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rathole

[rat-hohl]
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noun
  1. 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.
  2. the burrow or shelter of a rat.
  3. 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
  1. 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

Examples from the Web for rathole

Historical Examples

  • 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

  • You will have to take a groundcar to Rathole and bring the fellow back.

    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