rat
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: răt
ipa: /ɹæt/
rhymes: -æt
Forms: form: rats
Etymology: From Middle English ratte, rat, rotte, from Old English rætt, from Proto-West Germanic *ratt, from Proto-Germanic *rattaz, *rattō (compare West Frisian rôt, Dutch rat), of uncertain origin, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₃d- (“to scrape, scratch, gnaw”). However, the rat may have been unknown in Northern Europe in antiquity, and the Proto-Germanic word may have referred to a different animal; see *rattaz for more. Attestation of this family of words begins in the 12th century.
Some of the Germanic cognates show considerable consonant variation, e.g. Middle Low German ratte, radde; Middle High German rate, ratte, ratze. The irregularity may be symptomatic of a late dispersal of the word, although Kroonen accounts for it with a Proto-Germanic stem *raþō nom., *ruttaz gen., showing both ablaut and a Kluge's law alternation, with the variation arising from varying remodellings in the descendants. Kroonen states that this requires a Proto-Indo-European etymon in final *t and is incompatible with the usual derivation from Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₃d- (“to scrape, scratch, gnaw”).
Senses: examples: text: Similar studies of rats have employed four different intracranial resorbable, slow sustained release systems—surgical foam, a thermal gel depot, a microcapsule or biodegradable polymer beads.
ref: 2013 May-June, Charles T. Ambrose, “Alzheimer’s Disease”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 200:
topics: biology
natural-sciences
zoology
glosses: A medium-sized rodent belonging to the genus Rattus.
glosses: Any of the numerous members of several rodent families (e.g. voles and mice) that resemble true rats in appearance, usually having short limbs, a pointy snout, a long, hairless tail, and a body length greater than about 12 cm, or 5 inches.
examples: text: Near-synonyms: betrayer, scoundrel, snake, snake in the grass, quisling, traitor
text: rat bastard
text: He’s more a man than any pair of rats of you in this here house.
ref: 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:
text: What a rat, leaving us stranded here!
text: "Ah, so you damn rat, this is a put-up job eh?"
ref: 1936, F.J. Thwaites, chapter XVIII, in The Redemption, Sydney: H. John Edwards, published 1940, page 185:
hypernyms: jerk
<
person#Noun
glosses: A person who is known for betrayal.
glosses: An informant or snitch.
glosses: A scab: a worker who acts against trade union policies.
examples: text: Our teenager has become a mall rat.
text: He loved hockey and was a devoted rink rat.
glosses: A person who routinely spends time at a particular location.
glosses: A wad of shed hair used as part of a hairstyle.
glosses: A roll of material used to puff out the hair, which is turned over it.
examples: text: Get your rat out.
text: I don't need no dating app to tell me if I look like crap / To tell me if I'm thin or fat, to tell me should I shave my rat / I don't need no radio, no MTV, no BBC / I just need a bubble bath to set me on a higher path
ref: 2022, Chambers Hester Louise, Champion Michael James, Teasdale Rhian Louise, “Too Late Now”, in Wet Leg, performed by Wet Leg, Domino, →OCLC:
qualifier: north-west London
glosses: Vagina, vulva.
examples: text: The price of rats began to rise and soon after the marsh froze over, spearing rats began, which was done with a one tine three-eighths inch steel rod, with a wooden handle […]
ref: 1910, L. W. Pierce, “Muskrats are fast disappearing”, in Hunter-trader-trapper, page 70:
text: Where natural marshes, or natural foods are found, are best places for raising muskrats. Louisiana and other southern states raise millions of rats, but they do not bring as good prices as northern raised ones. Delaware and Maryland have famed marshes. Other states are becoming noted for muskrat raising, also.
ref: 1929, E. J. Dailey, in Hardings Magazine's Question Box, printed in Fur Fish Game, page 73
glosses: Ellipsis of muskrat.
Synonyms: sense: person known for betrayal
english: see for more synonyms
translation: see for more synonyms
word: traitor
sense: informer
word: stool pigeon
Derived terms: sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Alexandrine rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Ankole African mole-rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: antirat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: armored rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Asian black rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: bamboo rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: bandicoot rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: barracks rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: big-headed rice rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: biobreeding rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: black rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: blind mole-rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: blind mole rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: blind rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: bograt
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: bottle rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: brass rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: brig rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: brown rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: bulldog rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: bunny rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: bush rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: camas rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: cane rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: chinchilla rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: cloud rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: clubrat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: coast rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: common rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: cotton rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Coues' rice rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: crab-eating rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: crazier than a shithouse rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: crazy as a shithouse rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: crested rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: dassie rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Demonrat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: derat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: deratize
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: desert mole rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: desert rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: emperor rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: fancy rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: fanny rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: field rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: fish-eating rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: floe rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: flying rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: frat rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: give a rat's ass
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: grass rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: greater cane rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: great white rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: gym rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: gym-rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: hangar rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Hanoverian rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Hanover rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: hasbarat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: hill rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Himalayan field rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: hoary bamboo rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: hog-rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: hoodrat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: hood rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: house rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: kangaroo rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: kangaroo-rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: K-rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: kusu rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: laboratory rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: lab-rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: lab rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Laotian rock rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: large-headed rice rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Lewis rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: like a drowned rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: like a rat from a sinking ship
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: like a rat up a drain
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: like a rat up a drainpipe
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: like rats from a sinking ship
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: like rats in a sack
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: link rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Long-Evans rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: love rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Maclear's rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Malabar rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Malagasy rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: mall rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: maned rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Maori rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: marsh rice rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: millrat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: mole-rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: mole rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: moon rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: moonrat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: mosaic-tailed rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: mountain rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: musk-rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: muzrat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Nairobi grass rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: naked mole rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: naked sand rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Namaqua rock rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Neotropical spiny rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: New Guinean rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: New World rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: nonrat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Norway rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Norwegian rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: nutria rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Old World rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Pacific rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: packrat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: pack-rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: pack rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: painted tree rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: pig-rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Pine Rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: plague rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Polynesian rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: poor as a rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: pouched rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rabbit rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rabbit-rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-arsed
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat arsed
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratbag
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-baiting
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-bastard
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat bastard
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat bastid
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat bike
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-bite fever
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratborne
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Ratboy
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat cake
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratcatcher
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratcatching
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat cheese
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat chinchilla
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat dog
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratette
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratface
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-fall
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat fever
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratfink
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat fink
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-fink
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratfish
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat flood
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratfolk
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-folk
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-friendly
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratfucker
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-fucker
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat fucker
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat fuck
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratfuck
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-fuck
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-goose
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat guard
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rathole
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat hole
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rathood
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat house
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: raticide
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat in a granary
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat kangaroo
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat king
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratless
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-licker
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratlike
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratling
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat lungworm
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratly
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratmageddon
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-mole
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat mole
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratness
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat on
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat out
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat pack
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat pit
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat poison
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat printing office
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratproof
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat racer
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-race
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat race
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-ridden
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat rod
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat run
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat runner
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratsbane
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratshit
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat shot
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratshot
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratsicle
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratskin
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat snake
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat's nest
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rattail
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-tail
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-tailed maggot
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-tailed pit viper
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-tail file
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-tail radish
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-tail splice
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratten
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratter
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat terrier
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rattery
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat through
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rattish
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-trap cheese
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat trap
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat-trap
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rattrap
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ratty
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat wall
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rat with wings
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: RCS rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: region rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rice rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ring rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rink rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ritten
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: river rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rock rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: roof rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Rowett nude rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: royal rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rug rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: rugrat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: sand rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: sea rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Seram long-tailed mosaic-tailed rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: sewer rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: shack rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: shaking rat Kawasaki
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: ship rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: sky rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: smell a rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: spiny rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: stick-nest rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: superrat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: super-rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: swamp rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Tate's shrew rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: torat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: tree rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: trumpet-tailed rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: tunnel rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: viscacha rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: vlei rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: water-rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: water rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: welfare rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: wererat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: western rat snake
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: wharf rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: white-bellied rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: whitret
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: winged rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: winter rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: woodrat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: wood rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Ziegler's water rat
sense: Terms derived from rat
word: Zucker rat
Related terms: mouse
rodent