1888. Puck's Library, Jan. 13. When the Chinaman becomes a compositor, he will most likely prefer a rat-office.
1892. Globe, 2 Ap., 2, 4. He would rather like to see him brought down to this House," he said, "where he would find plenty of occupation, as on this (the Opposition) side there were a good many rats.
2. (Old Cant).—A clergyman: see Sky-pilot.—Grose (1785).
1628. Earle, Microcos. [Bliss (1811), 195]. A profane man is one that . . . nick-names clergymen with all the terms of reproach as rat, black-coat, and the like.
3. (old).—'A drunken person when in custody.'—B. E. (c. 1696); Grose (1785). Whence (in pl.) = d.t.'s (q.v.); drunk as a rat = hopelessly drunk: see Screwed.
1553. T. Wilson, Rhet. (1580), 128. As dronke as a ratte.
1661. Merry Drollery, 28. He walks about the country . . . Drunk as a rat, you'd hardly wot That drinking so he could trudge it.
c. 1685. Roxburghe Ballads [Brit. Mus. ii. 101]. His master one night got drunk as a rat.
4. (nautical).—An infernal machine: espec. one used to founder insured bottoms.
c. 1880. Times [S. J. & C.]. There are two species of rats. One species is intended to operate upon iron ships, the other upon wooden ones.
5. (back slang).—In pl. = a star.
6. (thieves').—A police spy: see Nark; hence (general) a term of contempt.
7. (obsolete).—A hairpad, somewhat resembling a rat in shape, circa 1860-70. Also as verb.
Phrases.—To smell a rat = to suspect a trick or roguery (Florio; B. E.; Grose); to give green rats = to malign or backbite; to have (or see) rats = (1) to be eccentric, (2) out of sorts, (3) drunk, and (4) crazy: also rats in the garret (loft, or upper story); like a drowned rat = sopping wet; rat me = a varient of rot me: an objurgation; Rats! = a contemptuous retort: see Water.
c. 1508. Colyn Blowbol's Test [Hazlitt, Early Pop. Poetry, i. 93, 31.]. He lokyd furyous as a wyld catt, And pale of hew like a drowned ratt.
c. 1529. Image of Ipocrysy, 51. For yf they smell a ratt, They grisely chide and chatt.
1630. Wadsworth, Pilgr. viii., 84. I got on shore as wet as a drowned rat.
1633. Jonson, Tale of a Tub, iv. 3. Do you not smell a rat? I tell you truth, I think all's knavery.
1664. Cotton, Virgil Travestie, 23. He straight began to smell a rat, And soon perceiv'd what they'd be at.
1708-10. Swift, Pol. Conv., 17. Take Pity on poor Miss; don't throw Water on a drownded rat.
1772. Bridges, Burlesque Homer, 204. Tydides' heart went pit-a-pat, For he began to smell a rat.
1830. Barrington, Personal Sketches. Sir Boyle Roche: 'Mr. Speaker, I smell a rat; I see him forming in the air and darkening the sky; but I'll nip him in the bud.'
1840. Lytton, Paul Clifford, xxxiv. "Whew!" said he, lifting up his fore-*finger, "whew! I smell a rat; this stolen child, then, was no other than Paul.,
1865. Yates, Land at Last, v. "Well, and now, old boy, how are you?" "Well, not very brilliant this morning, Algy. I —" "Ah, like me, got rats, haven't you?"
1880. New Virginians, 11. 229. Looking like the drowndest of drowned rats.
1886-96 Marshall, His Bit of Trouble ['Pomes,' 122]. One word, and that was Rats!
1892. Ally Sloper, 27 Feb., 66, 3. "I had 'em again last night, old man,'. . . "The usual thing?" asked Boozer. . . . "No," said Lushington, "it was a regular mixture—rats and skeletons . . . all sorts."
