different between informer vs ratfink

English

Alternative forms

• informor (obsolete, rare)
• informour (obsolete, rare)

Etymology

inform +? -er

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -??(r)m?(r)

Noun

informer (plural informers)

1. One who informs someone else about something.
2. A person who tells authorities about improper or illegal activity.
3. One who informs, animates, or inspires.
   • 1729, Alexander Pope, Prologue to Sophonisba (by James Thomson

     Nature, informer of the poet's art.

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:informant

Translations

See also

• name names

Anagrams

• reinform, reniform

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ?nf?rm?, ?nf?rm?re.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??.f??.me/

Verb

informer

1. to inform; to enlighten; to impart knowledge (upon)

2. (reflexive) to inquire

Conjugation

Related terms

• information
• former

Further reading

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

Latin

Verb

?nf?rmer

1. first-person singular present passive subjunctive of ?nf?rm?

Norwegian Bokmål

Verb

informer

1. imperative of informere

English

Alternative forms

• rat fink
• rat-fink

Etymology

rat +? fink

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /??ætf??k/
• Hyphenation: rat?fink

Noun

ratfink (plural ratfinks) (Canada, US)

1. An informer or spy; a traitor. [from 1960s]
2. (also attributive) A dislikable or contemptible person. [from 1960s]

Synonyms

• fink

Translations

Verb

ratfink (third-person singular simple present ratfinks, present participle ratfinking, simple past and past participle ratfinked)

1. (transitive) To inform on; to betray. [from 1970s]

References

• John A. Simpson and Edward S. C. Weiner, editors (1989) , “ratfink”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, ?ISBN
• “rat fink”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present; “rat-fink”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.