rat

[rat]

Rats are mouse like rodents with long tails, pointed noses, and whiskers. Rats are often associated with filth and disease. So, if someone calls you a rat, it's not like being called a fox. It's an insult.

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One of the several species of small rodents of the genus Mus and allied genera, larger than mice, that infest houses, stores, and ships, especially the Norway, or brown, rat (M. Alexandrinus). These were introduced into Anerica from the Old World.

Noun
any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse

Noun
a pad (usually made of hair) worn as part of a woman''s coiffure

Noun
one who reveals confidential information in return for money

Noun
a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible; "only a rotter would do that"; "kill the rat"; "throw the bum out"; "you cowardly little pukes!"; "the British call a contemptible person a `git''"

Noun
someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike

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Verb
give away information about somebody; "He told on his classmate who had cheated on the exam"

Verb
catch rats, especially with dogs

Verb
give (hair) the appearance of being fuller by using a rat

Verb
take the place of work of someone on strike

Verb
employ scabs or strike breakers in

Verb
desert one''s party or group of friends, for example, for one''s personal advantage

n.
One of several species of small rodents of the genus Mus and allied genera, larger than mice, that infest houses, stores, and ships, especially the Norway, or brown, rat (M. decumanus), the black rat (M. rattus), and the roof rat (M. Alexandrinus). These were introduced into America from the Old World.

n.
A round and tapering mass of hair, or similar material, used by women to support the puffs and rolls of their natural hair.

n.
One who deserts his party or associates; hence, in the trades, one who works for lower wages than those prescribed by a trades union.

v. i.
In English politics, to desert one's party from interested motives; to forsake one's associates for one's own advantage; in the trades, to work for less wages, or on other conditions, than those established by a trades union.

v. i.
To catch or kill rats.

Rat

Rat , n. [AS. r'91t; akin to D. rat, OHG. rato, ratta, G. ratte, ratze, OLG. ratta, LG. & Dan. rotte, Sw. r'86tta, F. rat, Ir. & Gael radan, Armor. raz, of unknown origin. Cf. Raccoon.] 1. (Zo'94l.) One of the several species of small rodents of the genus Mus and allied genera, larger than mice, that infest houses, stores, and ships, especially the Norway, or brown, rat (M. Alexandrinus). These were introduced into Anerica from the Old World. 2. A round and tapering mass of hair, or similar material, used by women to support the puffs and rolls of their natural hair. [Local, U.S.] 3. One who deserts his party or associates; hence, in the trades, one who works for lower wages than those prescribed by a trades union. [Cant] &hand; "It so chanced that, not long after the accession of the house of Hanover, some of the brown, that is the German or Norway, rats, were first brought over to this country (in some timber as is said); and being much stronger than the black, or, till then, the common, rats, they in many places quite extirpated the latter. The word (both the noun and the verb to rat) was first, as we have seen, leveled at the converts to the government of George the First, but has by degrees obtained a wide meaning, and come to be applied to any sudden and mercenary change in politics." Lord Mahon. Bamboo rat (Zo'94l.), any Indian rodent of the genus Rhizomys. -- Beaver rat, Coast rat. (Zo'94l.) See under Beaver and Coast. -- Blind rat (Zo'94l.), the mole rat. -- Cotton rat (Zo'94l.), a long-haired rat (Sigmodon hispidus), native of the Southern United States and Mexico. It makes its nest of cotton and is often injurious to the crop. -- Ground rat. See Ground Pig, under Ground. -- Hedgehog rat. See under Hedgehog. -- Kangaroo rat (Zo'94l.), the potoroo. -- Norway rat (Zo'94l.), the common brown rat. See Rat. -- Pouched rat. (Zo'94l.) (a) See Pocket Gopher, under Pocket. (b) Any African rodent of the genus Cricetomys. Rat Indians (Ethnol.), a tribe of Indians dwelling near Fort Ukon, Alaska. They belong to Athabascan stock. -- Rat mole. (Zo'94l.) See Mole rat, under Mole. -- Rat pit, an inclosed space into which rats are put to be killed by a dog for sport. -- Rat snake (Zo'94l.), a large colubrine snake (Ptyas mucosus) very common in India and Ceylon. It enters dwellings, and destroys rats, chickens, etc. -- Spiny rat (Zo'94l.), any South America rodent of the genus Echinomys. -- To smell a rat. See under Smell. -- Wood rat (Zo'94l.), any American rat of the genus Neotoma, especially N. Floridana, common in the Southern United States. Its feet and belly are white.

Rat

Rat, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Ratted; p. pr. & vb. n. Ratting.] 1. In English politics, to desert one's party from interested motives; to forsake one's associates for one's own advantage; in the trades, to work for less wages, or on other conditions, than those established by a trades union.

Coleridge . . . incurred the reproach of having ratted, solely by his inability to follow the friends of his early days.

2. To catch or kill rats.

One of the several species of small rodents of the genus Mus and allied genera, larger than mice, that infest houses, stores, and ships, especially the Norway, or brown, rat (M. Alexandrinus). These were introduced into Anerica from the Old World.

In English politics, to desert one's party from interested motives; to forsake one's associates for one's own advantage; in the trades, to work for less wages, or on other conditions, than those established by a trades union.

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Usage Examples

My dad liked to boil a squirrel head and suck the brains out the nose. Smaller than a chicken, bigger than a rat.

The Rat Pack was the piece that really kicked me out of that little funk that I was in and then Ted called me up and asked me if I wanted to be the dad in Blow.

I've always wanted to be a dad. I just can't wait to have a little rug rat running around. I used to want five or six kids, but maybe I've become too self-absorbed over the years. I think two would be perfect.

Misspelled Form

rat, erat, 4rat, 5rat, trat, frat, eat, 4at, 5at, tat, fat, reat, r4at, r5at, rtat, rfat, rqat, rwat, rsat, rzat, rqt, rwt, rst, rzt, raqt, rawt, rast, razt, rart, ra5t, ra6t, rayt, ragt, rar, ra5, ra6, ray, rag, ratr, rat5, rat6, raty, ratg.

Other Usage Examples

I could no more define poetry than a terrier can define a rat.

The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat.

The success of the Rat Pack or the Clan was due to the camaraderie, the three guys who work together and kid each other and love each other.

The research rat of the future allows experimentation without manipulation of the real world. This is the cutting edge of modeling technology.