different between cur vs rat

English

Etymology

From Middle English kur, curre, of Middle Low German [Term?] or North Germanic origin. Compare Middle Dutch corre (“house dog; watch-dog”), dialectal Swedish kurre (“a dog”). Compare also Old Norse kurra (“to growl; grumble”), Middle Low German korren (“to growl”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): [k??]
• (US) IPA^(key): [k?]
• Rhymes: -??(r)

Homophone: Kerr

Noun

cur (plural curs)

1. (dated or humorous) A contemptible or inferior dog.
   • c. 1515–1516, published 1568, John Skelton, Again?t venemous tongues enpoy?oned with ?claunder and fal?e detractions &c.:

     A fals double tunge is more fiers and fell
     Then Cerberus the cur couching in the kenel of hel;
     Wherof hereafter, I thinke for to write,
     Of fals double tunges in the di?pite.

   • 1613, Shakespeare, The Famous History of the Life of King Henry VIII, Act 2, scene 4

     you have many enemies, that know not why they are so, but, like to village-curs, bark when their fellows do.

   • 1919, W. Somerset Maugham, The Moon and Sixpence, chapter 25

     "You have no more spirit than a mongrel cur. You lie down on the ground and ask people to trample on you."

2. (dated or humorous) A detestable person.
   • 1613, Shakespeare, The Famous History of the Life of King Henry VIII, Act 1, scene 1

     This butcher's cur is venom-mouth'd, and I have not the power to muzzle him.

Derived terms

• curdog

Translations

See also

• bitsa, bitser
• mongrel
• mutt

Anagrams

• CRU, Cru, RUC, cru, ruc

Aromanian

Etymology 1

From Latin culus. Compare Romanian cur.

Alternative forms

• curu

Noun

cur

1. (slang, referring to the anus) ass

Etymology 2

From Latin curr?. Compare Romanian cure, cur (modern curge, curg).

Alternative forms

• curu

Verb

cur

1. I run.
2. I flow.

Derived terms

• curari / curare

Etymology 3

From Latin c?r?. Compare archaic/regional Romanian cura, cur.

Alternative forms

• curu

Verb

cur (past participle curatã)

1. I clean.

Related terms

• curari / curare
• curat

Dalmatian

Etymology 1

From Latin c?rus.

Alternative forms

• cuor, kuor

Adjective

cur m (feminine cuora)

1. dear, beloved

Etymology 2

From Latin cor. Compare Italian cuore, French coeur, Old Portuguese cor, Old Spanish cuer.

Noun

cur

1. heart

Irish

Alternative forms

• cuir

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [k???]

Noun

cur m (genitive singular as substantive cuir, genitive as verbal noun curtha)

1. verbal noun of cuir
2. sowing, planting; tillage
3. burial
4. setting, laying
5. course; round
6. (of implements) set

Declension

Substantive

Verbal noun

Mutation

References

• "cur" in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
• Entries containing “cur” in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, 1959, by Tomás de Bhaldraithe.
• Entries containing “cur” in New English-Irish Dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge.

Latin

Alternative forms

• q?r, qu?r, qu?r (older spelling)
• quur, cor (rare)

Etymology

From Old Latin qu?r, qu?r, from Proto-Italic *k??r, from Proto-Indo-European *k??r, having undergone pre-resonant and monosyllabic lengthening from *k?or (“where”), from *k?os (“interrogative determiner”) +? *-r (“adverbial suffix”). For similar lengthening effect, compare to *b??r. For other Indo-European cognates, compare:

• Sanskrit ????? (kárhi, “when”), Proto-Germanic *hwar (“where”) < *k?or
• Old English hw?r (“where”), Old High German hw?r (“where”) < *k??r
• Albanian kur (“when”), Lithuanian kur? (“where, whither”), Armenian ??? (ur, “where”) < *k?ur

See also quirquir (“wherever(?)”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ku?r/, [ku?r]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /kur/, [kur]

Adverb

c?r (not comparable)

1. why, for what reason, wherefore, to what purpose, from what motive
   • 19 BC, Vergilius, Aeneis; Book XI, from line 424

     Cur ante tubam tremor occupat artus?

     Why before the trumpet (of war), fear seizes your limbs?

Derived terms

• c?r n?n

References

• cur in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• cur in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• cur in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• Carl Meissner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book?^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
• “c?r” on page 519/1-2 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (2nd ed., 2012)

Manx

Etymology

A highly suppletive verb with forms derived from two already suppletive verbs.

• The imperative and verbal noun forms are from Old Irish cuirid, from older cor, the verbal noun of fo·ceird. The verbal noun is etymologically unrelated to fo·ceird itself however, only arising in its paradigm due to suppletion.
• All other forms of the verb are from Old Irish do·beir, itself also a suppletive verb. See also Scottish Gaelic thoir and Irish tabhair.

Verb

cur (verbal noun cur, coyrt)

1. put

2. give

Conjugation

Derived terms

• cur ayns kishtey (“box, crate”, verb)

Mutation

References

• Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors (2019) , “1 cuirid”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Megleno-Romanian

Etymology

From Latin culus.

Noun

cur

1. (slang) asshole (anus)

Middle English

Noun

cur

1. Alternative form of curre

Middle Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish caur, from Proto-Celtic *karuts.

Noun

cur m (genitive curad, nominative plural curaid)

1. hero, warrior
   • c. 1000, The Tale of Mac Da Thó's Pig, section 15, published in Irische Teste, vol. 1 (1880), edited by Ernst Windisch:

Descendants

• Irish: curadh

Derived terms

• curadmír (“warrior’s portion”)

Mutation

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors (2019) , “cur”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kur/

Etymology 1

From Latin culus, from Proto-Indo-European *kuH-l-, zero-grade without s-mobile form of *(s)kewH- (“to cover”). Compare Italian culo, French cul.

Noun

cur n (plural cururi)

1. (slang, vulgar, referring to the anus) asshole

   Synonyms: anus, dos, fund, popou, ?ezut

Declension

Derived terms

• curist

Etymology 2

Verb

cur

1. first-person singular present indicative/subjunctive of cura (to clean)

Scottish Gaelic

Noun

cur m (genitive singular cuir, no plural)

1. verbal noun of cuir
2. placing, setting, sending, sowing
3. laying, pouring
4. falling of snow, raining
5. throwing

Derived terms

• ath-chur (“transplant”)
• eadar-chur (“interjection, interruption”)

Mutation

References

• “cur” in Edward Dwelly, Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan/The Illustrated [Scottish] Gaelic–English Dictionary, 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, 1911, ?ISBN.

English

Pronunciation

• enPR: r?t, IPA^(key): /?æt/
• Rhymes: -æt

Etymology 1

From Middle English ratte, rat, rotte, from Old English rætt, as though from Proto-Germanic *rattaz, *ratt? (compare West Frisian rôt, Dutch rat), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *reh?d- (“to scrape, scratch, gnaw”); however, the rat was unknown in Northern Europe in antiquity, so if the Proto-Germanic word is real it must have referred to a different animal. Attestation of this family of words begins in the 12th century.

Some of the Germanic cognates show consonant variation, e.g. Middle Low German ratte, radde; Middle High German rate, ratte, ratze. The irregularity may be symptomatic of a late dispersal of the word, in which case it would not be old. Kroonen (2011) rather accounts for it with a Proto-Germanic stem *raþ? nom., *ruttaz gen., showing both ablaut and a Kluge's law alternation, with the variation arising from varying remodellings in the daughters. Kroonen's explanation requires a Proto-Indo-European etymon in final *t, and is hence incompatible with the usual derivation from Proto-Indo-European *reh?d- (“to scrape, scratch, gnaw”).

Noun

rat (plural rats)

1. (zoology) A medium-sized rodent belonging to the genus Rattus.
2. (informal) Any of the numerous members of several rodent families (e.g. voles and mice) that resemble true rats in appearance, usually having a pointy snout, a long, bare tail, and body length greater than about 12 cm, or 5 inches.
3. (informal) A person who is known for betrayal; a scoundrel; a quisling.
   • 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island

     He’s more a man than any pair of rats of you in this here house.

4. (informal) An informant or snitch.
5. (informal) A scab: a worker who acts against trade union policies.
6. (slang) A person who routinely spends time at a particular location.

7. A wad of shed hair used as part of a hairstyle.
8. A roll of material used to puff out the hair, which is turned over it.
9. (Britain, north-west London, slang, vulgar) Vagina.

10. (chiefly informal) Short for muskrat.
    • 1910, L. W. Pierce, "Muskrats are fast disappearing", in Hunter-trader-trapper, page 70:

      The price of rats began to rise and soon after the marsh froze over, spearing rats began, which was done with a one tine three-eighths inch steel rod, with a wooden handle […]

    • 1929, E. J. Dailey, in Hardings Magazine's Question Box, printed in Fur Fish Game, page 73:

      Where natural marshes, or natural foods are found, are best places for raising muskrats. Louisiana and other southern states raise millions of rats, but they do not bring as good prices as northern raised ones. Delaware and Maryland have famed marshes. Other states are becoming noted for muskrat raising, also.

Synonyms

• (person known for betrayal): traitor (see for more synonyms)
• (informer): stool pigeon

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• mouse
• rodent

Verb

rat (third-person singular simple present rats, present participle ratting, simple past and past participle ratted)

1. (usually with “on” or “out”) To betray a person or party, especially by telling their secret to an authority or an enemy; to turn someone in.

   He ratted on his coworker.

   He is going to rat us out!

2. (informal, intransitive) To work as a scab, going against trade union policies.
3. (of a dog, etc.) To kill rats.

Synonyms

• (to betray someone to an authority): tell on, to finger or put the finger on, bewray

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English ratten, further etymology unknown. Compare Middle High German ratzen (“to scratch; rasp; tear”). Could be related to write. See also rit.

Noun

rat (plural rats)

1. (regional) A scratch or a score.
2. (nautical, regional) A place in the sea with rapid currents and crags where a ship is likely to be torn apart in stormy weather.

Verb

rat (third-person singular simple present rats, present participle ratting, simple past and past participle ratted)

1. (regional) To scratch or score.

2. (regional, rare, obsolete) To tear, rip, rend.

3. Damn, drat, blast; used in oaths.
   • 1904, Rafael Sabatini, The Tavern Knight, chapter XXVI:

     “But, rat me, sir,” cried Foster in bewilderment, “tis too generous—'pon honour it is. I can't consent to it. No, rat me, I can't.”

Usage notes

The verb rat is rarely used in the second sense. In the sense to tear, rip, rend, the form to-rat is more common. Compare German zerreißen (“to rip up, tear, rend”).

References

• The Middle English Dictionary
• The English dialect dictionary

Etymology 3

Noun

rat (plural rats)

1. (military, slang) A ration.
   • 2014, John, Buffoon (page 243)

     With regards to the testing of his product, the initial blood analysis had come back confirming huge, distinctive nutritional superiority for Stewart's military ration pack. Given that the policy of the British Army is to be fully ready for war at the drop of a hat, he was sitting on the potential of supplying new rats for the entire army […]

Derived terms

• C-rat

Anagrams

• 'art, ART, ATR, Art, RTA, TAR, Tar, art, art., tar, tra

Catalan

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central, Valencian) IPA^(key): /?rat/
• Rhymes: -at

Noun

rat m (plural rats)

1. rat

   Synonym: rata

Further reading

• “rat” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “rat” in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana.
• “rat” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “rat” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Danish

Etymology

From Middle Low German rat (“wheel”), from Old Saxon rath.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /rat/, [???d?]
• Homophone: ret (except in some older speakers)

Noun

rat n (singular definite rattet, plural indefinite rat)

1. wheel, steering wheel

Inflection

Dutch

Alternative forms

• rot (Northern Dutch, dialectal)

Etymology

From Middle Dutch ratte.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /r?t/
• Hyphenation: rat
• Rhymes: -?t
• Homophone: rad

Noun

rat f (plural ratten, diminutive ratje n)

1. (zoology) A rat, medium-sized rodent belonging to the genus Rattus, or of certain other genera in the family Muridae.
2. (informal) Any of the numerous, fairly large members of several rodent families that resemble true rats in appearance.
3. (informal) A traitor; a scoundrel; a quisling.
4. (informal) An informant or snitch.
5. (informal) An urchin.
6. (informal) A pauper; undesirable commoner.
7. (slang) A watch.

Derived terms

• landrat
• rattenbeet
• rattengif
• rattenkoning
• rattenval
• rattenvanger
• rattenvergif
• rioolrat
• straatrat
• waterrat
• zwemrat

- animal species

• bisamrat
• bruine rat
• buidelrat
• muskusrat
• rattenbever
• rattenvlo
• woelrat
• woestijnrat
• zwarte rat

Descendants

• Afrikaans: rot

French

Etymology

From Middle French rat (“rat”), from Old French rat (“rat”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?a/

Noun

rat m (plural rats)

1. rat
2. (informal) sweetheart
3. scrooch

Derived terms

Related terms

• raton
• rate
• rat d'hôtel
• rater

Further reading

• “rat” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• art

Indonesian

Etymology

From Javanese rat (???), from Sanskrit ?? (ratha, “chariot, wagon, body”). See Yana (Buddhism) in Wikipedia for more information.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?rat??]
• Hyphenation: rat

Noun

rat (first-person possessive ratku, second-person possessive ratmu, third-person possessive ratnya)

1. (archaic) world

   Synonyms: alam, dunia, jagat

Further reading

• “rat” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI) Daring, Jakarta: Badan Pengembangan dan Pembinaan Bahasa, Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia, 2016.

Kalasha

Etymology

From Sanskrit ?????? (r?tri). Cognate with Hindi ??? (r?t).

Noun

rat (Arabic ????)

1. night

Middle Dutch

Etymology 1

From Old Dutch *rath, from Proto-Germanic *raþ?, from Proto-Indo-European *Hret-.

Noun

rat n

1. wheel

   Synonym: wiel

Inflection

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants

• Dutch: rad
• Limburgish: raad

Etymology 2

From Old Dutch *rath, from Proto-Germanic *raþaz, from Proto-Indo-European *Hret-.

Adjective

rat

1. fast, quick

Inflection

This adjective needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants

• Dutch: rad

Further reading

• “rat”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929) , “rat (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, ?ISBN, page I
• Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929) , “rat (III)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, ?ISBN, page III

Middle English

Noun

rat

1. Alternative form of ratte

Norman

Etymology

From Old French rat (“rat”).

Noun

rat m (plural rats)

1. (Jersey, Guernsey) rat

Derived terms

Occitan

Noun

rat m (plural rats)

1. (Rattus rattus) black rat

Synonyms

• garri

Derived terms

Related terms

• rata

References

Old French

Etymology

Of Germanic origin, from Old High German rato (“rat”) or Frankish *rato (“rat”).

Noun

rat m (oblique plural raz or ratz, nominative singular raz or ratz, nominative plural rat)

1. rat (rodent)

Descendants

• French: rat
• Norman: rat

References

Bratchet, A. (1873) , “rat”, in Kitchin, G. W., transl., Etymological dictionary of the French language (Clarendon Press Series), 1st edition, London: Oxford/MacMillan and Co.

Romani

Etymology

From Sanskrit ???? (rakta, “blood”). Cognate with dialectal Hindi ??? (r?t) and Punjabi ??? (ratta).

Noun

rat m (plural rat)

1. blood

Romansch

Etymology

From Frankish *rato (“rat”).

Noun

rat m (plural rats)

1. (Surmiran) rat

Synonyms

• ratung

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *ort?, from the o-grade of Proto-Indo-European *h?er- (“to rise, to attack”), cognate to Ancient Greek ???? (éris, “quarrel, strife”), Sanskrit ??? (?ti, “assault”) and Proto-Germanic *ernustuz (“struggle, fight”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /rât/

Noun

r?t m (Cyrillic spelling ????)

1. war

Declension

Synonyms

• vojna

Torres Strait Creole

Etymology

From English rat.

Noun

rat

1. rat or mouse

Synonyms

• mukeis (eastern dialect)

Volapük

Etymology

Borrowed from English rat.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?at]

Noun

rat (nominative plural rats)

1. rat (rodent of the family Muridae)

Declension

Hypernyms

• nim
• sügaf
• süganim
• tuetaf
• tuetanim

Hyponyms

• ratil
• ratül

Derived terms

See also

• mug
• yat

Westrobothnian

Etymology

Cognate to Icelandic hrat n.

Noun

rat n

1. garbage, waste, in forest lying twigs, rotten trees and stumps