rat:
(plural: ‘rats‘; for the right pronunciation, please click here)
a rat
a very dishonest, immoral person;
a worker who works or tries to work while the other workers go on strike;
(in American usage) an informer, i.e. a petty criminal who gives the information to the police about other criminals or his own people for money; a stool pigeon;
a person who leaves his friends or family and goes away, especially when those people are in trouble,
a rat (L) with a police officer
The police have two very good rats among the criminal gangs. (i.e. two very good informers who give important information regarding the activities of the gangs)
Robert was not allowed to attend the party because he usually behaved like a rat. (i.e. Robert behaves like an indecent person so he was not allowed to attend the party)
The labour unions are very particular about the rats, and punish them whenever they get a chance. (i.e. labour unions do not tolerate those workers who try to work during a union strike in a factory, company, etc.)
