Definitions for rat
rætrat

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. ratnoun

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

2. scab, strikebreaker, blackleg, ratnoun

   someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike

3. rotter, dirty dog, rat, skunk, stinker, stinkpot, bum, puke, crumb, lowlife, scum bag, so-and-so, gitnoun

   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'"

4. informer, betrayer, rat, squealer, blabbernoun

   one who reveals confidential information in return for money

5. ratverb

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

6. ratverb

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

7. ratverb

   employ scabs or strike breakers in

8. fink, scab, rat, blacklegverb

   take the place of work of someone on strike

9. ratverb

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

10. ratverb

    catch rats, especially with dogs

11. denounce, tell on, betray, give away, rat, grass, shit, shop, snitch, stagverb

    give away information about somebody

    "He told on his classmate who had cheated on the exam"

GCIDERate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Ratnoun

   (Zool.) One of several species of small rodents of the genus Rattus (formerly included in Mus) and allied genera, of the family Muridae, distinguished from mice primarily by being larger. They infest houses, stores, and ships, especially the Norway rat, also called brown rat, (Rattus norvegicus formerly Mus decumanus), the black rat (Rattus rattus formerly Mus rattus), and the roof rat (formerly Mus Alexandrinus, now included in Rattus rattus). These were introduced into America from the Old World. The white rat used most commonly in laboratories is primarily a strain derived from Rattus rattus.

2. Ratverb

   To be an informer (against an associate); to inform (on an associate); to squeal; -- used commonly in the phrase to rat on.

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. ratnoun

   Any of about 56 different species of small, omnivorous rodents belonging to the genus Rattus.

2. ratnoun

   A term indiscriminately applied to numerous members of several rodent families (e.g. voles and mice) having bodies longer than about 12 cm, or 5 inches.

3. ratnoun

   A person who is known for betrayal; a scoundrel.

   What a rat, leaving us stranded here!

4. ratnoun

   An informant or snitch

5. ratnoun

   A person who routinely spends time at a particular location.

6. ratnoun

   Scab

7. ratnoun

   North West London slang term for vagina, as in get your rat out.

8. ratnoun

   A wad of shed hair used as part of a hairstyle.

9. ratverb

   to betray someone and tell their secret to an authority or an enemy; to turn someone in, bewray.

10. ratverb

    To kill rats.

11. Etymology: From rat, rotte, from ræt, from rattaz (cf. West Frisian rôt, Dutch rat, German dialect Ratz), from Hreh₃d- (cf. Welsh rhathu ‘to grate, rasp’, rodo, rostrum ‘beak, prow’, Middle Persian ‘to scrape, smooth’, Sanskrit ‘he gnaws, cuts’).

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Ratnoun

   An animal of the mouse kind that infests houses and ships.

   Etymology: ratte, Dutch; rat, Fr. ratta, Spanish.

   Our natures do pursue,
   Like rats that ravin down their proper bane. William Shakespeare.

   Make you ready your stiff bats and clubs,
   Rome and her rats are at the point of battle. William Shakespeare.

   I have seen the time, with my long sword I would have made you four tall fellows skip like rats. William Shakespeare.

   Thus horses will knable at walls, and rats will gnaw iron. Thomas Browne, Vulgar Errours.

   If in despair he goes out of the way like a rat with a dose of arsenick, why he dies nobly. John Dennis.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Rat

   Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus Rattus. Other rat genera include Neotoma (pack rats), Bandicota (bandicoot rats) and Dipodomys (kangaroo rats). Rats are typically distinguished from mice by their size. Usually the common name of a large muroid rodent will include the word "rat", while a smaller muroid's name will include "mouse". The common terms rat and mouse are not taxonomically specific. There are 56 known species of rats in the world.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. rat

   A rat is a small or medium-sized rodent species, typically characterized by a long tail and sharp teeth used for gnawing. They belong to the superfamily Muroidea and are found worldwide. Rats are often associated with dirt and disease due to their tendency to live in human habitations and their role in spreading plagues. There are many species of rats, including the common types like brown rat and black rat. Despite their bad reputation, they are also used as laboratory animals for testing in the field of biology and psychology, and can make intelligent and affectionate pets.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Ratnoun

   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

2. Ratnoun

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

3. Ratnoun

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

4. Ratverb

   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

5. Ratverb

   to catch or kill rats

6. Etymology: [AS. rt; akin to D. rat, OHG. rato, ratta, G. ratte, ratze, OLG. ratta, LG. & Dan. rotte, Sw. rtta, F. rat, Ir. & Gael radan, Armor. raz, of unknown origin. Cf. Raccoon.]

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Rat

   Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus. Many members of other rodent genera and families are also referred to as rats, and share many characteristics with true rats. Rats are typically distinguished from mice by their size; rats are generally large muroid rodents, while mice are generally small muroid rodents. The muroid family is very large and complex, and the common terms rat and mouse are not taxonomically specific. Generally, when someone discovers a large muroid, its common name includes the term rat, while if it is small, the name includes the term mouse. Scientifically, the terms are not confined to members of the Rattus and Mus genera, for example, the pack rat and cotton mouse.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Rat

   rat, n. an animal of the genus Mus, larger and more destructive than the mouse: a renegade, turncoat: a workman who accepts lower than the authorised wages, who declines to join in a strike, or who takes a striker's work: a roll of anything used to puff out the hair which is turned over it.—v.i. (coll.) to desert one's party and join their opponents for gain or power: to take lower than current wages, to refuse to join in a strike, to take a striker's place:—pr.p. rat′ting; pa.p. and pa.t. rat′ted.—ns. Rat′-catch′er, one whose business it is to catch rats; Rat′-catch′ing; Rat′-hole (print.), a pigeon-hole; Rat′-pit, an enclosure where rats are killed; Rat′-poi′son, a preparation of arsenic; Rat's′-bane, poison for rats: arsenious acid; Rat′-tail, an excrescence growing on a horse's leg.—adj. Rat′-tailed, having a tail like a rat.—ns. Rat′ter, a terrier which catches rats; Rat′tery, apostasy; Rat′ting, deserting one's principles: working for less than the usual prices: setting a dog to kill rats in a pit; Rat′-trap, a trap for catching rats.—Rat-tailed larva, the larva of certain syrphid flies.—Smell a rat, to have a suspicion. [A.S. ræt; Ger. ratte.]

Dictionary of Nautical TermsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. rat

   A term for one who changes his party for interest: from rats deserting vessels about to sink. These mischievous vermin are said to have increased after the economical expulsion of cats from our dockyards. Thus, in the petition from the ships-in-ordinary, to be allowed to go to sea, even to carry passengers, we read:-- "Tho' it was hemigrants or sodgers-- Anything afore them rats, Which now they is our only lodgers; For well they knows, the artful dodgers, The Board won't stand th' expense of cats." Injury done by rats is not included in a policy of insurance. Also, a rapid stream or race, derived from sharp rocks beneath, which injure the cable.

Rap DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. ratverb

   To betray. "Why did Judas rat to Romans while Jesus slept?" -- Genius (4th chamber)

2. ratverb

   A snitch.

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. rat

   Song lyrics by rat -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by rat on the Lyrics.com website.

2. RAT

   What does RAT stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the RAT acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

Surnames Frequency by Census RecordsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. RAT

   According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Rat is ranked #146201 in terms of the most common surnames in America.
   
   The Rat surname appeared 113 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 would have the surname Rat.
   
   60.1% or 68 total occurrences were White.
   20.3% or 23 total occurrences were Asian.
   15% or 17 total occurrences were Black.

Matched Categories

1. • Catch
   • Desert
   • Employ
   • Industry
   • Informant
   • Pad
   • Rodent

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'rat' in Nouns Frequency: #1603

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

1. 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Anagrams for rat »

1. art

2. Art

3. RTA

4. tar

5. tra

How to pronounce rat?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say rat in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of rat in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of rat in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of rat in a Sentence

1. Hunter S. Thompson:

   Myths and legends die hard in America. We love them for the extra dimension they provide, the illusion of near-infinite possibility to erase the narrow confines of most men's reality. Weird heroes and mould-breaking champions exist as living proof to those who need it that the tyranny of the rat race is not yet final.

2. Dave Reichert:

   Ridgway knew the life of the street, he knew how to move in and out and was sort of an invisible figure. People didn’t see him as a threat. I like to describe him as a little rat who kept moving along inside our community. Nobody seemed to spot him or see any danger connected to him at all… When we asked him why he did this, his only answer was because he could.

3. Ronald Parchem:

   Anytime you take a species and mix it with another, the host species [the one with the embryo] generally does better, if you take a rat cell and put it into amouse blastocyst[an early embryo], the rat cells are at a disadvantage. Thats why, in general, chimerism is very low.

4. Eric Trump:

   When you're in this rat race for the presidential election, that's a very tough thing, he's set his life aside to do something he believes in. ... It's a very selfless act.

5. Lily Tomlin:

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

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=rat
2. ^ GCIDE
   https://gcide.gnu.org.ua/?q=rat
3. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Rat
4. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=rat
5. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat
6. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
7. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rat
8. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=rat
9. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=rat
10. ^ Dictionary of Nautical Terms
    https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/26000/pg26000-images.html#:~:text=rat
11. ^ Surnames Frequency by Census Records
    https://www.census.gov/topics/population/genealogy/data/2010_surnames.html
12. ^ Usage in printed sources
    https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=rat