rathole

[ rat-hohl ]

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of rathole¹

First recorded in 1805–15; rat + hole

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. down the rathole, for a worthless purpose or purposes:

   seeing your inheritance disappear down the rathole.

Example Sentences

I certainly do, but I think they’ve gone down that same rathole in Colorado and in Montana and other places.

From ProPublica

The platform was in a warehouse which, like the rest of the structures in Rathole, was a half-buried dome.

From Project Gutenberg

He knew every rathole of the system, with the same intimacy the rats knew them.

From Project Gutenberg

He had seven hours to go and he was still at least 16 kilometers from Rathole.

From Project Gutenberg

There was nothing to do but turn back to Rathole and see if some other way could not be found.

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• box
• bungalow
• cabin
• chalet
• cot
• cottage
• hovel
• lean-to
• lodge
• shack
• shanty
• shed
• shelter
• summer house