little rugrat
1
8.2
- noun
- /ˈlɪtəl ˈrʌɡræt/
- Slang
:
pequeño travieso
- Our little rugrat, Zeb, joined us in June of '07.
Examples
-
As others have commented, you will have the energy to run around after a little rugrat after getting two hours of sleep the night before.
Blog text (7) -
I can't believe how much energy that little rugrat has!
-
Every time I visit, my little rugrat gets into mischief.
-
My little rugrat loves to draw all over the walls with crayons.
Synonyms
339
4.1
A playful child who likes to play tricks
54
3.5
A person, often a child, who acts in a playful, naughty way
15
8.0
A young child who is lively and often naughty
4
8.2
A young child who crawls or is learning to walk
1
8.7
A playful person, often a child, who causes harmless trouble
1
9.6
A young person who is playful, noisy, and often breaks rules
A lively child who likes to climb and play noisy games
A playful person often a boy who causes small trouble
How Mischievous
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'little' (small/young) modifies 'rugrat' (an informal term for a small/crawling child), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer an affectionate or mildly pejorative reference to a mischievous child. Although 'rugrat' is slang, its basic referent (a small child) is transparent, and the adjective + noun pattern is cross-linguistically common.
Etymology
Little rugrat may come from the picture of a small child crawling on the rug like a little rat, quick and always getting into things. That's why people use it as a friendly name for a 'mischievous child'.