Rat

Pronunciation: răt

(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.

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

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

Bamboo rat
(Zool.) any Indian rodent of the genus Rhizomys.

Beaver rat
(Zool.) See under Beaver and Coast.

Blind rat
(Zool.) the mole rat.

Cotton rat
(Zool.) a long-haired rat (Sigmodon hispidus), native of the Southern United States and Mexico. It makes its nest of cotton and is often injurious to the crop.

Ground rat
See Ground Pig, under Ground.

Hedgehog rat
See under Hedgehog.

Kangaroo rat
(Zool.) the potoroo.

Norway rat
(Zool.) the common brown rat. See Rat.

Pouched rat
a -	(Zool.) See Pocket Gopher, under Pocket.
b -	Any African rodent of the genus Cricetomys.

Rat Indians
(Ethnol.) a tribe of Indians dwelling near Fort Ukon, Alaska. They belong to the Athabascan stock.

Rat mole
(Zool.) See Mole rat, under Mole.

Rat pit
an inclosed space into which rats are put to be killed by a dog for sport.

Rat snake
(Zool.) a large colubrine snake (Ptyas mucosus) very common in India and Ceylon. It enters dwellings, and destroys rats, chickens, etc.

Spiny rat
(Zool.) any South American rodent of the genus Echinomys.

To smell a rat
See under Smell.

Wood rat
(Zool.) any American rat of the genus Neotoma, especially Neotoma Floridana, common in the Southern United States. Its feet and belly are white.

v. i.

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.

[imp. & p. p. Ratted; p. pr. & vb. n. Ratting.]

Coleridge . . . incurred the reproach of having ratted, solely by his inability to follow the friends of his early days.

- De Quincey.

To catch or kill rats.

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

Noun	1.	rat - any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse
	2.	rat - someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike Synonyms: blackleg, scab, strikebreaker
	3.	rat - 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'" Synonyms: dirty dog, git, lowlife, puke, rotter, scum bag, skunk, so-and-so, stinker, stinkpot, bum, crumb
	4.	rat - one who reveals confidential information in return for money Synonyms: betrayer, blabber, informer, squealer
	5.	rat - a pad (usually made of hair) worn as part of a woman's coiffure
Verb	1.	rat - desert one's party or group of friends, for example, for one's personal advantage
	2.	rat - employ scabs or strike breakers in
	3.	rat - take the place of work of someone on strike Synonyms: blackleg, scab
	4.	rat - give (hair) the appearance of being fuller by using a rat
	5.	rat - catch rats, especially with dogs
	6.	rat - give away information about somebody; "He told on his classmate who had cheated on the exam" Synonyms: shit, tell on, snitch, stag, shop, denounce, give away, betray, grass

Angora goat, Arctic fox, Belgian hare, Benedict Arnold, Brutus, Caffre cat, Indian buffalo, Judas, Judas Iscariot, Kodiak bear, Quisling, SOB, Virginia deer, aardvark, aardwolf, alpaca, anteater, antelope, antelope chipmunk, aoudad, apar, apostate, apostatize, archtraitor, armadillo, ass, aurochs, babble, badger, bandicoot, bassarisk, bastard, bat, be indiscreet, be unguarded, bear, bear witness against, beaver, betray, betray a confidence, betrayer, bettong, binturong, bison, blab, blabber, black bear, black buck, black cat, black fox, black sheep, blackleg, blow the whistle, blue fox, blurt, blurt out, bobcat, bolt, break away, brown bear, brush deer, brush wolf, buffalo, buffalo wolf, bugger, burro, burro deer, cachalot, camel, camelopard, capybara, carabao, caribou, carpincho, cat, cat-a-mountain, catamount, cattalo, cavy, chamois, cheetah, chevrotain, chignon, chinchilla, chipmunk, cinnamon bear, cockatrice, conniver, conspirator, conspirer, coon, coon cat, cotton mouse, cotton rat, cougar, cow, coyote, coypu, creep, cur, deer, deer tiger, defect, defector, desert, dingo, dog, donkey, dormouse, double agent, double-crosser, double-dealer, dromedary, echidna, eland, elephant, elk, ermine, eyra, fall, fallow deer, false hair, fart, ferret, field mouse, fink, fisher, fitch, flying phalanger, foumart, fox, fox squirrel, gazelle, gemsbok, genet, giraffe, give away, glutton, gnu, gnu goat, goat, goat antelope, gopher, grizzly bear, ground squirrel, groundhog, guanaco, guinea pig, hamster, hare, harnessed antelope, hartebeest, hedgehog, heel, hippopotamus, hog, hood, hooligan, horse, hyena, hyrax, ibex, inform, inform against, inform on, informer, intrigant, intriguer, jackal, jackass, jackrabbit, jaguar, jaguarundi, jerboa, jerboa kangaroo, jerk, kaama, kangaroo, kangaroo mouse, kangaroo rat, karakul, kinkajou, kit fox, koala, lapin, leak, lemming, leopard, leopard cat, let down, let drop, let fall, let slip, lion, llama, louse, lynx, machinator, mammoth, mara, marmot, marten, mastodon, meanie, meerkat, mink, mole, mongoose, moose, mother, mouflon, mountain goat, mountain lion, mountain sheep, mouse, mule, mule deer, muntjac, musk deer, musk hog, musk-ox, muskrat, musquash, narc, nark, nilgai, nutria, ocelot, okapi, onager, oont, opossum, otter, ounce, ox, pack rat, painter, panda, pangolin, panther, peach, peccary, peludo, phalanger, pig, pill, pine mouse, platypus, plotter, pocket gopher, pocket mouse, pocket rat, polar bear, polar fox, polecat, porcupine, possum, pouched rat, poyou, prairie dog, prairie wolf, prick, pronghorn, pull out, puma, quisling, rabbit, raccoon, recreant, red deer, red squirrel, reindeer, renounce, repudiate, reveal a secret, rhinoceros, roe, roe deer, roebuck, run out on, runagate, sable, scab, schemer, scum, secede, sell out, serpent, serval, sheep, shit, shithead, shitheel, shrew, shrew mole, sika, silver fox, sing, skunk, sloth, snake, snitch, snitch on, snowshoe rabbit, spill, spill the beans, springbok, squeak, squeal, squirrel, stinkard, stinker, stoat, stool, strikebreaker, suslik, swamp rabbit, swine, switch, takin, talk, tamandua, tamarin, tapir, tarpan, tatou, tatou peba, tatouay, tattle, tattle on, tell on, tell secrets, tell tales, tergiversate, tergiversator, testify against, tiger, tiger cat, timber wolf, timeserver, toad, traitor, treasonist, tree shrew, trimmer, turd, turn, turn informer, turnabout, turncoat, urus, vole, wallaby, warthog, water buffalo, waterbuck, weasel, wharf rat, whistler, white fox, wild ass, wild boar, wild goat, wild ox, wildcat, wildebeest, wolf, wolverine, wombat, wood rat, woodchuck, woolly mammoth, yak, zebra, zebu, zoril

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