rathole

[rat-hohl]

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noun

a hole made by a rat, as into a room, barn, etc.: The first chore in the old building is to plug up the ratholes.
the burrow or shelter of a rat.
any small and uncomfortable room, office, apartment, etc., especially one that is dirty or disordered: He lives in a rathole near the docks.

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Idioms

down the rathole, for a worthless purpose or purposes: seeing your inheritance disappear down the rathole.

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Origin of rathole

First recorded in 1805–15; rat + hole

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for rathole

hut, shack, shanty, cottage, lean-to, box, shed, chalet, cot, shelter, lodge, hovel, cabin, bungalow, hutch, dump, stall, den, pigpen, hole

Examples from the Web for rathole

Historical Examples of rathole

You will have to take a groundcar to Rathole and bring the fellow back.
Wind
Charles Louis Fontenay
He had seven hours to go and he was still at least 16 kilometers from Rathole.
Wind
Charles Louis Fontenay
There was nothing to do but turn back to Rathole and see if some other way could not be found.
Wind
Charles Louis Fontenay
One of the men of Rathole came to Jan's side and tried the engines.
Wind
Charles Louis Fontenay
He knew every rathole of the system, with the same intimacy the rats knew them.
Shock Treatment
Stanley Mullen