noun
rat
rat
noun
1
A rodent similar to a mouse but larger, often considered a pest.
"A rat scurried along the subway tracks."
verb
1
Informally, to inform on someone to the authorities; to betray someone's trust.
"He ratted on his friends to avoid getting in trouble himself."
How to Use Rat
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe rodent, or (informally) to snitch on someone.
Common pairings
rat on someone
rat race
smell a rat
Word Forms
ratted past tense, ratted past tense, rats plural, rats plural, rats singular, rats singular
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A _____ scurried along the subway tracks.
Etymology
From Old English ræt, of uncertain deeper origin, related to similar words across Germanic languages.