Where did the term rat out come from?

: What is the origin of “ratted out”? Short answer, rats off a sinking ship. It is a prison term, according to “The Slang of Sin” by Tom Dalzell. (A second meaning — during American prohibition — a rat was the individual who actually carried the liquor on his or her person.)

What does to rat out mean?

DEFINITIONS1. 1. to reveal incriminating or embarrassing information about someone. The news reporter ratted out the people who were involved with the scandal.

What does it mean to rat somebody?

1. (rat on someone) to tell someone in authority about something that someone you know has done wrong. Synonyms and related words. Giving information to the police or other authorities.

Is rat out informal?

Informal. One who gives incriminating information about others: informant, informer, tattler, tattletale.

Why do they call it ratting?

Ratting is the name given to the activity of hacking into a computer to take control of its functions. It comes from the phrase RAT or Remote Access Tool and allows third parties to access your files, documents and system settings. Owners of these infected computers are known as ‘slaves’.

What does it mean to call someone a dirty little rat?

unattractive person, looking dirty and/or smelling bad. fat chance exp. little or no possibility of something to happen. rats!

What is female rat called?

Rat Terminology In addition, male rats are bucks, while females are called does.

Is rat out an idiom?

To expose or reveal incriminating or embarrassing information about someone: The newspapers ratted out the people who were involved with the scam.

What does it mean when someone calls you a rodent?

A rodent is a small furry mammal whose teeth never stop growing. Mice are known for their shyness, and lemmings are tragically famous for their supposed mass suicides when their populations exceed food supplies, but when you call someone a rodent, it’s an insult. It’s akin to calling them a rat.

What does it mean when you call someone a mousy?

adjective [usu ADJ n] If you describe someone as mousy, you mean that they are quiet and shy and that people do not notice them. The inspector remembered her as a small, mousy woman, invariably worried. Synonyms: shy, quiet, timid, ineffectual More Synonyms of mousy.

Why would you call someone a rat?

Rats are often associated with filth and disease. So, if someone calls you a rat, it’s not like being called a fox. These negative traits have led to the informal meaning of rat, “hateful person,” “liar,” or “double-crosser.” You can also use rat as a verb to mean “betray or snitch on.”

What does the insult rat mean?

countable noun. If you call someone a rat, you mean that you are angry with them or dislike them, often because they have cheated you or betrayed you. [informal, disapproval]