Quick answer
Recourse is turning to something for help, especially a legal remedy — no recourse to the courts. A resource is a supply or asset you can draw on. Recourse is about having somewhere to turn; a resource is the thing itself.
The core difference
A remedy and a supply.
- recourse — a source of help turned to in difficulty: without recourse to violence, legal recourse.
- resource — a supply or asset: natural resources, a useful resource.
The legal sense
Recourse has a precise financial meaning too: a non-recourse loan is one where the lender can claim only the secured asset, with no further claim on the borrower. That is a defined term and worth knowing, because it is where the word does its most consequential work.
The construction
Recourse normally takes to — recourse to arbitration, without recourse to force. If you cannot fit to after it, you probably want resource.
Frequently asked questions
What does legal recourse mean?
The ability to seek a remedy through the courts or another formal process.
What is a non-recourse loan?
One where the lender can claim only the secured asset, with no further claim on the borrower.
How do I tell them apart?
Recourse usually takes "to". If "to" does not fit after the word, you likely want resource.
