B2noun1K

Rat

UK /["/ræt/"]/US /["/ræt/"]/

Definition

a small animal with a long tail, that looks like a large mouse, usually considered a pest (= an animal which is disliked because it destroys food or spreads disease)

In simple words: A small, often unwanted animal that looks like a mouse but is bigger.

Examples

  • rat poison
  • The police are all over town. He’s caught, like a rat in a trap.
  • Rats had gnawed through the wires.
  • The dog was a useful rat catcher in the warehouse.
  • a rat-infested cellar
  • You mean he just walked out on her after fifteen years? What a rat!

Usage notes

Use 'rat' when talking about the animal or in informal contexts to describe someone as disloyal. It's less appropriate in formal discussions.

Grammar pattern

standalone noun

Memory hint

Think of a rat running and 'ratting out' on someone.

Collocations

  • black
  • brown
  • lab
  • scurry
  • scuttle
  • gnaw
  • catcher
  • droppings
  • poison

Synonyms

  • rodent
  • vermin
  • pest
  • traitor

Antonyms

  • mouse
  • friend

Common mistakes

  • Confused with 'mouse', thinking they are the same.
  • Using it as a verb instead of a noun.
  • Assuming all rats are domesticated or friendly.