• RAT
adj. unpleasant, untrustworthy, generally despicable …1910s sl., orig. US
n. 1. a rag, a scrap …a1240 obs. exc. N. Eng. dial.
n. 2. an unpleasant or despicable person, usually male …1594
n. 3. a term of reproach for a person …1594
n. 4. a clergyman …17C sl.
n. 5. a file of soldiers …1646 Sc. obs.
n. 6. a drunken person who has been arrested and taken to the cells …M17 sl.
n. 7. a pirate …1673 obs.
n. 8. a strong or rapid current …1753 obs.
n. 9. a person who changes allegiance out of self-interest …19C sl.
n. 10. a worker who refuses to strike; one who works for a lower rate …1824
n. 11. a muskrat …1832 Amer. dial.
n. 12. a scratch …1841 Sc.
n. 13. a first-year college or university student …1850 US
n. 14. a hair-pad with tapering ends used as the base of the elaborate pompadour hairstyles affected by women in the late 19th century …L19 US sl.
n. 15. a street urchin …L19 sl., orig. Aust.
n. 16. a worker who undercuts standards established by unionized labour …L19 US sl.
n. 17. a person, esp. an enthusiast …20C sl.
n. 18. a disliked or despised person …20C Amer. sl.
n. 19. a loose woman …20C Amer. sl.
n. 20. any distrusted, unethical, selfish, disliked person …20C Amer. sl.
n. 21. the track of a wheel in a road; a rut …B1900 Sc.
n. 22. a thieving prisoner …1900s US criminals’ sl.
n. 23. a bus inspector …1900s Aust. sl.
n. 24. one who betrays associates to the police or other authorities; an informer …1902 sl.
n. 25. a bad temper …1910s UK juvenile sl.
n. 26. a train …1910s UK criminals’ sl.
n. 27. one who sells bootleg whisky on the sly …1911 Amer. dial.
n. 28. a renegade …Bk1913-17 Amer. dial.
n. 29. an obsession, an eccentricity …1920s sl.
n. 30. a bout of madness …1920s Aust. sl.
n. 31. the lowest rank of prostitute …1920s US & W. Indies sl.
n. 32. a wig …1930s African-American sl.
n. 33. a near-derelict but just driveable secondhand car …1940s US sl.
n. 34. the quality of being an informer …1940s US sl.
n. 35. a freight train …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 36. a teenage hoodlum …1960s Amer. sl.
n. 37. an incompetent …1970s Aust. criminals’ sl.
n. 38. a promiscuous, attractive woman …1990s US college sl.
n. 39. one who deserts their political party …1792
n. 40. pubic hair …1990s sl.
n. 41. the vagina …1990s sl.
vb. 1. to break up, to drive apart …a1400 obs. rare
vb. 2. to desert one’s own side, esp. in politics …1812
vb. 3. to betray one’s own party or cause …E19 sl.
vb. 4. to scratch; to make a deep impression or score upon anything …1841 Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 5. to search someone, their belongings, etc. for something to steal; to rob or pilfer surreptitiously …1919 sl., chiefly Aust. & NZ
vb. 6. to idle about; to shirk work or school; to malinger …1929 Amer. dial.
vb. 7. to betray an associate to the police or other authority; to inform on; to incriminate …1932 sl.
vb. 8. to go out in pursuit of women …2000s African-American sl.
• RAT AND CAT
n. the game of tic-tac-toe …1965 Amer. dial.
• RAT-AND-FOWL
n. an Australian shilling …1910s Aust. sl.
• RAT AND MOUSE
n. 1. a house …1910s rhyming sl.
n. 2. an unpleasant person …1970s rhyming sl. for ‘louse’
• RATAPLAN
n. a drumming or beating noise; a tattoo …1847-8
vb. to beat upon a drum …1865
• RAT AROUND
vb. to idle about; to shirk work or school; to malinger; to lounge around doing nothing in particular …1857 Amer. dial.
• RAT-ARSE
n. a drunkard …1990s
• RAT-ARSED
adj. drunk …1984 Brit. sl.
• RAT-ASS
n. a term of abuse …1950s sl., orig. US
• RAT-A-TAT
n. 1. a knock …1681
n. 2. a machine gun …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• RAT-A-TAT-TAT
n. a knock …1813
• RAT BACK CLIP
n. a short haircut …M19 sl.
• RATBAG
n. 1. an unpleasant or despicable person, usually male …1890 sl., orig. Aust. & NZ
n. 2. an unpleasant situation or job …1960s US sl.
• RATBAGGERY
n. acting like a rogue or eccentric …L19 sl., orig. Aust. & NZ
• RAT BASTARD
n. a term of abuse …1920s sl., orig. US
• RAT BURNER
n. a match you can strike anywhere …1967 Amer. dial.
• RAT CAT
n. a cat that catches lots of rats and mice …1965 Amer. dial.
• RATCH
adj. loose in morals; unsteady …1861 Sc.
n. 1. a hunting-dog which pursues its prey by scent …c1000
n. 2. a thievish, greedy animal …1610 Sc. & Eng. dial.
n. 3. a white line or streak down a horse’s face …1523 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
n. 4. the lock of a musket …1796 Sc. obs.
n. 5. a long stretch of a river, a straight course of navigable river, a reach; an intermediate distance between two points …Bk1904 Eng. dial.
vb. 1. to proceed, to go …a1300 obs. rare
vb. 2. to reach, to get hold of …1530 obs. rare
vb. 3. to pull or tear in pieces …1781
vb. 4. to stretch, to extend; to exaggerate, to lie; to impose upon …1819 Eng. dial.
vb. 5. to mark with lines or stripes …1841 Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 6. to ransack, to ferret about; to sneak about like a ravenous dog; to ramble …1874 Eng. dial.
vb. 7. to search, to root about …1968 Amer. dial.
vb. 8. to move about restlessly, to twist and turn …1985 Amer. dial.
• RATCHED
adj. 1. striped; spotted …1790 Eng. dial.
adj. 2. ragged, in a ruinous state …Bk1904 Sc.
• RAT CHEESE
n. 1. any inexpensive, common yellow cheese cut on order by a grocer; bulk cheese; store cheese …20C Amer. sl.
n. 2. cheddar cheese, esp. that with a strong odour …1939 Amer. dial.
• RATCHER
n. 1. a rock …1790 Eng. dial.
n. 2. one who exaggerates; a liar …1868 Eng. dial.
n. 3. an exaggeration; a lie …1876 Eng. dial.
• RATCHET
adj. of leather: soft, supple, elastic, easily stretched …Bk1904 Eng. dial.
n. a rat-hole …1848 Eng. dial.
vb. 1. to tear, to rend …B1900 Eng. dial.
vb. 2. to move about restlessly, to twist and turn …1999 Amer. dial.
• RATCHETTY; RATCHETY
adj. noisy, roistering; pleasure-seeking, mischievous …1894 Eng. dial.
• RATCHING
adj. of leather: soft, supple, elastic, easily stretched …1888 Eng. dial.
• RATCHY
adj. of leather: soft, supple, elastic, easily stretched …Bk1904 Eng. dial.
• RAT-CLAM
n. a rat-trap …1889 Eng. dial.
• RAT DOG
n. 1. any small breed of dog …1986 Amer. dial.
n. 2. a Chihuahua …1998 Amer. dial.
• RATE
adj. valid …c1400 obs. rare
n. 1. standard of conduct or action; hence, manner, mode, style …c1470 obs.
n. 2. the total computed or estimated quantity, amount, or sum of anything, usually as forming a basis for calculating other quantities or sums …1472-3 obs.
n. 3. the spleen …1486 obs. rare
n. 4. estimation, consideration …1610 obs.
n. 5. ratification …c1611 obs. rare
n. 6. ratio, proportion …1614 obs.
n. 7. valuation, rating …1653 obs. rare
vb. 1. to chide, to scold, to reprove vehemently or angrily …c1386
vb. 2. to fix, assign, settle, the amount of a payment, fine, etc. …1477 obs.
vb. 3. to divide proportionally; to allot or apportion as an amount or sum to be received or paid …1491 obs.
vb. 4. to reckon, to calculate, to estimate the amount or sum of …1597 rare
vb. 5. to ratify …c1611 obs. rare
vb. 6. to rule, to govern …1854 Eng. dial.
vb. 7. to be entitled to something; to receive something because one is highly esteemed or well liked …20C Amer. sl.
vb. 8. to be highly esteemed …20C Amer. sl.
• RATED
adj. 1. scolded, severely reproved …1596
adj. 2. careworn; tired and unhappy because of prolonged worry …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATEL
n. the spleen …1503 obs. rare
• RATELL
n. a rake (tool) …1489 obs. rare
• RATEMENT
n. rating, valuation …1613-8 obs. rare
• RATER
n. one who reproves or scolds …1863
• RAT-FACE
n. a sly, underhanded person …20C Amer. sl.
• RAT FINK
n. 1. a traitor; one who is disloyal to associates; someone who informs on you …1964 sl., chiefly US
n. 2. an unpleasant or despicable person, usually male …1964 sl., chiefly US
• RAT FUCK
n. a practical joke …1960s Amer. sl.
• RATGUT
n. 1. bad liquor …1965 Amer. dial.
n. 2. whisky, esp. illegally made whisky …1965 Amer. dial.
• RATHE
adj. 1. quick in action, speedy, prompt; eager, earnest, vehement …c900 Eng. dial. & poetic
adj. 2. done or occurring before the usual or natural time; early …c1420 Eng. dial. & poetic
adj. 3. rare …1548 obs.
adj. 4. early in the day; belonging to the morning …1596 Eng. dial. & poetic
adj. 5. of eggs: left soft in cooking …1684 obs.
adv. 1. denoting rapidity in the performance or completion of an action; quickly, rapidly, swiftly, esp. without delay, promptly, soon …c825 obs.
adv. 2. early in the morning or day …c1386 Eng. dial. & poetic usage
n. counsel, advice; help …c1200 obs.
vb. to counsel, to advise …c1200 obs.
• RATHELY
adv. quickly, rapidly, swiftly …a950 obs.
• RATHENESS
n. 1. earliness …1635 rare
n. 2. premature ending …1883 rare
• RATHER
adj. 1. earlier, preceding another or others in point of time, coming at an earlier hour, date, etc….1388
adj. 2. more to be chosen; preferable …c1430 obs. rare
adj. 3. antecedent, prior; of greater importance …1657 obs. rare
adv. previously, beforehand …c1325 obs.
• RATHEREST
adj. soonest …a1425 obs. rare
adv. most of all, most particularly, mainly …c1420 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
• RATHERLINGS
adv. rather; somewhat; for the most part …1862 Eng. dial.
• RATHERLY
adv. rather …1824 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
• RATHERMORE
adj. earlier, former …1382 obs. rare
• RATHE-RIPE
adj. 1. of fruits, grains, etc.: coming early to maturity; ripening early in the year …1578 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
adj. 2. precocious, early developed in mind or body …1617 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
• RATHE-RIPES
n. early fruit and vegetables, esp. peas and apples …1677 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
• RATHERISH
adv. somewhat, in a slight degree …1862 colloq.
• RATHER OF THE RATHEREST
phr. just a little too much or too little …a1825
• RATHER OF THE WETTEST
adj. very wet …1870 Eng. dial.
• RATHER OR LATER
phr. sooner or later …c1475 obs.
• RATHERS
n. wishes; preference; choice …Bk1913-17 Amer. dial.
• RATHER TOO RANK
phr. somewhat too strong; too much of a good thing …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• RATHEST
adj. 1. quickest, soonest, most preferable; most eager …c888 obs.
adj. 2. earliest …c1420 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
adv. 1. soonest, most readily …c888 obs.
adv. 2. earliest …1387-8 obs.
adv. 3. most of all, most particularly, mainly …1549 obs.
• RAT-HOLE
vb. to store up furtively, as food, etc. …20C Amer. sl.
• RAT HOUSE
n. a mental hospital …1900 Aust. & NZ sl.
• RATH-RIPE
adj. of fruits, grains, etc.: coming early to maturity; ripening early in the year …1578 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
• RATIFACTORY
adj. confirmatory …1720 obs. rare
• RATIFICATORY
adj. confirmatory …1639 Sc. obs. rare
• RATIFIED
adj. settled, confirmed …1644 rare
• RATIFIEDLY
adv. positively …1593 obs.
• RATIFY
vb. 1. to declare or confirm the truth or correctness of a statement, etc. …c1400 rare or obs.
vb. 2. to fix the rate or price of …1511 obs. rare
vb. 3. to consummate, carry out, or bring to fulfilment or completion …1561 obs. rare
vb. 4. to clear up; to settle …1883 Sc.
vb. 5. to grieve, to mortify …1884 Eng. dial.
vb. 6. to scold; to use clamorous vituperation …1889 Eng. dial.
• RATIHABIT
vb. to express approval or sanction of …1678 Sc. obs.
• RATIHABITATION
n. approval, sanction …1502 obs. rare
• RATIHABITION
n. approval, sanction …1561
• RAT IN
vb. to sneak into without paying …20C W. Indies
• RATING
n. a scolding, rebuke, reproof …1577
• RATIO
n. reason, rationale …1636 obs. rare
• RATIOCINANT
adj. that reasons …a1693 nonce word obs.
• RATIOCINATE
vb. to reason, to carry on a process of reasoning …1643
• RATIOCINATION
n. 1. the process of reasoning …c1530
n. 2. an instance of reasoning …c1620
• RATIOCINATIVE
adj. based on reason; giving a reason …c1620
• RATIOCINATOR
n. one who reasons …1824
• RATIOCINATORY
adj. based on reason; giving a reason …1810
• RATION
n. reasoning …1550 obs. rare
• RATIONABILITY
n. the faculty of being rational …1656 obs. rare
• RATIONABLE
adj. 1. reasonable, just, right …1436 chiefly Sc. obs.
adj. 2. rational; sensible …1620 obs.
• RATIONABLY
adv. reasonably …1646 obs.
• RATIONAL
adj. existing (only) in the mind; opposed to ‘real’ …1628 obs.
adv. rationally …1690 obs. rare
n. in Roman Antiquity: an accountant or auditor …1610 obs. rare
• RATIONALE
n. a set of reasoned rules or directions …1657 obs.
• RATIONALS
n. 1. human beings, men …1626 obs. or rare
n. 2. knickerbockers for women …1889
• RATIONS
n. food, without reference to amount …Bk1913-17 Amer. dial.
• RAT IT
int. an exclamation …1816 Eng. dial.
vb. to run away quickly …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RAT-KILLING
n. whatever one is occupied with at the moment; present business, occupation, or work-at-hand; miscellaneous tasks …1967 Amer. dial.
• RATLING
n. the smallest pig of a litter …1879 Eng. dial.
• RAT MATCH
n. a match you can strike anywhere …1967 Amer. dial.
• RAT ON SOMEONE
vb. to inform on someone …20C Amer.sl.
• RAT OUT
vb. to withdraw or depart dishonourably …20C Amer. sl.
• RAT PACK
n. a disorderly mob of youths …1951 sl., orig. US
• RAT RACE
n. a dance, or dancing party …20C US student and teen usage
• RAT-RHYME
n. anything repeated by rote; a long speech or rigmarole; nonsense …1650 Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. to repeat from memory without attaching any meaning to the words …B1900 Sc.
• RATS
int. an exclamation of annoyance, despair, disgust, or disapproval …1886 orig. US
n. 1. rags, tatters …1790 Eng. dial.
n. 2. nonsense …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• THE RATS
n. delirium tremens …19C colloq.
• RAT’S-REST
n. a state of perpetual turmoil …B1900 Sc.
• RAT STAND
n. a railway station …1910s UK criminals’ sl.
• RATT
n. a line or file of soldiers …1775 Sc. obs.
• RAT TAIL
n. 1. a mule …World War I Amer sl.
n. 2. (as ‘rattail’) a cigar, esp. one made of inferior tobacco …1940 Amer. sl.
n. 3. (as ‘rattail’) any small breed of dog …1986 Amer. dial.
• RAT-TAILED
adj. of a horse: having lost the hair of its tail …1896 Eng. dial.
• RAT-TAILS
n. long unkempt locks of hair …1864 Eng. dial.
• RATTATAG
n. a ne’er-do-well …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTE
n. a line or file of soldiers …1775 Sc. obs.
• RATTED
adj. 1. of people: robbed; of objects: stolen …1910s Aust. & NZ sl.
adj. 2. drunk …1983 Brit. sl.
• RATTEN
n. 1. a rat …1785 Sc. & Eng. dial.
n. 2. a sly person …1867 Sc.
n. 3. a term of endearment …1867 Sc.
n. 4. a person of small stature, often with the idea of dark complexion and a profusion of hair; any small animal of its kind …B1900 Sc.
• RATTENER
n. a rat-catcher; a dog for catching rats …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTER
n. an informer …20C Amer. sl.
• RATTICK
vb. to shake, to rattle …1893 Eng. dial.
• RATTIKER
n. a foot-bridge …B900 Eng. dial.
• RATTIPELT
n. a rough, noisy child …B1900 Eng. dial.
vb. to scold …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTLE
adj. good, excellent …1888 Eng. dial.
n. 1. a blow, a stroke …1806 Sc. & Eng. dial.
n. 2. noise of any kind; chatter, scolding …1809 Sc. & Eng. dial.
n. 3. the death-rattle …1836 Sc.
n. 4. a quick pace; speed; impetus; a dash …1878 Sc. & Eng. dial.
n. 5, the ins and outs of anything; all the details …1891 Eng. dial.
n. 6. a giddy, harebrained person; one who talks volubly; a chatterer; a stupid fellow …B1900 Sc. & Eng. dial.
n. 7. a stew consisting of potatoes, turnips, and beef, to which are sometimes added onions …B1900 Eng. dial.
n. 8. a machine gun …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
vb. 1. to make a rustling or crackling noise …1785 Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 2. of a kettle: to boil …1785 Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 3. to pronounce the letter “R” with a burr …1787 Sc.
vb. 4. to move, run, or drive quickly, esp. with much noise …1806 Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 5. to strike, to beat, to hit; to give a blow or knock …1856 Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 6. to work or do anything with energy and speed …1861 Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 7. to make nervous or anxious …1869 sl., orig. US
vb. 8. to talk volubly; to chatter, to prate …1870 Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 9. to play noisily, to romp …1870 Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. 10. to hunt out of; to pursue quickly …1883 Eng. dial.
vb. 11. to confuse; to bewilder …20C Amer. sl.
• RATTLE AND HISS
n. urine; urination …20C US rhyming sl. for ‘piss’
vb. to urinate …20C US rhyming sl. for ‘piss’
• RATTLE-BAG
adj. 1. ramshackle, tumbledown, worn out …1885 Eng. dial.
adj. 2. wild, spendthrift, harum-scarum …1886 Eng. dial.
n. 1. a noisy, bustling person; one who excites alarm …1781 Sc. & Eng. dial.
n. 2. anything that makes a rattling noise; a lout clatter …1781 Sc. & Eng. dial.
• RATTLE-BAGGER
n. a loud clatter …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTLE-BALLOCKS
n. the female genitals …19C Brit. sl.
• RATTLE BEADS
vb. to express aggravation …20C US homosexual sl.
• RATTLE-BEANED
adj. 1. foolish; silly; witless …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
adj. 2. bewildered; confused; muddled …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• RATTLE-BONE
adj. ramshackle, tumbledown, worn out …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTLEBONED
adj. thin; skinny …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• RATTLEBONES
n. a very thin person …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTLEBOX
n. 1. a talkative person; a chatterer; a flighty person …1869 Amer. dial.
n. 2. a machine gun …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• RATTLEBRAIN
adj. wild, spendthrift, harum-scarum …B1900 Eng. dial.
n. a confused, silly, or stupid person; a wild, harum-scarum person; a spendthrift …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTLE-BRAINED
adj. talkative; flighty; harebrained; silly; stupid; prone to confusion; foolish; unable to concentrate …1868 Sc.
• RATTLE-CAN
n. 1. a noisy child or person …B1900 Eng. dial.
n. 2. a kicking cow …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTLE-CAP
n. 1. a whoremonger …19C Brit. sl.
n. 2. a lively, thoughtless person; a chatterbox; a giddy girl; a flirt …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTLE-CUM-BANG
n. a loud, rattling noise; a clatter …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTLE-CUM-SCOUR
adv. at a great rate and with much noise …1893 Eng. dial.
• RATTLED
adj. 1. heavily intoxicated with alcohol; distraught; with one’s senses impaired …19C colloq.
adj. 2. confused; foolish; silly; confused by excitement …20C Amer. sl.
• RATTLE-DOWN
adj. ramshackle, tumbledown, worn out …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTLE-GUT
adj. rickety, shaky, rattling …1877 Eng. dial.
• RATTLEHEAD
n. 1. an oaf; a scatterbrain whose brain has dried and is rattling about in his head …M17 Brit.
n. 2. a talkative, garrulous, or gossiping person …1966 Amer. dial.
• RATTLE-HEADED
adj. 1647 – empty-headed, stupid; foolish and noisy; talkative, chattering, giddy, flighty, hare-brained
• RATTLE-HORN
n. 1785 Eng. dial. – a lively, thoughtless person; a chatterbox; a giddy girl; a flirt
• RATTLE-MOUSE
n. 1. 1589 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – an old name for a bat
n. 2. 1731 obs. – a carnivorous quadruped of South Africa, Mellivora capensis; the honey-badger, or honey-ratel
• RATTLEMOUTH
n. 1966 Amer. dial. – a talkative, garrulous, or gossiping person
► RATTLE-NODDLED adj. giddy, harebrained, foolish and noisy, wild; rattle-headed → 1661 obs.
• RATTLE ON
vb. 20C US sl. – to talk aimlessly; to gossip
• RATTLE ONE’S CHAIN
vb. to cause someone to act in an unusual, strange, or unwelcome manner …1968 Amer. dial.
• RATTLE ONE’S DAGS
vb. to hurry up; to get a move on …1960s Aust. & NZ sl.
• RATTLE-PATE
n. a lively, thoughtless person; a chatterbox; a giddy girl; a flirt …1789 Sc. & Eng. dial.
• RATTLER
n. 1. a rattlesnake …1827 sl., orig. US
n. 2. a roisterer; a wild liver …1831 Eng. dial.
n. 3. a lie, a great falsehood …1839 Eng. dial.
n. 4. a blow …1865 Eng. dial.
n. 5. anything very good or large of its kind …1889 Eng. dial.
n. 6. a noisy signal; a loud halloo …1894 Eng. dial.
n. 7. an oyster in poor condition …1894 Amer. dial.
n. 8. a loud, noisy, talkative person …B1900 Sc. & Eng. dial.
n. 9. a common name for a cart-horse …B1900 Eng. dial.
n. 10. a railroad train; a freight train …20C Amer. sl.
n. 11. a man who copulates athletically …20C Brit. sl.
n. 12. a machine gun …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
n. 13. something excellent …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• RATTLERS
n. dice …Bk1896 sl.
• RATTLE-SCAAP
n. a frolicsome, mischievous person …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTLE-SCAMP
n. a frolicsome, mischievous person …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTLE-SCAWP
n. a frolicsome, mischievous person …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTLE-SCULL
n. a lively, thoughtless person; a chatterbox; a giddy girl; a flirt …1790 Sc.
• RATTLE-SCULLED
adj. talkative, flighty, harebrained …1883 Sc.
• RATTLE-SKULL
n. a lively, thoughtless person; a chatterbox; a giddy girl; a flirt …1790 Sc.
• RATTLESNAKE
n. 1. a prostitute …20C Aust. sl.
n. 2. a machine gun …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• RATTLESNAKE JUICE
n. poor-quality or illicit whisky …1965 Amer. dial.
• RATTLESNAKE OIL
n. poor-quality or illicit whisky …1965 Amer. dial.
• RATTLESNAKE WHISKY
n. poor-quality or illicit whisky …1867 Amer. dial.
• RATTLE SOMEONE’S CAGE
vb. to annoy or upset someone; to stir someone up; to provoke someone’s anger or irritation …1952 colloq.
• RATTLE SOMEONE’S CHAIN
vb. 1. to deceive, to fool, to victimize …1950s Amer. sl.
vb. 2. to upset someone, esp. by teasing or harassing; to anger someone …1980s Amer. sl.
• RATTLE SOMEONE’S STRING
vb. 1. to deceive, to fool, to victimize …1950s Amer. sl.
vb. 2. to upset someone, esp. by teasing or harassing; to anger someone …1980s Amer. sl.
• RATTLE-TAP
n. very poor beer …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTLE THE CAN
vb. to beg money on an empty street …1947 US sl.
• RATTLE THE SHINGLES
vb. to snore …1966 Amer. dial.
• RATTLE-TONGUE
n. a garrulous or gossiping person …1876 Amer. dial.
• RATTLE-TONGUED
adj. talkative, garrulous, gossiping …1876 Amer. dial.
• RATTLE-TOPPIN
n. a wild, harum-scarum person …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTLE-TRAP
adj. dilapidated, worn-out, ramshackle …1880 Sc. & Eng. dial.
n. 1. a worn-out, rickety vehicle; anything old and dilapidated; a makeshift contrivance …1888 Eng. dial.
n. 2. a clattering noise …B1900 Eng. dial.
n. 3. the mouth …B1900 sl.
n. 4. a talkative, garrulous, or gossiping person; a lively giddy girl …Bk1904 Eng. & Amer. dial.
• RATTLE-TRAPS
n. 1. belongings; movables; small odds and ends …1777 Sc. & Eng. dial.
n. 2. a noisy, talkative person; a lively giddy girl …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTLEY
n. a child’s rattle; anything that rattles …1880 Sc. & Eng. dial.
• RATTLEY-BAGS
n. 1879 – thunder → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
• RATTLE YOUR DAGS!
int. 1960s Aust. & NZ sl. – hurry up!
• RATTLIN’ FOU
adj. 1865 Sc. – boisterously drunk; noisy with drink
• RATTLING
adj. 1. lively, brisk, noisy; rollicking, wild …1749 Sc. & Eng. dial.
adj. 2. good, splendid, excellent, great; first-rate; of good quality …1851 Eng. dial.
adv. exceedingly, extremely …20C Amer. sl.
n. a scolding …1839 Eng. dial.
• RATTLING-GOOD
adj. splendid, fine, excellent …Bk1913-17 Amer. dial.
• RATTOCK
n. a great noise; a racket …B1900 Eng. dial.
vb. to make a great noise …B1900 Eng. dial.
• RATTOCKS
n. very small potatoes …1879 Eng. dial.
• RAT-TRACK WHISKEY
n. strong or inferior liquor; moonshine …1929 Amer. sl.
• RAT-TRAP CHEESE
n. cheddar cheese, esp. that with a strong odour …1910 Amer. dial.
• RATTY
adj. 1. run-down, ramshackle, unkempt, shabby; untidy and in poor condition …1856 US sl.
adj. 2. mad, eccentric …L19 Aust. & NZ sl.
adj. 3. irritated, annoyed, obstreperous …L19 sl.
adj. 4. angry …1909 sl.
adj. 5. drunk …20C sl.
adj. 6. unpleasant; disagreeable …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
adj. 7. of a person: run-down, exhausted …1960s US sl.
adj. 8. sick …1960s Amer. sl.
• RATTY ON
adj. infatuated with …L19 Aust. & NZ sl.
• RATTY WITH
adj. infatuated with …L19 Aust. & NZ sl.
• RATY
adj. 1. of the weather: cold, wet, stormy …1856 Eng. dial.
adj. 2. dull, listless, sleepy …1897 Eng. dial.
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