pack rat
or packrat
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noun
Also called trade rat, wood rat . a large, bushy-tailed rodent, Neotoma cinerea, of North America, noted for carrying off small articles to store in its nest.
Informal. a person who saves things that are not needed or used but that may have personal or other value.
Informal. an old prospector or guide.
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QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!
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“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
Origin of pack rat
First recorded in 1840–50
Other definitions for pack rat (2 of 2)
pack-rat
or pack·rat
[ pak-rat ]
/ ˈpækˌræt /
verb (used with object), pack-rat·ted, pack-rat·ting.Informal.
to save in the manner of a pack rat: I’m looking through the stuff my grandpa pack-ratted away in the attic.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
British Dictionary definitions for pack rat
pack rat
noun
any rat of the genus Neotoma, of W North America, having a long tail that is furry in some species: family CricetidaeAlso called: wood rat
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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