ratとは 意味・読み方・使い方

発音

• enPR: răt, IPA: /ɹæt/
• 韻: -æt

語源 1

From 中期英語 ratte, rat, rotte, from 古期英語 rætt, from Proto-West Germanic *ratt, from Proto-Germanic *rattaz, *rattō (compare West Frisian rôt, Dutch rat), of uncertain origin, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₃d- (“to scrape, scratch, gnaw”). However, the rat may have been unknown in Northern Europe in antiquity, and the Proto-Germanic word may have referred to a different animal; see *rattaz for more. Attestation of this family of words begins in the 12th century. (Can this etymology be sourced?)

Some of the Germanic cognates show considerable consonant variation, e.g. Middle Low German ratte, radde; Middle High German rate, ratte, ratze. The irregularity may be symptomatic of a late dispersal of the word, although Kroonen accounts for it with a Proto-Germanic stem *raþō nom., *ruttaz gen., showing both ablaut and a Kluge's law alternation, with the variation arising from varying remodellings in the descendants. Kroonen states that this requires a Proto-Indo-European etymon in final *t and is incompatible with the usual derivation from Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₃d- (“to scrape, scratch, gnaw”).

名詞

rat (plural rats)

1. Any of the numerous members of several rodent families that usually have short limbs, a pointy snout, a long, hairless tail, and a body length greater than about 12 cm, or 5 inches.
2. (zoology) A medium-sized rodent belonging to the genus Rattus.
   • 2013 May-June, Charles T. Ambrose, “Alzheimer’s Disease”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 200:

     Similar studies of rats have employed four different intracranial resorbable, slow sustained release systems—surgical foam, a thermal gel depot, a microcapsule or biodegradable polymer beads.

3. (informal) A person who is known for betrayal.

   Hypernyms: jerk < person; see also Thesaurus:jerk

   Synonyms: betrayer, snake in the grass, quisling, traitor; see also Thesaurus:betrayer

   Near-synonyms: rouge, scoundrel, snake; see also Thesaurus:villain

   rat bastard

   • 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:

     He’s more a man than any pair of rats of you in this here house.

   What a rat, leaving us stranded here!

   • 1936, F.J. Thwaites, chapter XVIII, in The Redemption, Sydney: H. John Edwards, published 1940, page 185:

     "Ah, so you damn rat, this is a put-up job eh?"

4. (informal) An informant or snitch.

   Synonyms: stool pigeon; see also Thesaurus:informant

5. (informal) A scab: a worker who acts against trade union policies.

   Synonyms: blackleg, knobstick, scalie

6. (slang) A person who routinely spends time at a particular location.

   Our teenager has become a mall rat.

   He loved hockey and was a devoted rink rat.

7. A wad of shed hair used as part of a hairstyle.
8. A roll of material used to puff out the hair, which is turned over it.
9. (UK, north-west London, slang, vulgar) Vagina, vulva.

   Synonyms: beaver, pussy; see also Thesaurus:vulva

   Get your rat out.

   • 2022, Chambers Hester Louise, Champion Michael James, Teasdale Rhian Louise, “Too Late Now”, in Wet Leg, performed by Wet Leg, Domino, →OCLC:

     I don't need no dating app to tell me if I look like crap / To tell me if I'm thin or fat, to tell me should I shave my rat / I don't need no radio, no MTV, no BBC / I just need a bubble bath to set me on a higher path

10. (chiefly informal) Ellipsis of muskrat.
    • 1910, L. W. Pierce, “Muskrats are fast disappearing”, in Hunter-trader-trapper, page 70:

      The price of rats began to rise and soon after the marsh froze over, spearing rats began, which was done with a one tine three-eighths inch steel rod, with a wooden handle […]

    • 1929, E. J. Dailey, in Hardings Magazine's Question Box, printed in Fur Fish Game, page 73:

      Where natural marshes, or natural foods are found, are best places for raising muskrats. Louisiana and other southern states raise millions of rats, but they do not bring as good prices as northern raised ones. Delaware and Maryland have famed marshes. Other states are becoming noted for muskrat raising, also.

派生語

参考

• mouse
• rodent

動詞

rat (third-person singular simple present rats, present participle ratting, simple past and past participle ratted)

1. (of a dog, etc.) To hunt or kill rats. [from 19th c.]
2. (intransitive) To betray a political party, cause or principle; to betray someone, to desert a person or thing. [from 19th c.]
3. (informal, intransitive) To work as a scab, going against trade union policies. [from 19th c.]
4. (chiefly US) To backcomb (hair). [from 20th c.]
   • 2021, Rickie Lee Jones, Last Chance Texaco, Grove Press, published 2022, page 31:

     In 1962, the higher a girl's hair was ratted the more available she was, it was simply understood.

5. (intransitive, with on or out) To inform on someone; to betray someone to the police or authorities. [from 20th c.]

   He ratted on his coworker.

   He is going to rat us out!

同意語

• (to betray someone to an authority): tell on, to finger or put the finger on, bewray

参照

語源 2

From 中期英語 ratten, further etymology unknown. Compare Middle Low German retten (“to tear, tear up”), Middle High German ratzen (“to scratch; rasp; tear”). Could be related to write. See also rit.

名詞

rat (plural rats)

1. (regional) A scratch or a score.
2. (nautical, regional) A place in the sea with rapid currents and crags where a ship is likely to be torn apart in stormy weather.

動詞

rat (third-person singular simple present rats, present participle ratting, simple past and past participle ratted)

1. (regional) To scratch or score.

   He ratted a vertical line on his face with a pocket knife.

2. (regional, rare, obsolete) To tear, rip, rend.

   Ratted to shreds.

3. Damn, drat, blast; used in oaths.
   • 1904, Rafael Sabatini, chapter XXVI, in The Tavern Knight:

     “But, rat me, sir,” cried Foster in bewilderment, “tis too generous—'pon honour it is. I can't consent to it. No, rat me, I can't.”

使用する際の注意点

The verb rat is rarely used in the second sense. In the sense to tear, rip, rend, the form to-rat is more common. Compare German zerreißen (“to rip up, tear, rend”).

参照

• The Middle English Dictionary
• The English dialect dictionary

語源 3

名詞

rat (plural rats)

1. (military, slang) A ration.
   • 2014, John, Buffoon, page 243:

     With regards to the testing of his product, the initial blood analysis had come back confirming huge, distinctive nutritional superiority for Stewart's military ration pack. Given that the policy of the British Army is to be fully ready for war at the drop of a hat, he was sitting on the potential of supplying new rats for the entire army […]

派生語

• C-rat, Charlie rat

アナグラム

• Tar, TRA, ART, ATR, art, TAR, RTA, rta, Art, tra, tar, 'art, art.