Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
resource, recourse, resort (nn.)
The only reason for confusion among these nouns seems to be that each can be used in the sense of “a place or person to turn to for help or support”: My father is my main resource [recourse, resort] when I’m out of funds. In any event, the distinctions are clear: A resource is “a supply of something,” “a source,” or “an ability to do something,” as in She’s a constant resource for encouragement. A recourse is “the act of turning to someone or something for assistance” or “that someone or something itself”: My only recourse was to bring charges against them. Resort can be a synonym of recourse, in the sense of “a person or place to whom or to which you turn for help,” as in That office is our court of last resort, our last chance to get justice. Resort of course also means “a gathering place for recreation and relaxation” and hence “a place to turn to,” as in They went to a seaside summer resort every year.
