rat
B1informal to neutral
Definition
Meaning
A small rodent with a long tail, often considered a pest; also, a disloyal person who betrays others.
Metaphorically used to describe someone who informs on others or acts treacherously; informally, something of poor quality.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Carries strong negative connotations when referring to people, implying betrayal and untrustworthiness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor differences in verb usage: 'rat on' is common in both, but 'rat out' is more American.
Connotations
Similarly negative in both dialects for metaphorical use.
Frequency
Equally frequent in everyday language.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
rat on [sb]rat [sb] outVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “rat race”
- “smell a rat”
- “like rats leaving a sinking ship”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Often used in 'rat race' to describe competitive work environments.
Academic
In biological sciences, refers to species of rodents used in research.
Everyday
Common in informal contexts to describe disloyal people or in idioms.
Technical
In laboratory settings, 'lab rat' denotes rodents used in experiments.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He decided to rat on his accomplices to reduce his sentence.
American English
- She threatened to rat out the cheaters to the teacher.
adverb
British English
- He moved rat-like through the dark alley.
American English
- She acted rat-like to avoid being caught.
adjective
British English
- The attic was rat-infested and needed cleaning.
American English
- He lived in a ratty apartment in the city.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I don't like rats because they are scary.
- There is a rat in the basement.
- Rats can spread diseases if not controlled.
- He felt like a rat after lying to his friend.
- In the rat race of modern life, many feel overwhelmed.
- She smelled a rat when the offer seemed too good to be true.
- The informant was labeled a rat by his former associates.
- Using lab rats has been crucial for medical advancements.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'rat' rhyming with 'cat', but rats are sneaky and might 'rat' on you, meaning betray.
Conceptual Metaphor
Betrayal is being a rat; dishonesty is rodent-like behavior.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Прямой перевод 'крыса' для животного, но глагольное использование 'rat' (предавать) может быть неочевидным.
- Идиомы типа 'rat race' (гонка крыс) требуют культурного объяснения.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'rat' as a verb without proper prepositions, e.g., 'He ratted his friend' instead of 'He ratted on his friend'.
- Confusing 'rat' with 'mouse' in English descriptions.
Practice
Quiz
What is the meaning of 'rat race'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Rats are typically larger than mice, with coarser fur and proportionally longer tails. Mice are smaller and more delicate.
Rarely. In most contexts, 'rat' has negative connotations, but in biology or as pets (like fancy rats), it can be neutral.
As a verb, 'rat' often comes with prepositions: 'rat on someone' means to betray by informing, and 'rat someone out' is a more informal American variant.
Common idioms include 'rat race' (competitive work life), 'smell a rat' (suspect deception), and 'like rats leaving a sinking ship' (abandoning a failing situation).