residents from Los Angeles, real estate refugees seeking lower home prices
and a peaceful place to raise their kids.
– Steve Chawkins and David Pierson, "All Agree, Jackson Case Has Santa Maria Talking," Los
Angeles Times, January 18, 2004
reality distortion field n. An aura or mystique, either inherent or generated by charm,
enthusiasm, or salesmanship, that prevents something from being seen as it really is.
Example Citation:
"I told him straight off that his first mistake was allowing his boss to go to Comdex, especially
unaccompanied. I assumed that the boss was nontechnical and therefore especially susceptible to
the reality distortion field that surrounds any new product."
– Bill Machrone, "Win CE Boxes Already Causing IS Grief," PC Week
real reality n. Everything that is not virtual reality.
Example Citation:
"Dyson ignores the sinister temptations of virtual reality, including virtual sex, temptations
bound to grow as real reality gets ever scarier and more complex."
– Derek Bickerton, "Digital Dreams," The New York Times Book Review
re-anchor v. To add or replace a major retailer (i.e., an anchor store) in a shopping mall.
Example Citation:
"Buffalo's Benderson Development is getting back into the outlet mall business with the
purchase of the Sarasota Outlet Mall, near Sarasota, Fla....Benderson plans to unveil a
redevelopment strategy for the center in January, a plan that is expected to include the signing of
new tenant anchors. 'We're going to re-anchor and reposition the mall in the marketplace,'
Ruben told a Florida newspaper."
– Sharon Linstedt, "Benderson Buys Florida Mall In Return to Outlet Business," The Buffalo
News, December 28, 1998
rearchitect v. To make fundamental changes to the design or structure of something.
Example Citation:
"The workshops are headed by Women Services counselor Jane Maxwell. She feels there is a
need to have these workshops available for women of all backgrounds because sometimes
women suffer from both self-esteem and assertiveness issues.
'I want women to rearchitect themselves – focus on the positive aspects of themselves and get
rid of the negative,' Maxwell said."
– Andrea Parker, "SIUC hosts self-esteem workshop for women," University Wire, July 11, 2001
reax n. Journalistic shorthand for reaction or reactions
Example Citation:
The international debate over what to do about Iraq is not only intense at the U.N., it also, as you
know, dominates the editorial pages of the world's major dailies.
We're going to sample some of that opinion from around the world as part of a new NBC News
segment we are calling "World Reax," "reax" our short form in the news business for reaction.
– Brian Williams, "The News with Brian Williams," CNBC, March 7, 2003
recession chic n. Style and elegance on a tight budget.
Example Citations:
That's why I urge women to approach this month's Carrie-tribute collection by Sex and the City
stylist Patricia Field for Marks & Spencer with caution. Because you have to ask why M&S –
bastion of sleek, chic, understated style – would belatedly embrace fussy, decadent, fast-fashion
Carrie when everyone is moving towards recession chic; which means investing in shift dresses
instead of smock dresses and stilettos instead of wedges.
– Gwen Halley, "For the true story, just ask your man," Evening Herald, October 13, 2008
recessionista n. A person who dresses stylishly on a tight budget.
Example Citations:
She's superstylish, always able to buy a round of drinks and still seems to be wearing a new
outfit every time you see her.
She's a recessionista, that New York marvel who's a magnet for a good deal. And in this
economy, she's got a lot to teach us. ...
Finney agrees that aside from knowing where to find the best discounts, making better use of
what you have is a key trait of the true recessionista.
– Eloise Parker, Frugal fashion: New Yorkers learn to look good for a lot less, Daily News (New
York), July 13, 2008
recombobulate v. To recover from a state of confusion or disorganization.
–recombobulationn.
Example Citations:
My heart was gladdened by an official-looking sign in the Milwaukee airport, just beyond the
Transportation Security Administration checkpoint, hanging over where you put your shoes and
coat back on and stuff your laptop back in the case: The sign said, "Recombobulation Area."
The English language gains a new word. Recombobulate, America. Pull yourself together, tie
your shoelaces, and if your pilot is wearing a button that says "To hell with the FAA," wait for
the next flight.
– Garrison Keillor, "Running on anger," Chicago Tribune, January 27, 2010
recursive acronym n. An acronym that refers to itself, usually by incorporating the acronym as
the first word in the expanded phrase.
Example Citation:
"Dear Sir, Since I see a side-bar on recursive acronyms (October EXE p. 34), it occurs to me
that your readers may enjoy the following, which I modestly offer as the ultimate: TIARA
(TIARA is a recursive acronym)."
– Chris Smithies, "Recursive acronyms," EXE, November 1, 1996
red-chip adj. Describes a stock issued for a publicly-traded Chinese company.
Example Citation:
"A lesser people would be stuffing their money into a mattress. Hong Kongers are stuffing it into
Chinese companies, the so-called red-chip stocks that have been setting sales records this
month." – Marcus Gee
redfellas n. Members of the Russian mafia (cf. goodfellas).
Example Citation:
"Officials say the Russian mafiosi– police like to call them 'Redfellas' – have established a
beachhead in Miami, from where many of their illegal activities are being organised."
– David Adams et. al., "Russian mafia in Colombia drug link," The Times, September 30, 1997
redlining n. The practice of refusing to serve particular geographical areas because of the race or
income of the area's residents.
Example Citation:
"At first, the Federal Housing Administration, the arm of the U.S. Housing and Urban
Development Department that insures lenders 100 percent in foreclosure losses, reacted to racial
change on the South Side by redlining. The agency, along with lenders and banks, literally drew
red lines on maps of minority neighborhoods and refused to insure loans there."
– Alex Rodriguez, "Foreclosures scar Roseland," Chicago Sun-Times, April 5, 1999
redshirting n. The practice of holding a child out of kindergarten for one year in the hope that
the child will then do better academically and socially.
–redshirtv.
Example Citations:
The rise of redshirting dates to the 1980s, when mandatory testing put pressure on schools to
make the early elementary grades more rigorous. As 3rd and 4th grade became more demanding,
kindergarten had to keep up. Savvy parents were increasingly likely to worry about their
children's early academic performance and resort to redshirting, Meisels says.
A parallel national trend of moving back the cutoff age for kindergarten eligibility, making the
average child older when he or she began, also contributed to the "graying of kindergarten."
– Nara Schoenberg, "Postponing kindergarten," Chicago Tribune, April 26, 2006
reefer n. A small article on the front page of a newspaper that refers the reader to a larger story
inside the paper.
Example Citation:
"Those little 'reefer' stories that you see on the front page of most papers are the newspaper
equivalent of movie trailers."
regift v. To give as a gift something that one received as a gift.–n.
–regiftern.
Example Citation:
Isn't selling wedding gifts kind of ... tacky? I called Angela ... at work to get her take. And
Angela, now Angela Wichita, said she wasn't trying to be tacky. Just practical. These are gifts
she didn't register for, won't use and can't return.
"My husband said we should just recycle them as wedding gifts."
But Angela thinks some of the presents may have been regifted once or twice already.
– Rainbow Rowell, "Wedding gifts get new life in sale," Omaha World-Herald, August 2, 2002
regime change n. An ironic reference to a change of leadership, particularly in business, politics,
or sports.
Example Citation:
As you might have heard, we've had a regime change here at the paper. We knew something
was up Wednesday when all the TVs in the building suddenly went black, then showed the Star
Tribune flag with patriotic music playing. Then the middle managers were dragged from the
building in shackles and loaded into black vans – some sort of retreat, I guess. Next thing you
knew we had a new editor.
– James Lileks, "New regime has informer already," Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), May 19,
2002
regreen v. To restore an area that has suffered environmental damage. Also: re-green.
Example Citations:
Eggertsville, one of Amherst's oldest neighborhoods, has been the subject of much debate about
how to revitalize it. Eggert Road has been particularly nettlesome, though.
The road is primarily residential but starts changing character where it intersects Sweet Home
Road and Bailey, with mostly smaller businesses starting to appear. These days, many are vacant
storefronts. Those that are in operation usually have no landscaping or other buffers, so the street
ends up lined with parking lots.
Since the revitalization campaign started, some of Eggertsville's eyesores have been removed.
And the town is now concentrating on trying to "regreen" by putting in landscaping to beautify
streets.
– Niki Cervantes, "Eggert Road called a good match for seniors," The Buffalo News, January 2,
2003
re-identification n. The process of matching anonymous census data with the individuals who
provided the data.
ExampleCitation:
"In a corner of the U.S. Census Bureau, a small group of statisticians has been sweating out the
agency's nightmare scenario: 're-identification.' That's the term for a technique that the bureau
fears could allow marketers and other "intruders" to match anonymous census information with
the names of the people who provided it. Such a concern is largely theoretical, so far. But if
perfected, the technique could have great appeal to marketers of everything from french fries to
financial services."
– Glenn R. Simpson, "The 2000 Count: Bureau Blurs Data To Keep Names Confidential," The
Wall Street Journal, February 14, 2001
reintermediation n. The reintroduction of an intermediary between consumers and a producer.
Example Citation:
"Already, electronic commerce mavens are talking about 'reintermediation,' in which a new
breed of Web middleman will rise to make sense out of the chaos wrought by disintermediation."
– Jack Shafer, "The Web Made Me Do It," The New York Times
rejecter n. A person who rejects or limits their interaction with technology.
Example Citation:
But in a scary finding for e-commerce boosters, a fast-growing number of occasional online
users are "rejecters," abandoning the Internet in droves. Earlier this year, 29 million U.S. adults
stopped using the Net. That's nearly double the number of those who had dropped out by 1998.
– Edward Iwata, "Tech's tyranny provokes revolt," USA Today, August 21, 2000
rejuvenile n. An adult who enjoys activities and things normally associated with children. –
adj.,v.
–rejuvenilingpp.
Example Citations:
Mom is at a pajama party. Dad is organizing a rock, paper, scissors tournament. Will they ever
grow up and start behaving like adults or are they part of a new breed of "rejuveniles?"
Playful adults – those who refuse to give up fun just because they have a mortgage – are
redefining what it means to be a grown-up in the 21st century.
– Jill Serjeant, "'Rejuveniles' reinvent meaning of adulthood," Reuters News, July 25, 2006
relational loafing n. Failing to relate to friends or family in an animated, engaged, manner.
Example Citation:
I sometimes watched...families sitting together after their dinners, mute but cozy, watching
sitcoms in which television mothers, fathers, and children related in an animated way to one
another while the viewing family engaged in relational loafing.
– Arlie Russell Hochschild, "There's No Place Like Work," The New York Times, April 20,
1997
relationshippy adj. Relating to something that is associated with or strongly reminiscent of a
romantic relationship. Also: relationshipy.
Example Citations:
To refresh your memories, the "Grey's Anatomy" co-star was widely viewed as dissing her
fellow cast members and in general the hand that feeds her when she opined that the show's
scripts last season didn't merit her getting an Emmy nomination. Blogs cited "Grey's' insiders"
who reportedly were ticked off, and betrayed fans of the relationshippy doctor show are treating
Heigl (who plays Izzie Stevens) like she was the second coming of Dixie Chick Natalie Maines.
– David L. Coddon, "Hard to knock Heigl for just speaking candidly,"The San Diego UnionTribune, August 15, 2008
religion stock n. Stock from a company that investors believe will continue to show increased
revenues and profits for many years to come.
Example Citation:
"A religion stock inspires (or used to inspire) blind faith. You know the names: America Online,
Charles Schwab, Cisco Systems, Dell Computer, EMC, Lucent Technologies, Medtronic,
Microsoft, Oracle and Yahoo, among others."
– Jane Bryant Quinn, "False Worship at the Altar of Hot Stocks," The Washington Post, October
29, 2000
reluctant landlord n. A person who is forced to rent his house because he is unable to sell it.
Example Citations:
"Rents are jumping up as more and more potential home buyers opt to rent," said David Newnes,
LSL's estate agency managing director....Furthermore, the huge number of reluctant landlords
we saw renting out property last year have now had the opportunity to bank their gains and sell
up."
– "Rents 'at highest for two years' as landlords sell up," BBC News, September 17, 2010
renoviction n. The mass eviction of an apartment building's tenants because the building's owner
plans a large renovation. [Blend of renovation and eviction.]
Example Citations:
Forty-seven years later, Mr. McFall and his surviving sister, Mary, 91, still share a second-floor
suite, which is adorned with framed family photos and mementos. If evicted, the elderly siblings
say they will likely have to go to a seniors home. So the tenants of the Seafield apartment
building have banded together with the McFalls and refused to leave. They say they are victims
of a new trend in B.C. – nicknamed "renoviction" – in which landlords evict tenants by
announcing big renovation plans.
– Jane Armstrong, "Joining forces in face of 'renoviction'," The Globe and Mail, November 11,
2008
Renton n. A very short haircut.
Example Citation:
Renton n. sl. An extremely short haircut - after the one worn by the mashed-up (that is,
intoxicated) character played by Ewan McGregor in Trainspotting.
– David Rowan, "Glossary for the 90s," The Guardian (London), November 16, 1996
reprogenetics n. The use of techniques from genetics to alter or control the reproductive
process. Also: repro-genetics.
–reprogeneticadj.
Example Citation:
Without providing a shred of evidence, the Raelian cult made headlines with sensational claims
of creating cloned babies. Far less attention is being paid to well-documented advances that will
soon give us the power to create people with chosen genetic qualities, thus altering the course of
human evolution.
Although human genetic manipulation, which focuses on altering select genes – sometimes
called reprogenetics– is still in early stages of research, scientists report few obstacles to
eventual success.
"I am absolutely convinced that we will have both an expansion of pre-embryo genetic diagnosis
as well as genetic enhancement of embryos," Lee Silver, a Princeton University biologist and
genetic expert and author of "Remaking Eden," says. "We have already perfected this in
animals."
The power to change the future of the human race is, in some ways, more frightening than the
weapons of mass destruction we hear so much about today.
It is a weapon of mass creation.
– Caroline S. Wagner, "The Weapons of Mass Creation," Los Angeles Times, February 13, 2003
rep surfing pp. Phoning a customer service line repeatedly until you get a representative who is
willing to handle your request (such as authorizing a refund).
ExampleCitation:
"Finally we see that the December 97 issue of Wired magazine has a pertinent entry in their
'Jargon Watch' column. 'Rep Surfing' is the practice of repeatedly calling a service center until
you get a representative who will do want you want."
– Woody Leonhard, "SR-1 in OZ," Woody's Office Watch
reputation bankruptcy n. A theoretical system that would give a person a fresh start on the web
by deleting all of that person's online text, photos, and other data.
Example Citations:
To allow people to escape from negative scores generated by these services, Zittrain says that
people should be allowed to declare 'reputation bankruptcy' every 10 years or so, wiping out
certain categories of ratings or sensitive information. His model is the Fair Credit Reporting Act,
which requires consumer-reporting agencies to provide you with one free credit report a year –
so you can dispute negative or inaccurate information – and prohibits the agencies from retaining
negative information about bankruptcies, late payments or tax liens for more than 10 years.
– Jeffrey Rosen, "The Web Means the End of Forgetting," The New York Times, July 19, 2010
requel n. A movie with the same subject matter as an earlier film, but is not a remake of that
film, nor does it continue the plot line of that film. Also: re-quel. –v.
Example Citations:
Nearly every James Bond film has been requeled at least once, and "Star Treks" 7 and 10 were
both requels of "The Wrath of Khan."
– Roger Ebert, "Wake up and smell a secret," Chicago Sun Times, December 7, 2007
rescue call n. A call to a cell phone placed at a prearranged time to give the person being called
an excuse to end a date or other social engagement.
Example Citations:
The SOS service just shows the way things past come back and haunt you. And it's funnier that
even technology is like that. In an earlier generation, people set up a friend or colleague to make
the rescue call.
– N. Nagaraj, "Dial SOS for that exit line," The Hindu, March 7, 2005
reset generation n. Young people who, when a situation becomes difficult or burdensome, quit
and start over again in a different situation.
ExampleCitations:
"Hey coach! Two strikes...two outs...last inning...we're down by five, can I just reset it? Heck,
that's what I do when I fall too far behind in a video game." Is your son or daughter from what I
coined "the reset generation." The reset button on video games makes quitting easy. Quitting is
a habit – it doesn't matter where you pick it up.
The reset button has become the "no regret button." The accountability to oneself, as well as the
sense of responsibility to the game is non-existent. Quitting, tabbed "unacceptable" in the
sporting life, is rehearsed on a daily basis in homes everywhere.
– Gary Simmons, "Set an example in sports for your child," Scripps Howard News Service, June
27, 2003
residential gateway n. A home device that provides high-speed Internet access and is able to
route incoming data to PCs and to devices such as television sets and stereos.
Example Citation:
"One of the loudest buzzwords to come out of The Yankee Group's Networked Home
Symposium in Santa Clara, Calif., last fall was 'residential gateway.' These hardware devices
promise to deliver an integrated set of telephony, Internet connectivity, data storage, home
networking, and entertainment features through one box that will be capable of connecting to
virtually every device in your home – from your PC and PDA to your '70s-era stereo."
– David A. Harvey, "The Next Big Home Networking Thing," Home Office Computing, March,
2000
resistentialism n. The belief that inanimate objects have a natural antipathy toward human
beings, and therefore it is not people who control things, but things which increasingly control
people.
–resistentialistn., adj.
–resistentialadj.
Example Citations:
For a while, our staff concentrated on coining a term for the seemingly spiteful failure of certain
inanimate objects –those closure slits on the tops of cereal boxes, for example – to work
properly. Alas, we find there's already a word for that: resistentialism.
– Pat Cunningham, "Pat's Stuff," Rockford Register Star, September 21, 2002
retail anthropology n. The principles and practices of anthropology applied to retail spaces and
operations.
Example Citation:
So-called retail anthropology now regularly maps the most arcane patterns of consumer
behavior: which aisle number in a store seems the most alluring; what kind of overhead lighting
and piped-in music is conducive to purchasing; what gimmicks lure shoppers into the most
lucrative parts of the store, a fabled area known to marketers as Zone 4. Before long, the ways of
the American shopper will be as codified and demystified as those of a Yanomami tribesman.
– Lawrence Osborne, "Consuming Rituals of the Suburban Tribe," The New York Times, January
13, 2002
retail leakage n. The loss of local retail sales that occurs when people shop in an area other than
the one in which they live.
Example Citations:
Results are trickling in from an extensive scientific study of the shopping habits of Helenans, a
study local development experts hope will lead to strategies to keep more shoppers here – and
draw more shoppers from other Montana cities.
"We had heard anecdotal stories about people leaving Helena to shop," said Sheldon Bartel,
executive director of Gateway Economic Development Corp., one of four entities to fund the
research. "The study was designed to test those anecdotes, and to find out if people shop do
outside the community, why. We were looking to reduce that retail leakage with the hope that
more money would stay in the county and more jobs would be created locally."
– John Harrington, "Helena, Mont., Shoppers Often Leave Area to Buy, Study Reports,"
Independent Record (Helena, Montana), March 28, 2004
retirement panic n. Anxiety and fear caused by the concern that one may not have enough
money for retirement.
Example Citation:
TERENCE SMITH: Joining me now to discuss how Americans are reacting to their diminishing
returns are business writers and editors from around the country: Kathy Kristof of the "Los
Angeles Times," Chris Lester of the "Kansas City Star," Beatrice Garcia of the "Miami Herald,"
and Doug Heuch of the "Pittsburgh Post Gazette." Welcome to all of you.
Kathy Kristof, we have a new word, a new phrase in the language these days: retirement panic.
In your reporting, are you sensing that?
KATHY KRISTOF: Well, I'm not seeing panic but I'm definitely seeing profound worry.
– "Fears for the future," The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, July 23, 2002
retro defiance n. Hostility towards current ideas about healthy living, which includes a return to
allegedly non-healthy activities such as smoking cigars, drinking martinis, and eating steak.
Example Citation:
"Many people are tired of the constant yammering by the 'health Nazis' and are fighting back
with a sort of 'retro defiance,' which explains why red meat consumption is on the rise once
again, why cigar bars and martini bars are more popular than ever, and why the anti-diet
movement is getting some press."
retrofuturism n. A return to the phrases and concepts characteristic of the futurism that existed
in the 1950s and 1960s.
ExampleCitation:
Despite the tremendous technological leaps of the past several decades, in many ways our vision
of the future remains just the same as it was 40 years ago. As we hurtle into 1999, a distinct
nostalgia for the unfulfilled promise of the future – mostly the idea that we would one day be
liberated from the mundane –lies at the core of much of our popular culture....Some call it
"retrofuturism."
– James Sullivan, "Visions of Tomorrowland; How past concepts of the future are taking over
pop culture," The San Francisco Chronicle, January 3, 1999
retrogenesis n. The loss of mental abilities in old age in the opposite order in which they are
gained in childhood, especially as exhibited by Alzheimer's patients.
Example Citation:
Reisberg and others say that retrogenesis is more than just a newfangled academic term to
explain an age-old human condition.
If caregivers understand that Alzheimer's patients are like regressing children and provide the
appropriate care depending on the stage, the descent will be less painful, said Reisberg, a
professor of psychiatry and clinical director of the Silberstein Aging & Dementia Research
Center at New York University.
– John Fauber, "Alzheimer's: Patient, family living life in reverse," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
June 23, 2002
retrophilia n. An intense attraction for things of the past.
–retrophilen.
Example Citation:
If trying to relive the 1960s were a crime, there wouldn't be enough jail space to hold all the duly
convicted guitar-pop bands. Still, there is something particularly brazen – and boring – about the
retrophilia saturating Teenage Fanclub's new CD, a collection of jangly midtempo ditties that
nod unabashedly to The Beatles, The Byrds and any number of less iconic groups from the era of
mods and moptops.
– Elysa Gardner, "Caress a Jaguar, experience Religion," USA Today, January 29, 2002
retro running pp. Running backwards as a form of exercise. Also: retro-running,
retrorunning.
–retro runv.
–retro runnern.
Example Citations:
Timothy (Bud) Badyna has broken world records. He ran a marathon in under four hours. He
finished a 10K race in 45 minutes.
Wait a minute, you say, that's not so fast.
Right. But Badyna set those records running backward. ...
Backward walking and running dates back to the 1970s, when forward-looking runners practised
it while injured. Doctors later recommended it as part of physical therapy, and it's often used by
baseball pitchers or track runners in preliminary warm-ups.
Also called retro-running, it's been popular for years in Europe, where races vary from sprints
to the 42-kilometre marathon.
– Daniel Yee, "Some runners look forward to going backward," Associated Press, May 25, 2006
retro-sexism n. Modern attitudes and behaviors that mimic or glorify sexist aspects of the past,
often in an ironic way.
–retro-sexistadj.
Example Citation:
The most interesting thing about the surge of retro-sexism is how unprepared feminists and
other enlightened thinkers are to deal with it. The ironic tone of the material defeats them.
Feminists seem to know they are being toyed with. They don't want to appear to be earnest
plodders in the face of hip, playful gestures, and they don't want to grant that anyone is more
postmodern than they are. The British feminist Imelda Whelehan wrote a book on laddie culture
called Overloaded: Popular Culture and the Future of Feminism, in which she seemed to be
completely flummoxed by the phenomenon. "Classic notions of distinctions between the sexes
appear to be reinforced, but it is never easy to determine to what extent parody and irony support
or undermine those distinctions," she wrote.
– David Brooks, "The Return of the Pig," The Atlantic Monthly, April 2003
retrosexual n. A man with an undeveloped aesthetic sense who spends as little time and money
as possible on his appearance and lifestyle. Also: retro-sexual.
–retrosexualityn.
Example Citations:
Genuine guys are sometimes known as retrosexuals, to distinguish them from metrosexuals,
who are men with the good taste of gay men, only they're straight. Metrosexuals are scrupulous
about their grooming and are great consumers of men's cosmetic products. They use hair gel.
Retrosexuals are scared of hair gel. Some people think that retrosexuals automatically have
Neanderthal views about women, but this is not the case. A retrosexual is simply someone who
doesn't know the difference between teal and aqua, and frankly couldn't give a damn.
– Margaret Wente, "I married a retrosexual," The Globe and Mail (Canada), February 14, 2004
retroware n. A software program that's two or three versions earlier than the current version.
Many people are returning to these older versions because they're familiar, fast, and free of the
rampant "featuritis" that characterizes most modern programs.
returnment n. The act of returning to work after having retired.
Example Citations:
Chris Ball, chief executive of campaign group The Age and Employment Network ... called on
employers to allow a larger number of older staff to either stay in work longer, or return to the
workforce after retirement.
"The current economic situation where more and more older people are having to turn to credit
to meet their everyday living expenses, and where fewer than four out of 10 people are
contributing to an occupational pension, means that longer working and 'returnment' are two
trends that are becoming well established," Ball said.
– Mike Berry. "Employment figures show older workers are on the increase," Personnel Today,
April 22, 2008
return on talent n. The profit or other benefits that accrue to a company from its investments in
recruiting and retaining valuable employees.
Example Citation:
"In the New Economy, where college graduates can expect four to five job offers and annual
employee turnover is at a near-record 14 percent, an iron truth has emerged: You must keep your
employees very, very happy. There is even a new management buzzword for it: 'ROT,' or 'return
on talent.'"
– Mark Mazzetti, "Managing, Texas-style," Texas Monthly, December, 2000
revector v. To change a business plan, especially as a means of reducing the size of a company's
workforce.
Example Citation:
"Responding to changing international market conditions, Teleglobe (NYSE,TSE: BCE), the eWorld Communications Company, today announced plans to revector portions of its business
during the next month which will result in the elimination of approximately 450 positions, or 20
percent of its workforce."
– "Teleglobe Announces Rationalization Plan," Business Wire, August 30, 2001
revenge effect n. An unintended and negative consequence of some new or modified
technology.
Example Citations:
It's possible that by reducing traditional workplace hazards and making all work less strenuous,
Americans have increased the risk from obesity, which is related to a sedentary life. About a year
ago, the economists Darius Lakdawalla and Tomas Philipson, in a different paper for the
economic research bureau, asserted that less strenuous work and cheaper food – both products of
technology – are to blame for the rise of obesity in America.
Both papers imply that the epidemic of fat – three in five Americans are overweight – is what
Edward Tenner, author of "Why Things Bite Back: Technology and the Revenge of Unintended
Consequences" (Vintage Books, 1997) might have called a "revenge effect." It is the kind of
unintended consequence that often flows from new technologies and social change.
Obesity arising from more (and safer) work is a dispiriting manifestation of this syndrome, but
Dr. Chou, Dr. Grossman and Dr. Saffer have come up with an even nastier one: the war on
cigarettes, they observe, is making people fatter, too, simply because smoking, however harmful,
causes people to eat less.
– Daniel Akst, "Belt-Loosening in the Work Force," The New York Times, March 2, 2003
reverse Bradley effect n. Declaring publicly that one cannot vote for a candidate because of his
or her race, but then voting for that candidate in the secrecy of the ballot booth; voting for a
candidate because of his or her race.
ExampleCitations:
When polls showed Obama leading in the weeks before the election, the same pundits crowed
about how Obama could still lose because of the Bradley effect. That is the unproven hypothesis
contesting that white voters will lie and say they are voting for a black candidate, then really
support a white opponent. Again, because they supposedly hold unfavorable views of blacks, but
don't want to appear racist.
Instead, if anything, we may have had a reverse Bradley effect. Obama's support among white
voters across a broad socioeconomic spectrum was stunning. The coalition that swept Obama to
power included some of everyone: whites, African-Americans, Latinos, Asians, young, middleage, old, Jewish.
– Tammerlin Drummond, "Myths disproven on the way to victory," Contra Costa Times,
November 9, 2008
reverse commuter n. A person who travels against the normal flow of rush hour traffic, such as
from their home in the city to their job in the suburbs.
Example Citation:
"The Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce warned yesterday that business growth could be
stifled by traffic jams affecting so-called reverse commuters–people who drive against the main
traffic flow to jobs in the suburbs."
– Michael D. Shear, "Fear of 'Reverse Commuter' Gridlock," The Washington Post
reVIN v. To erase a stolen car's Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) and replace them with
new numbers. Also: revin.
–reVINingpp.
Example Citation:
During the course of the undercover work, Sherriff said, Dhaliwal told Kelly how the
organization operated. He said he was capable of changing the on- board computer of stolen
vehicles; was prepared to sell Kelly VIN packages for $1,500 that could be manufactured in
Montreal in hours; and had a man who could install a VIN package for a Cherokee, reprogram its
computer, "revin" its hidden secondary serial number and produce a "clean registration" for $4,
000.
– Bob Mitchell, "Court convists leader of stolen vehicle ring," The Toronto Star, May 29, 2001
rewild v. To return an area to a more natural or wild state; to return a captive animal to its
natural habitat. Also: re-wild.
–rewildingpp.
Example Citations:
As much as the wildlife, it's the sense of boundless space – of unexplored territory – that Myers
hopes will enrapture visitors when the 150-square-mile preserve opens its gates to the public
sometime next year.
By then, Myers hopes that the process he calls "rewilding" will be far enough along to create an
impression of wilderness barely 50 miles north of the nation's second-largest city. ...
Rewilding has meant closing down a rock quarry; stopping progress on a hazardous waste
dump; ridding the property of lethal sodium cyanide "coyote getters"; cleaning up petroleum
waste pits where owls and hawks sometimes drowned; and dismantling a poacher's camp.
It also required erecting steel barriers across canyon walls to stop trespassing all-terrain vehicles
and motorcycles, which Clendenen blames for igniting at least one brush fire.
– Frank Clifford, "Restoring the Wilderness of 100 Years Ago," Los Angeles Times, April 6,
2003
RIF v. To fire or lay off an employee.
Example Citation:
"'I've seen a lot of friends here today. People that I didn't know got RIFed. For most people, it
was a shock,' said Stark, who works on personal computers at the lab."
– Patrick Armijo, "LANL workers test Intel waters," Albuquerque Journal, September 21, 1995
rightshoring pp. Restructuring a company's workforce to find the optimum mix of jobs
performed locally and jobs moved to foreign countries. Also: right-shoring.
–rightshorev., n.
Example Citations:
Whatever the truth of the matter, there is no doubt that customers with complex queries requiring
local understanding do not respond well to far-off operators repeating parrot-fashion a series of
learned responses. Convergys, one of the world's biggest providers of "contact-centre services",
advises companies to shift simple queries offshore while retaining the more complex ones on the
same shore as the caller. It calls this process "rightshoring", and estimates that about 80% of the
companies that it is working with in Britain are planning to split their call-centre operations in
this way.
– "Relocating the back office," The Economist, December 13, 2003
rightsizing n. Downsizing a company's workforce to the point where the number of employees
remaining is deemed to be "right" for the company's current condition.
Example Citation:
"Downsizing became popular a few years ago to replace layoffs, but then people started thinking
downsizing was too negative, he says. From that, 'rightsizing' was born."
– L. M. Sixel, "New terms, old ideas," The Houston Chronicle, May 8, 1995
ringxiety n. 1. The confusion experienced by a group of people when a cell phone rings and no
one is sure whose phone it is. 2. Mistaking a faint sound for the ringing of one's cell phone.
Example Citations:
With Britain stuffed full of more mobile phones than people, connected members of the public
are developing an increasing number of ways to fret about their handsets.
The result, say experts, is the telecommunications equivalent of phantom limb syndrome, where
amputees still feel the sensations of a limb that isn't there any more.
Many of us will be familiar with the basest form of ringxiety– when one phone rings and
everyone in the vicinity suddenly starts checking their pockets or handbags with frantic abandon.
But some cases become far more complex: individuals have reported hearing their phone ring at
concerts, or while driving.
– Bobbie Johnson, "Do you suffer from Ringxiety?," The Guardian, June 1, 2006
RINO n. A member of the Republican party who is viewed as being too liberal. Also: rino.
Example Citations:
After all, Moore said, "I think if you're a Republican in 2004 you've got to stand for a few things.
You've got to be for school choice, and you've got to be for cutting taxes, and you've got to be
for smaller government. Otherwise, what are Republicans good for? That's why we keep saying
[Arlen] Specter's a rino–a Republican in name only–and let's replace him with a real
Republican."
– Philip Gourevitch, "Fight on the Right," The New Yorker, April 12, 2004
Rio hedge n. When a money-losing bond trader makes one final trade to recoup his losses, but
hedges his bet by purchasing a one-way ticket to Rio de Janeiro or some other far-off locale.
Example Citation:
"During the past few months, Steve Duthie secretly took out a Rio hedge at Phoenix Hedge
Fund Corp.
Mr. Duthie's bet went awry, and he is nowhere to be found."
– Andrew Willis, "How a bad bet sent Phoenix falling," The Globe and Mail, January 7, 2000
roach bait n. A marketing message delivered by an actor posing as a regular person with the
intention of having that message passed along to many other people.
Example Citation:
"I'll tell you about a process we use, which is called 'roach bait,' " he says. In this scenario, Big
Fat plants a group of people in a bar or other setting, and instructs them to use a brand, perform a
ritual or repeat a sound bite. They are told to involve others in the activity.
"Before the night is over you see that thing, that ritual, that sound bite or that product, being used
throughout the bar," he says. "It's kind of like a roach motel. The roaches come in, they take the
bait and then they spread it."
– John Heinzl, "Advertising slinks undercover," The Globe and Mail, July 20, 2001
road rage n. Extreme anger exhibited by a motorist in response to perceived injustices
committed by other drivers.
–road-ragern.
–road-rageadj.
Example Citation:
Other research, which analyzed more than 10,000 road rage incidents, reported that men ages 18
to 26 accounted for a majority of the confrontations, while women accounted for only 4 percent
overall. The study, based on news, police and insurance reports from 1990-96, was conducted for
the AAA foundation by Mizell& Co., an international security firm in Bethesda, Md. The
research found that aggressive drivers tend to be young, poorly educated men with criminal
records, histories of violence, or drug or alcohol problems. Many also have suffered recent
emotional or professional setbacks. Yet, the study noted, hundreds of motorists with no such
backgrounds also commit acts of road rage.
– Karen Patterson, "Experts note patterns in road rage, anger behind the wheel," The Dallas
Morning News, July 1, 2002
road train n. 1.A convoy of trucks traveling in close formation.2. A truck with three or more
trailers. (This term is used almost exclusively in Australia and dates back to at least the early
1980s.)
ExampleCitation:
"Under the scheme, a transport manager would arrange for a fleet of lorries to travel as a closely
packed 'road train'. This group formation is achieved and maintained by a video camera that,
with the aid of a computer in each vehicle, measures the distance to the next lorry to within an
accuracy of 1%."
– Sean Hargrave, "Computers will guide road trains," Sunday Times, October 20, 1996
"The most famous trucks are the Australian 'Road Trains,' which run cross country from
Adelaide, north through Alice Springs to Darwin. These monster trucks pull three, full length
trailers on official roads. In wilder areas they often haul five trailers, which adds up to the length
of a football field."
– Steve Payne, "Life is a Highway," The Toronto Sun, September 22, 1999
robocall n. An automated phone call that plays a recorded message. Also: robo-call.
Example Citations:
Obama also recorded an automated robocall to urge Massachusetts voters to support the
Democrat, and he cut a Web video with the same message.
– Janet Hook, "Healthcare overhaul may depend on Massachusetts Senate race," Los Angeles
Times, January 16, 2010
robo-signer n. A person who signs a legal document without reading it or understanding the
document's contents. Also: robosigner.
Example Citations:
Joining her were Michael Redman, whose foreclosure blog drew the White House into the
controversy, and Thomas and Ariane Ice, who run a boutique law firm that was the first to
depose "robo-signer" Jeffrey Stephan of Ally Financial's GMAC mortgage unit in December.
– ArianaEunjung Cha, "Florida activists read between the lines on foreclosure paperwork," The
Washington Post, October 21, 2010
rocketing pp. Spending a great deal of money on a few important items while spending only an
average amount or less on everything else.
Example Citation:
According to research that Thomas J. Stanley did for his book "The Millionaire Next Door,"
written with William D. Danko, 70 percent of millionaires have their shoes resoled and repaired
rather than replaced, and the average millionaire spends about $140 on a pair of shoes, which
doesn't get you Guccis. After Visa and MasterCard, the most common credit cards in the
millionaire's wallets are charge cards for Sears and J.C. Penney. In that 1996 study, Stanley and
Danko reported that the typical millionaire paid $399 for his most expensive suit and $24,800 for
his or her most recent car or truck, which is only $3,800 more than what the average American
spent.
In other words, they shop the way most Americans shop, in that confused hierarchy-busting
manner the market researchers now call rocketing. They spend lots of money on a few items
they really care about – their barbecue grills or their lawnmowers – and then they go
downmarket to Wal-Mart to buy most of the other stuff they don't care about. This isn't upperclass consumption or even relentlessly middle-class consumption. It's mixed-up no-class
consumption.
– David Brooks, "A Nation of Grinders," The New York Times, June 29, 2003
ROM brain n. A person who refuses to accept input and ideas from other people.
Example Citation:
LRF support (noun) – "Little Rubber Feet."An official-sounding but nonexistent feature of
computer hardware or programs. Used when giving ROM brains a hard time.
– Harry Choron, "The Book of Lists for Kids," Mariner Books, October 26, 1995
rostering n. A form of health care in which a group of doctors looks after a roster of patients and
are paid based partially on the size of that roster.
Example Citation:
"Family doctors and their patients are serving as guinea pigs in an experiment known as
rostering.
Groups of doctors, between seven and 30, give up their private practices and form a cooperative. In some cases, they physically move in together; in others, their offices are linked by
computer. They hire nurse practitioners and other specialists to provide extended service."
– John Ibbitson, " 'Rostering' would ease strain on hospitals," The Globe and Mail, October 28,
1999
rube-aphobia n. The fear of appearing unsophisticated and uncultured. Also: rube-ophobia.
Example Citation:
I can't decide. Is good taste or chronic rube-aphobia at the heart of the opposition to the Kansas
City CowParade?
– Mike Hendricks, "How now on cows, Cowtown?," The Kansas Sity Star, July 19, 2000
rug-ranking n. Corporate payroll guidelines that base secretarial compensation not on skills
and job requirements, but on the level and relative importance of the person to whom each
secretary reports.
rumble strips
n. Grooves etched into a highway surface and designed to emit a loud rumble when a car drives
over them.
Example Citation:
A double-fine zone for speeding, rumble strips to wake up sleepy drivers and additional passing
lanes have been in place since 1995, when 14 people died on the same portion of the highway.
– Sally Ann Connell, " 'Blood Alley' Lives Up to Its Name," Los Angeles Times, April 28, 1999
rumint n. Intelligence information based on rumors rather than facts. Also: RUMINT.
Example Citations:
Ray McGovern, a retired C.I.A. analyst who briefed President Bush's father in the White House
in the 1980's, said that people in the agency were now "totally demoralized." He says, and others
back him up, that the Pentagon took dubious accounts from emigres close to Ahmad Chalabi and
gave these tales credibility they did not deserve.
Intelligence analysts often speak of "humint" for human intelligence (spies) and "sigint" for
signals intelligence (wiretaps). They refer contemptuously to recent work as "rumint," or rumor
intelligence.
– Nicholas D. Kristof, "Save Our Spooks," The New York Times, May 30, 2003
rumorazzi n. The writers of industry gossip columns.
Example Citation:
Andrew Cunanan's death kicked online rumorazzi into high gear. Conspiracy Nation
(www.shout.net/ bigred/cn.html) suggests that Versace was killed by the mob. Others say
Cunanan faked his death.
– "Cunanan Theories," Newsweek, August 11, 1997
rumortism n. A pathological social condition in which rumor and innuendo are passed off as
facts.
Example Citation:
Palmer-Tomkinson also has been reported to be horsing around with the heir to the throne,
Prince William, 17, and tongues are wagging. Saying she is a victim of "rumortism," PalmerTomkinson denied suggestions that the prince is anything but a 'mate' to her (that's mate in the
British sense).
– Kris Banvard, "A Fun Time Was Had By All," The Columbus Dispatch, October 14, 1999
rumourtrage n. The practice of spreading false or misleading information about a company to
take advantage of the subsequent move in the company's stock price. Also: rumortrage. [Blend
of rumour and arbitrage.]
Example Citations:
NICK SHERRY: Arising from the recent market turbulence, concerns have been raised that
some market participants both here and abroad have been spreading false or misleading
information in respect of certain securities. In order to take advantage of artificial changes in
their price, induced by the rumours.
This practice is sometimes referred to as "rumourtrage" and numerous members of corporate
Australia have raised examples of this with me over the last year, some minor but I'd have to say,
some simply shocking that in normal times people would shrug their shoulders and not take any
particular notice of.
– "Govt looks to crackdown on 'rumourtrage'," Australian Broadcast Corporation Transcripts,
November 19, 2008
ruralpolitan n. An urban dweller who moves to a rural area. Also: rural-politan. [Blend of
rural and metropolitan.] – adj.
– ruralpolitanism n.
Example Citations:
In days of yore, a ruralpolitan might have been called a "gentleman farmer" – think of Eddie
Albert's character Oliver Wendell Douglas on the 1960s show Green Acres. But in modern
parlance, a ruralpolitan is a professional who has abandoned the urban dwelling for a rural
lifestyle and lives on three acres or more, typically within 40 miles of a city.
Be he – or she – a corporate lawyer, hedge-fund honcho, or other well-paid business type, a
ruralpolitan might commute to work by rail or car or, if he embraces technology, telecommute
from the comforts of a lavishly appointed home office. A ruralpolitan doesn't typically work the
land he owns but does profit from it emotionally through the pleasures of gardening, small-scale
livestock raising, or just watching his kids gambol through a field of wildflowers.
– Daniel DiClerico, "Buzzword: Ruralpolitan," Consumer Reports, December 13, 2007
rural rebound n. The recent and significant population increases in rural and exurban areas
following years of declining or stagnant population growth.
Example Citations:
Many urban dwellers began to seek "second places" outside town. Many now – to be followed
by many more in the future – are returning to the exurban frontier full-time. Among so-called
developed regions, this "rural rebound" is especially marked in North America – Europe is so
ancient, and so small, that a rural/urban synergy has perforce operated there for centuries.
– Peter Ferguson, "Rural migration," The Globe and Mail, April 26, 2004
rurban adj. Combining aspects of both rural and urban or suburban life.
– rurbanite n.
– rurbanism n.
Example Citations:
The most reasonable conclusion is that we are all much of a muchness now – urban where it
matters, but with rural aspirations if we can afford them. A new word – 'rurban' – has been
coined to describe this condition.
– David Nicholson-Lord, "To know the countryside, you must live in the city," New Statesman,
May 10, 2004
rush minute n. The time of day when people are going to or from work in an area where the
commute is short or has little traffic. Also: rush-minute. –adj.
Example Citations:
During my year and a half as a Bellevue resident, I've found that traffic here, like most places, is
a topic that unites the masses. We've all been through it, and we've all got complaints.
Out in this growing bedroom community – where getting from place to place is a breeze
compared to other parts of the city – I've run across my share of early-morning jams, speeding
cars, near misses, cell-phone-talkers and horn-honkers. Coming from a small New England
town, where people refer to morning traffic as the "rush minute," it took some getting used to.
– Rebecca Denton, "Bellevue traffic not as busy as you might think," The Tennessean, May 15,
2003
rusticle n. An icicle-like rust structure formed underwater on rusting iron. [Blend of rust and
icicle.]
Example Citations:
The Halomonastitanicae bacterium was found in "rusticles", the porous and delicate icicle-like
structures that form on rusting iron.
– "New species of bacteria found in Titanic 'rusticles'," BBC News, December 6, 2010
reno coach n. An advisor who helps people make decisions about or avoid the pitfalls of a home
renovation. Also: renovation coach.
– reno coaching pp.
Example Citations:
She figured she needed help from someone knowledgeable and impartial, who understood how
the industry worked. Then she heard about reno coaching, a relatively new service where, for
$75-$100 an hour, a project manager would come to her house and help her draw up a budget
and advise her whether her project was practical and affordable.
– Dianne Nice, "Reno coach keeps projects in the ballpark," Globe and Mail, March 1, 2011
Do you have trouble making decisions like these? Consider hiring a renovation coach. Good
ones optimize design, assess price quotes and knock the fluff out of inflated estimates. The
money a reno coach saves typically more than pays their fee.
– Steve Maxwell, "ABCs of building a basement apartment," The Hamilton Spectator, July 31,
2010
R2Per n. A person who believes in and implements the responsibility to protect (R2P) doctrine.
Example Citations:
R2Pers aren't just guilty of amnesia. They're also ignorant. They know less about the tribal
politics of Libya than they do about the dark side of the moon.
– Margaret Wente, "Blame R2P: The intellectuals go to war," The Globe and Mail, March 26,
2011
As with the neo-cons, though, the R2Pers use their own sense of moral superiority and selfrighteousness to hide a bitter reality; that their doctrine is far from being the grand paean to
universal human rights that they like to pretend that it is.
– Doug Mataconis, "The Obama Doctrine: Humanitarian Imperialism," Outside the Beltway,
March 29, 2011
Compiled by Igor Evtishenkov