R
World War I home Original Home Annotated R
RABBIT-TRAP.
Mouth.
RAG-TIME.
Disorderly;
haphazard; irregular.
RAINBOW.
A reinforcement,
or member of non-combatant corps, who joined a fighting unit after the Armistice.
Rainbow after the storm.
RAM.
A rake;
one who leads an immoral life.
RAMMIES.
Breeches.
RAT (to)
To search
a prisoner or a dead body; pick a pocket.
RAT (to have a)
To be
crazy.
RATION CARRIERS.
Apart
from its official meaning, a term used by orderly corporals and others in
jocular vein when referring to (RC's) Roman Catholics on sick parade or their
church parade.
RAT AND FOWL.
An Australian
shelling.
RATIONS.
"Wet
Rations;" cooked foods etc.; rain; mud; intoxicants; "Dry Rations;"
uncooked food; a dust storm; sand or dust; a sermon.
RATTLED.
Embarrassed;
grip of the situation lost.
RED CAP.
A Military
Policeman.
RED LIGHT.
A Brothel.
The licensed brothels in French towns exhibit a red or green light to indicate
their business.
REGIMENTAL.
To come
a Regimental - a regimental cadorna - crash etc. See "Gutzer."
REGIMENTALLY REDUCED.
To go
and get seduced. A refusal accompanied by abuse.
REINSTOUCHMENTS.
Reinforcements.
REST CAMP.
A cemetary.
(In the official sense a camp where war wearied troops were sent for a rest.)
RESPIGRATOR.
Anti-gas
box resipator [sic].
REVVING.
Very Busy.
Adapted from the simile of the revolutions of an aeroplane propellor.
RINGO.
See "Dope."
RING IT or RING HIS TAIL.
Play the
coward.
RINGER.
An expert;
a cheat; a coward.
RING IN.
Surreptitiously
introduce.
RISSOLE KING.
Army Cook.
ROAR-UP.
Unbraid;
abuse.
ROLL.
A sum
of money; literally a roll of notes.
ROSELLA.
A Staff
Officer, who with his gold lace, scarlet cap band, medal ribbon etc., was
supposed to resemble the Rosella, an Australian parrot possessing a great
variety of colors.
ROUGH AS BAGS.
See "Rough
Stuff."
ROUGH CARPENTERS.
See "Ration
Carriers."
ROUGHEY.
A statement
diffcult to believe.
ROUGH HOUSE.
A fight;
disorderly proceedings.
ROUGH STUFF.
An undisciplined,
reckless, indecent, disorderly person or thing.
ROUGH UP.
A brawl;
horseplay. An unmannerly, violent or irresponsibile [sic] person.
ROUND FEET.
Trench
feet. A Foot disease caused by cold and damp.
ROUSE.
Up braid.
RUBBER-GUTZ
A clumsy
person; a pompous person.
RUBBER HEELED JACK.
A German
high velocity field gun, whose shells travels so fast as not to be heard until
after the burst.
RUMBLE.
To discover
someones [sic] trickery. To acquire by a trick, effect a swindle.
RUM-JAR.
A heavy
type of trench mortar (German)
RUNNER.
The 1914-15
war ribbon.
RUN THE RULE OVER.
Search
the man for valuables, to estimate his capabilities.
RIDE ON YOUR BACK.
Term of
abuse signifying goat.
RISE & SHINE.
Reveille.
Back to Glossary of WWI Slang Home
ANDC Home
Home
Publications
