| 释义 |
ratter|ˈrætə(r)|
[f. rat n.1 and v.1 + -er1.]
1. A rat-catcher; a dog, cat, or other animal which catches rats.
1857S. H. Hammond Wild Northern Scenes xi. 121 There was an assemblage of all the cats in that part of the town... Off at the right was an old spotted ratter. 1858Lewis in Youatt Dog ii. 54 The little Dane is often a good ratter. 1887Century Mag. Sept. 704/1 Against these ravages the company supply a special guardian in the person of the ratter. 1946E. O'Neill Iceman Cometh iv. 233 With that..line of bull, you ought to be able to sell skunks for good ratters! 1972R. Adams Watership Down xxv. 190 The farm cat was bewildered by the speed and fury of Bigwig's charge. It was no weakling and a good ratter.
2. One who ‘rats’:
a. One who deserts his party, a renegade. = rat n.1 4 c.
1834M. Edgeworth Helen xxvii, In the famous old print of the minister rat-catcher..the ridicule on placemen ratters remains. 1885E. A. Abbott Bacon 84 The Essay on Faction is..almost cynical in its suppression of resentment against ratters and traitors.
b. A workman who refuses to join a strike, etc. = rat n.1 4 d.
3. Austral. One who steals opal from another's mine.
1931I. L. Idriess Prospecting for Gold xxvi. 239 Ratters are men, a gang as a rule, who work your opal out for you while you sleep. 1964W. C. Eyles Bk. of Opals vii. 83 When the miners..went down the shaft, they found the ratters had cleaned the place out entirely. 1976Nat. Geographic Oct. 564/2 The mine ratters (thieves) are here, but that's been going on since King Solomon's mines. |