rat
rat /r'æt/ (rats ratting ratted)
1 [N-COUNT]
A rat is an animal which has a long tail and looks like a large mouse.
This was demonstrated in a laboratory experiment with rats.
2 [N-COUNT]
If you call someone a rat, you mean that you are angry with them or dislike them, often because they have cheated you or betrayed you. (INFORMAL)
What did you do with the gun you took from that little rat Turner?
3 [VERB] V on n
If someone rats on you, they tell someone in authority about things that you have done, especially bad things. (INFORMAL)
They were accused of encouraging children to rat on their parents.
4 [VERB] V on n
If someone rats on an agreement, they do not do what they said they would do. (INFORMAL)
She claims he ratted on their divorce settlement.
5 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you smell a rat, you begin to suspect or realize that something is wrong in a particular situation, for example that someone is trying to deceive you or harm you.
If I don't send a picture, he will smell a rat...love rat (love rats)
[N-COUNT]
Journalists sometimes use love rat to refer to a man who treats his wife or girlfriend in a cruel way, especially by having sexual relationships with other women. (JOURNALISM)
...the womanising of royal love rat James Hewitt.mall rat (mall rats)
[N-COUNT]
Mall rats are young people who spend a lot of time hanging around in shopping malls with their friends. (AM)rat pack
[N-SING] usu the N
People sometimes refer to the group of journalists and photographers who follow famous people around as the rat pack, especially when they think that their behaviour is unacceptable. (BRIT)rat race
[N-SING] the N
If you talk about getting out of the rat race, you mean leaving a job or way of life in which people compete aggressively with each other to be successful.
I had to get out of the rat race and take a look at the real world again.rat run (rat runs)
[N-COUNT]
A rat run is a small street which drivers use during busy times in order to avoid heavy traffic on the main roads. (BRIT INFORMAL)
1 [N-COUNT]
A rat is an animal which has a long tail and looks like a large mouse.
This was demonstrated in a laboratory experiment with rats.
2 [N-COUNT]
If you call someone a rat, you mean that you are angry with them or dislike them, often because they have cheated you or betrayed you. (INFORMAL)
What did you do with the gun you took from that little rat Turner?
3 [VERB] V on n
If someone rats on you, they tell someone in authority about things that you have done, especially bad things. (INFORMAL)
They were accused of encouraging children to rat on their parents.
4 [VERB] V on n
If someone rats on an agreement, they do not do what they said they would do. (INFORMAL)
She claims he ratted on their divorce settlement.
5 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you smell a rat, you begin to suspect or realize that something is wrong in a particular situation, for example that someone is trying to deceive you or harm you.
If I don't send a picture, he will smell a rat...love rat (love rats)
[N-COUNT]
Journalists sometimes use love rat to refer to a man who treats his wife or girlfriend in a cruel way, especially by having sexual relationships with other women. (JOURNALISM)
...the womanising of royal love rat James Hewitt.mall rat (mall rats)
[N-COUNT]
Mall rats are young people who spend a lot of time hanging around in shopping malls with their friends. (AM)rat pack
[N-SING] usu the N
People sometimes refer to the group of journalists and photographers who follow famous people around as the rat pack, especially when they think that their behaviour is unacceptable. (BRIT)rat race
[N-SING] the N
If you talk about getting out of the rat race, you mean leaving a job or way of life in which people compete aggressively with each other to be successful.
I had to get out of the rat race and take a look at the real world again.rat run (rat runs)
[N-COUNT]
A rat run is a small street which drivers use during busy times in order to avoid heavy traffic on the main roads. (BRIT INFORMAL)