1. Any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse
   "The rat scurried across the kitchen floor"
    
2. [informal] A person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible
   "kill the rat";
   - rotter [Brit, informal], dirty dog [informal], skunk [informal], stinker [informal], stinkpot [N. Amer, informal], bum [N. Amer, informal], crumb [N. Amer, informal], lowlife [informal], so-and-so [informal], git [Brit, informal], scumbag [informal], swine [informal], scuzz [N. Amer, informal], sod [Brit, informal], sleazeball [informal], scuzzbucket [N. Amer, informal], sleazebag [informal], scuzzball [N. Amer, informal], sleazebucket [informal], slimebag [informal], slimeball [informal], toad [informal], dirtbag [US, informal], toerag [Brit, informal], scuzzbag [N. Amer, informal], ratbag [Brit, informal]
    
3. [informal] One who reveals confidential information to the police or other authority
   "The mafia liquidated the rat";
   - informer, betrayer, squealer, blabber [informal]
    
4. [informal] Someone who reports another person's wrongdoings to someone in authority
   "I told the teacher that I'm not a rat and didn't want to get involved";
   - telltale [Brit, informal], grass [Brit, informal], snitch [informal], tattletale [US, informal], talebearer [archaic], squealer [informal]
    
5. [informal] Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike
   "The company hired rats to keep operations running during the union protest";
   - scab, strikebreaker, blackleg [Brit]
    
6. [US] A pad (usually made of hair) worn as part of a woman's coiffure
   "She used a rat to add volume to her 1960s-style beehive hairdo"

1. Catch rats, especially with dogs
   "The terriers were trained to rat in the barn"
    
2. [informal] Inform on someone to authorities or others in power
   "He ratted on his former gang members";
   - denounce, tell on, betray, give away, grass, shop [informal], snitch [informal], stag, squeak [informal]
    
3. [informal] Desert one's party or group of friends, for example, for one's personal advantage
   "He ratted on his gang to get a reduced sentence"
    
4. [informal] Employ scabs or strike breakers in
   "The company ratted the factory during the workers' strike"
    
5. [informal] Take the place of work of someone on strike
   "The company hired rats to keep operations running during the strike";
   - fink [N. Amer, informal], scab, blackleg [Brit]
    
6. [US] Give (hair) the appearance of being fuller by using a rat
   "The stylist ratted her hair to create more volume"

Derived forms: ratting, ratted, rats

Type of: capture, catch, defect, desert, disagreeable person, employ, engage, fill out, gnawer, hire, inform, informant, pad, rodent, source, take on, unpleasant person, work, worker

Part of: coif, coiffure, do [informal], hair style, hairdo [informal], hairstyle

Encyclopedia: Rat, Missouri