rat


Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Financial, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

rat

 (răt)
n.
1.
a. Any of various long-tailed rodents resembling mice but larger, especially one of the genus Rattus.
b. Any of various animals similar to one of these long-tailed rodents.
2. Slang
a. A despicable person, especially one who betrays or informs upon associates.
b. A scab laborer.
3. A pad of material, typically hair, worn as part of a woman's coiffure to puff out her own hair.
4. Slang A person who frequently passes time at a particular place. Often used in combination: a rink rat.
v. rat·ted, rat·ting, rats
v.intr.
1. To hunt for or catch rats, especially with the aid of dogs.
2. Slang To reveal incriminating or embarrassing information about someone, especially to a person in authority: ratted on his best friend to the police.
3. Slang To work as a scab laborer.
v.tr.
To puff out (the hair) with or as if with a pad of material.
Phrasal Verb:
rat out
Slang To reveal incriminating or embarrassing information about (someone), especially to a person in authority: ratted out the vandals to the school principal.

[Middle English, from Old English ræt; see rēd- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

rat

(ræt)
n
1. (Animals) any of numerous long-tailed murine rodents, esp of the genus Rattus, that are similar to but larger than mice and are now distributed all over the world. See also brown rat, black rat
2. informal a person who deserts his or her friends or associates, esp in time of trouble
3. (Industrial Relations & HR Terms) informal a worker who works during a strike; blackleg; scab
4. slang chiefly US an informer; stool pigeon
5. informal a despicable person
6. smell a rat to detect something suspicious
vb, rats, ratting or ratted
7. informal
a. to divulge secret information (about); betray the trust (of)
b. to default (on); abandon: he ratted on the project at the last minute.
8. (Hunting) (intr) to hunt and kill rats
[Old English rætt; related to Old Saxon ratta, Old High German rato]
ˈratˌlike adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

rat

(ræt)

n., interj., v. rat•ted, rat•ting. n.
1. any of several long-tailed rodents of the Old World family Muridae, esp. of the genus Rattus, resembling but larger than mice.
2. any of various similar rodents of other families.
3. Slang. a scoundrel.
4. Slang.
a. a person who abandons or betrays associates.
b. an informer.
c. a scab laborer.
5. a roll of padding used to give shape or fullness to a woman's hairstyle.
6. Slang. a person who frequents a specified place: mall rat; gym rat.
interj.
7. rats, (used as an exclamation of disgust or disappointment.)
v.i.
8. Slang.
a. to inform on one's associates; squeal.
b. to work as a scab.
9. to hunt or catch rats.
v.t.
10. to dress (hair) with a rat or by teasing.
[before 1000; Middle English rat(t)e, Old English ræt]
rat′like`, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

rat


Past participle: ratted
Gerund: ratting

Imperative
rat
rat
Present
I rat
you rat
he/she/it rats
we rat
you rat
they rat
Preterite
I ratted
you ratted
he/she/it ratted
we ratted
you ratted
they ratted
Present Continuous
I am ratting
you are ratting
he/she/it is ratting
we are ratting
you are ratting
they are ratting
Present Perfect
I have ratted
you have ratted
he/she/it has ratted
we have ratted
you have ratted
they have ratted
Past Continuous
I was ratting
you were ratting
he/she/it was ratting
we were ratting
you were ratting
they were ratting
Past Perfect
I had ratted
you had ratted
he/she/it had ratted
we had ratted
you had ratted
they had ratted
Future
I will rat
you will rat
he/she/it will rat
we will rat
you will rat
they will rat
Future Perfect
I will have ratted
you will have ratted
he/she/it will have ratted
we will have ratted
you will have ratted
they will have ratted
Future Continuous
I will be ratting
you will be ratting
he/she/it will be ratting
we will be ratting
you will be ratting
they will be ratting
Present Perfect Continuous
I have been ratting
you have been ratting
he/she/it has been ratting
we have been ratting
you have been ratting
they have been ratting
Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been ratting
you will have been ratting
he/she/it will have been ratting
we will have been ratting
you will have been ratting
they will have been ratting
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been ratting
you had been ratting
he/she/it had been ratting
we had been ratting
you had been ratting
they had been ratting
Conditional
I would rat
you would rat
he/she/it would rat
we would rat
you would rat
they would rat
Past Conditional
I would have ratted
you would have ratted
he/she/it would have ratted
we would have ratted
you would have ratted
they would have ratted
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.rat - any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouserat - any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse
gnawer, rodent - relatively small placental mammals having a single pair of constantly growing incisor teeth specialized for gnawing
pocket rat - any of various rodents with cheek pouches
brown rat, Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus - common domestic rat; serious pest worldwide
black rat, Rattus rattus, roof rat - common household pest originally from Asia that has spread worldwide
bandicoot rat, mole rat - burrowing scaly-tailed rat of India and Ceylon
jerboa rat - large Australian rat with hind legs adapted for leaping
Oryzomys palustris, rice rat - hardy agile rat of grassy marshes of Mexico and the southeastern United States
2.rat - someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike
worker - a person who works at a specific occupation; "he is a good worker"
3.rat - a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptiblerat - 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'"
disagreeable person, unpleasant person - a person who is not pleasant or agreeable
4.rat - one who reveals confidential information in return for moneyrat - one who reveals confidential information in return for money
canary, fink, snitch, stool pigeon, stoolie, stoolpigeon, sneaker, snitcher, sneak - someone acting as an informer or decoy for the police
informant, source - a person who supplies information
copper's nark, nark - an informer or spy working for the police
supergrass, grass - a police informer who implicates many people
5.rat - a pad (usually made of hair) worn as part of a woman's coiffure
pad - a flat mass of soft material used for protection, stuffing, or comfort
coif, coiffure, hair style, hairdo, hairstyle - the arrangement of the hair (especially a woman's hair)
Verb1.rat - desert one's party or group of friends, for example, for one's personal advantage
defect, desert - desert (a cause, a country or an army), often in order to join the opposing cause, country, or army; "If soldiers deserted Hitler's army, they were shot"
2.rat - employ scabs or strike breakers in
manufacture, industry - the organized action of making of goods and services for sale; "American industry is making increased use of computers to control production"
hire, employ, engage - engage or hire for work; "They hired two new secretaries in the department"; "How many people has she employed?"
3.rat - take the place of work of someone on strike
do work, work - be employed; "Is your husband working again?"; "My wife never worked"; "Do you want to work after the age of 60?"; "She never did any work because she inherited a lot of money"; "She works as a waitress to put herself through college"
4.rat - give (hair) the appearance of being fuller by using a rat
pad, fill out - line or stuff with soft material; "pad a bra"
5.rat - catch rats, especially with dogs
capture, catch - capture as if by hunting, snaring, or trapping; "I caught a rabbit in the trap today"
6.rat - give away information about somebodyrat - give away information about somebody; "He told on his classmate who had cheated on the exam"
inform - impart knowledge of some fact, state or affairs, or event to; "I informed him of his rights"
sell out - give information that compromises others
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

rat

(Informal)
noun
1. traitor, grass (Brit. informal), betrayer, deceiver, informer, defector, deserter, double-crosser, quisling, stool pigeon, nark (Brit., Austral., & N.Z. slang), snake in the grass, two-timer (informal) He was known as `The Rat', even before the bribes had come to light.
2. rogue, scoundrel, heel (slang), shit (taboo slang), bastard (informal, offensive), cad (old-fashioned Brit. informal), bounder (old-fashioned Brit. slang), rotter (slang, chiefly Brit.), bad lot, shyster (informal, chiefly U.S.), ratfink (slang, chiefly U.S. & Canad.) What did you do with the gun you took from that little rat?
rat on someone betray, denounce, tell on, inform on, shop (slang, chiefly Brit.), grass (Brit. slang), peach (slang), squeal (slang), incriminate (informal), blow the whistle on (informal), spill the beans (informal), snitch (slang), blab, let the cat out of the bag, blow the gaff (Brit. slang), nark (Brit., Austral., & N.Z. slang), put the finger on (informal), spill your guts (slang), inculpate, clype (Scot.) They were accused of encouraging children to rat on their parents.
rat on something renege on, go back on, repudiate, default on, back out of, break a promise, welsh on (slang), break your word She claims he ratted on their divorce settlement.
smell a rat suspect something, doubt someone, distrust someone, mistrust someone, harbour suspicions about someone or something, have your doubts about someone or something If I don't send a picture, he will smell a rat.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

rat

noun
1. Informal. One who betrays:
2. Informal. One who gives incriminating information about others:
Informal: tipster.
3. Informal. A person who has defected:
verb
1. Slang. To abandon one's cause or party usually to join another:
Idioms: change sides, turn one's coat.
2. Slang. To be treacherous to.Also used with on:
Slang: sell out.
Idiom: sell down the river .
3. Slang. To give incriminating information about others, especially to the authorities:
inform, talk, tattle, tip (off).
Informal: fink.
Slang: sing, snitch, squeal, stool.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
جُرَذخائِن: كَلِمَة ازْدِراء وتَحْقيرفأْريَتَخَلَّى عن، يَخِلُّ في وَعْدِهيَخونُ
krysapotkanudatzradit
rotteangivebrydekryb
rato
rottapetturi
štakor
gyávaságból elpártolpatkányrongy ember
rottarotta, svínganga á bak orîa sinnakjafta frá
ドブネズミ
mus
žiurkėnuožmi kovanuožmi tarpusavio konkurencijapakišti liežuvįparsidavėlis
lauzt norunu/solījumunodevējsnodot kāduokšķerisžurka
şobolan
krysapotkan
podgana
råtta
panya
หนู
sıçansözünde durmamakdönek kimsedöneklik etmekgammazlamak
chuộtcon chuột

rat

[ræt]
A. N
1. (Zool) → rata f
I smell a rataquí hay gato encerrado, aquí se está tramando algo
he could smell a ratse olió algo sospechoso, le olió a gato encerrado
2. (= person) you dirty rat!¡canalla!
3. (as exclamation) rats! (Brit) → ¡narices!
B. VI
1. to rat on sb (= inform on) → chivarse de algn; (= desert) → abandonar a algn
to rat on a dealrajarse de un negocio
2. (= catch rats) → cazar ratas, matar ratas
C. CPD rat pack N (= journalists) → paparazzi mpl
rat poison Nmatarratas m inv
the rat race Nla lucha por la supervivencia, la competencia
it's a rat racees un mundo muy competitivo
rat run N (Brit) (Aut) calle residencial usada por los conductores para evitar atascos
rat trap Ntrampa f para ratas, ratonera f
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

rat

[ˈræt]
n
(= rodent) → rat m
a female rat → une rate
(= person) → salaud m
to smell a rat → se dire qu'il y a anguille sous roche
modif [cage] → à rat; [population] → de rats
rat on
vt fus
(= tell on) → cafter
(= go back on) [+ agreement] → revenir sur
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

rat

n (Zool) → Ratte f; (pej inf: = person) → elender Verräter (inf); he’s a dirty rat (inf)er ist ein dreckiges or gemeines Schwein (inf); you rat!du Hund! (inf); rats! (inf) (annoyance) → Mist! (inf); (rejection) → Quatsch! (inf) ? smell
vi
to rat on somebody (inf) (= desert)jdn sitzen lassen (inf); (= inform on)jdn verpfeifen (inf); to rat on something (inf: = renege on) → etw nicht einhalten
to go rattingauf Rattenfang gehen

rat

in cpdsRatten-

rat

:
ratpack
n (Brit pej inf) → Journalistenmeute f (pej inf)
rat poison
nRattengift nt
rat run
n (Brit inf) → Schleichweg m (inf); drivers were using the area as a ratdie Gegend wurde von Autofahrern als Schleichweg (inf)genutzt
rats’ tails
pl (pej)Zotteln pl (pej); (inf: = bunches) → Rattenschwänze pl (inf); her hair was or hung in rat (pej)ihr Haar war zottelig or hing zottelig herunter
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

rat

[ræt]
1. nratto
black rat → ratto comune
brown rat → topo delle chiaviche
you dirty rat! (fam) → brutta carogna!
2. vi to rat on sb (fam) → fare una spiata or una soffiata su qn
to rat on a deal (fam) → rimangiarsi la parola
to smell a rat → subodorare qualcosa
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

rat

(rat) noun
1. a small animal with a long tail, like a mouse but larger. The rats have eaten holes in those bags of flour.
2. an offensive word for an unpleasant and untrustworthy person.
verbpast tense, past participle ˈratted
1. to break an agreement, promise etc.
2. to betray one's friends, colleagues etc. The police know we're here. Someone must have ratted.
rat race
the fierce, unending competition for success etc.
smell a rat
to have a feeling that something is not as it should be; to have suspicions.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

rat

جُرَذ krysa rotte Ratte αρουραίος rata rotta rat štakor topo ドブネズミ rat rotte szczur ratazana , rato-preto крыса råtta หนู sıçan con chuột 老鼠
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

rat

n. rata.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

rat

n rata
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
References in classic literature ?
Mother, Mother," said Moppet, "there's been an old woman rat in the kitchen, and she's stolen some of the dough!"
The cat and the rat have been enemies since the world began.
And one big black rat, who seemed to want to say something to the Doctor, now crept forward timidly along the rail, watching the dog out of the corner of his eye.
I know nothing about the feelings of parents," said the Water- rat; "I am not a family man.
A RAT that was about to emerge from his hole caught a glimpse of a Cat waiting for him, and descending to the colony at the bottom of the hole invited a Friend to join him in a visit to a neighbouring corn-bin.
And when you throw at a rat or anything, hitch yourself up a tiptoe and fetch your hand up over your head as awkward as you can, and miss your rat about six or seven foot.
The lights were on again and in their glow there was revealed to the man the figure of a giant Martian rat crouching upon the table and gnawing upon his arm.
At the same time there came from a workshop across a little yard outside the window, a regular sound of hammering that kept a kind of tune: RAT - tat-tat, RAT - tat-tat, RAT - tat-tat, without any variation.
Whenever she caught a particularly big rat, she would bring it up into the room where we were all sitting, lay the corpse down in the midst of us, and wait to be praised.
Presently one of them, a little, mean-faced, black-bearded fellow with a countenance which reminded Tarzan of Pamba, the rat, laid his hand upon the shoulder of a giant who stood next him, and with whom all the others had been arguing and quarreling.
And, moreover," Van Baerle, having become mistrustful in his captivity, continued, "there is an animal much more to be feared than even the cat or the rat."
Even if I be likened to a rat, I do not care, provided that that particular rat be wanted by you, and be of use in the world, and be retained in its position, and receive its reward.