Rathole

Pronunciation: /ræthoʊl/

Definitions of rathole

noun a small hole or tunnel that serves as a shelter or hiding place for rats

Example Sentences

A1 I saw a rat run into a rathole.

A2 The cat tried to catch the mouse hiding in the rathole.

B1 The old building was full of ratholes, making it unsafe to enter.

B2 The investigation led them down a rathole of corruption and deceit.

C1 The journalist uncovered a rathole of illegal activities within the company.

C2 The politician's attempt to deflect attention only led them further down the rathole of scandal.

Examples of rathole in a Sentence

formal The company auditors uncovered financial discrepancies in the rathole of expenses.

informal I always end up going down a rathole when I start researching random topics online.

slang He's been wasting his time and money on that rathole of a project.

figurative Don't get stuck in a rathole of negative thoughts, try to focus on the positive instead.

Grammatical Forms of rathole

• past tense: ratholed
• plural: ratholes
• comparative: more rathole
• superlative: most rathole
• present tense: ratholes
• future tense: will rathole
• perfect tense: have ratholed
• continuous tense: is ratholing
• singular: rathole
• positive degree: rathole
• infinitive: to rathole
• gerund: ratholing
• participle: ratholing

Origin and Evolution of rathole

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'rathole' originated from Middle English, where 'rat' referred to a rodent and 'hole' meant an opening or cavity.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'rathole' evolved to also refer to a small, cramped, or dirty place, often used metaphorically to describe a place where money or resources are wasted or lost.