rat race
English
noun
Definitions
- An activity or situation which is congested with participants and which is hectic or tedious, especially in the context of a busy, modern urban lifestyle.
- (by extension) The busy, modern urban lifestyle itself.
- (politics) Inconsiderate or unfair competition, where the competitors are willing to do just about anything to win.
Etymology
Compound from English rat (rip up, rend, tear) + English race (fruits, having a characteristic taste, etc).
Origin
English
race
Gloss
fruits, having a characteristic taste, etc
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- antirat English
- ballrace English
- bograt English
- clubrat English
- derat English
- enrace English
- ethnorace English
- fleet race English
- footrace English
- gainrace English
- headrace English
- hoodrat English
- interrace English
- landrace English
- match race English
- midrace English
- minirace English
- moonrat English
- multirace English
- nonrace English
- nonrat English
- outrace English
- overrace English
- packrat English
- postrace English
- prerace English
- proto-race English
- race English
- race-bending English
- race-blind English
- race-fellow English
- race-goer English
- raceable English
- raceabout English
- racebend English
- racebending English
- racebike English
- racebook English
- racecar English
- racecard English
- racecourse English
- racecraft English
- racegoer English
- racegoing English
- racehorse English
- raceless English
- racelike English
- racemaking English
- racepath English
- raceplay English
- racer English
- racerunner English
- racest English
- raceth English
- racetrack English
- racewalk English
- racewalker English
- racewalking English
- raceway English
- racewear English
- racial English
- raciation English
- raciology English
- racy English
- rat English
- rat-baiting English
- ratbag English
- ratcatcher English
- ratette English
- ratface English
- ratfink English
- ratfish English
- ratfolk English
- ratfuck English
- ratfucker English
- rathole English
- rathood English
- raticide English
- ratless English
- ratlike English
- ratling English
- ratly English
- ratmageddon English
- ratness English
- ratproof English
- ratsbane English
- ratshit English
- ratsicle English
- ratskin English
- rattail English
- ratter English
- rattery English
- rattish English
- ratton English
- rattrap English
- ratty English
- region rat English
- rugrat English
- stage race English
- subrace English
- superrace English
- tailrace English
- torace English
- torat English
- transrace English
- ultrarace English
- ur-race English
- wererat English
- whitret English
- woodrat English
- race Dutch, Flemish
- la rata Spanish, Castilian
- rato Portuguese
- race Middle English
- ratte Middle English
- առնետ Armenian
- առնետավազք Armenian
- վազք Armenian
- ras Welsh
- resi Swahili
- rat Volapük
- alata Sranan Tongo
- rat Torres Strait Creole
- alata Saramaccan
- rat
- racy
- race
- racer
- ratty
- ratly
- torat
- derat
- bograt
- racest
- enrace
- ratton
- torace
- rugrat
- ratter
- racial
- nonrat
- raceth
- ratbag
- rattail
- ratskin
- midrace
- antirat
- ratshit
- ratfuck
- rattish
- rattery
- ratfish
- nonrace
- whitret
- ratless
- ur-race
- ratness
- woodrat
- wererat
- rattrap
- prerace
- moonrat
- clubrat
- ratlike
- subrace
- outrace
- rathood
- raceway
- ratette
- rathole
- ratfolk
- racecar
- hoodrat
- ratface
- ratling
- packrat
- ratfink
- ballrace
- racepath
- racewear
- racecard
- minirace
- raceless
- racewalk
- racelike
- ratsbane
- postrace
- overrace
- landrace
- ratsicle
- raceable
- footrace
- ratproof
- racegoer
- gainrace
- tailrace
- racebook
- raceplay
- headrace
- racebend
- racebike
- raticide
- raciation
- transrace
- race-goer
- racetrack
- ultrarace
- racehorse
- racegoing
- raciology
- raceabout
- ratfucker
- racecraft
- ethnorace
- interrace
- superrace
- multirace
- racerunner
- match race
- ratcatcher
- race-blind
- racewalker
- racecourse
- fleet race
- proto-race
- stage race
- racemaking
- region rat
- racebending
- rat-baiting
- race-fellow
- ratmageddon
- racewalking
- race-bending