gym rat
- noun
- /dʒɪm ræt/
- Slang
- I never thought I'd be a gym rat, but he makes it fun. (I also really, really like the new individual TV screens on the treadmills and bikes.)
- become a gym rat
- just a gym rat
And I'm not really a gym rat person in general.
- And I'm not really a gym rat person in general.
Examples
-
Perfectly clean tennis shoes mean she's probably more of a gym rat.
Blog text (8) -
I am not a gym rat.
Blog text (31) -
I have been a gym rat most of my life.
Blog text (3) -
Once upon a time, handball was a game for serious athletes, real gym rats.
Fiction book (1995) -
"I too am a gym rat, and this December I am participating in the Santa Speedo Run here in Boston.
Blog text (5) -
You don't need to be a gym rat or a fitness model to become healthier.
Blog text (17) -
Two gym rats can be better than one (positioned on opposite sides of the barbell).
Blog text (26) -
After spending hours at the gym each day, Mark is known as a true gym rat among his friends.
-
Even though she has a busy schedule, Maya still finds time to be a gym rat and hit the gym every morning.
-
To improve his strength and endurance, Kevin became a gym rat, dedicating most of his free time to working out.
Synonyms
A person who regularly does physical activity to stay fit
A person who often goes to the gym and loves exercising
Antonyms
How Dedicated
- Slang
Surface Forms
Morphology
gym + rat
The phrase combines clear lexical items 'gym' and 'rat' in a metaphorical way: a B1 learner who knows 'gym' and 'rat' can plausibly infer it labels a person who spends a lot of time at the gym. However, the animal-label is figurative (and may carry negative nuances) rather than strictly compositional, so the exact meaning and connotation are not fully predictable without exposure.
Etymology
Gym rat compares a person to a rat that lives in the gym, always running between machines and rarely leaving. That's why it means 'someone who spends a lot of time exercising'.