Is the saying rats or drats?
Drat. Or Rats. No “drats”.
Is rat an idiom?
rats. An exclamation of frustration, disappointment, or vexation. Oh, rats—I dropped another screw.
When did people start saying rats?
In many parts of the world the word rats is used as a mild swearword or expletive. There are several possible reasons for this. ‘Drat’ was first used early in the 19th century. It was a shortening of ‘od rat’ which was a euphemism meaning God rot.
Where did the phrase rat come from?
By 1859 John Camden Hotten’s Slang Dictionary would define a rat as “a sneak, an informer, a turncoat,” and by the 1950s this meaning of rat was firmly entrenched in pop culture. In one LIFE magazine story from 1958, a gang member named Gus turns to a gang member named Rat and says, “Cause you a rat, is all.
What does dont rat mean?
to tell someone in authority about something wrong that someone else has done Where I come from, you don’t rat on your friends.
Are mouse and rats friends?
Much like us, mice and rats are very social creatures. They become attached to one another, love their families, and enjoy playing, wrestling, and sleeping curled up together.
Where did the expression rats come from?
Where did the expression rat on someone come from?
It’s unclear exactly why people started to use rat in this way, but there are some possible explanations. Rat, as an epithet, has long referred to many different kinds of dishonorable people. Before calling someone a “rat” meant calling them an informant, it signified a drunkard, a cheating husband, or a pirate.
Why do they call it ratting?
Definition: 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.
Why are people referred to as rats?
Rats are often associated with filth and disease. So, if someone calls you a rat, it’s not like being called a fox. It’s an insult. 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 ratting us out mean?
rat somebody out (to somebody) (especially North American English) (also rat on somebody British and North American English) (informal, disapproving) to tell somebody in authority about something wrong that somebody else has done. Someone ratted us out to the police.