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Glite Dictionary
rat run

rat run

8.1
A narrow hidden path people use to go somewhere faster
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : ruta secreta
  • Children discovered a hidden rat run through the hedge to reach the park more quickly.

Examples

  • The old alley behind the market became a well-used rat run for delivery bikes.

  • During rush hour, this path is a busy rat run for commuters trying to get to work faster.

  • Investigators identified a rat run between abandoned buildings used by intruders.

  • The alley is a popular rat run for pedestrians.

  • Many cyclists use the rat run to avoid traffic.

  • The children found a secret rat run through the bushes that led straight to the playground.

  • The old warehouse was transformed into a rat run for those looking to evade the main roads.

Antonyms

main road
35 1.1

A big road that carries most traffic and connects towns

off the beaten path
  • US
9 6.0

In a place most people do not visit

How Narrow

rat run
  • UK
8.1
alley
349 1.0
lane
405 1.0
street
∞ 1.0
road
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

rat run singular
rat runs plural

Morphology

rat + run

The constituents 'rat' (rodent) + 'run' (route) create a fairly literal image of a small path where rats run, so a B1 learner could infer it refers to a narrow path or track. However, the conventionalized extension to an idiomatic 'shortcut' or frequently used back‑route for people/traffic (and its chiefly regional usage) is not fully predictable from the parts alone, so the expression is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Rat run comes from the image of a rat making a run, a tiny path, through a hedge or between buildings. People used those small animal paths as secret 'shortcuts', so the phrase now means a narrow or hidden route often used to move quickly.