rat hole

collocation in English

meaningsofratandhole

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withhole.
rat
noun[C]
uk
/ræt/us
/ræt/
a small rodent, larger than a mouse, that has a long tail and is considered to ...
See more atrat
hole
noun[C]
uk
/həʊl/us
/hoʊl/
an empty space in an object, usually with an opening to the object's surface, or an opening that goes completely through ...
See more athole

(Definition ofratandholefrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)

Examplesofrat hole

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Preisler is an industrial chemist working in an electroplating factory he calls therathole.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Many banks and lending institutions owned foreclosed apartments and failed to properly maintain them, considering it pouring money down a perceivedrathole.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
When the exterminators fill theratholewith poisonous gas, eight of the ten rats manage to escape, while two rats die in the hole.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
As the others move, ten rats stay behind so the exterminators would not think theratholehas been abandoned.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
That's money down therathole.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
I have seen water pouring through the roofs and oozing from the walls, which in many instances are studded with rat holes.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
There were rat holes, the houses lacked sewerage and had been neglected over a long period.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
People will not live in rat holes with- out gas or electricity, or stay in bed without heat.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Modern nationalised mines with all their many hazards and discomforts, are very different from the rat holes of yesterday's privately owned pits.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
They were little rat holes.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
They are more effective ratters than terriers, as they can enter rat holes and drive rats from their hiding places.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Want to learn more?
Go to the definition ofrat
Go to the definition ofhole
See other collocations withhole