water rat

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water rat

a. Any of various semiaquatic rodents, especially Neofiber alleni of Florida and southern Georgia, that resemble the muskrat but are smaller and have a round tail.

b. See muskrat.

2. Slang A petty thief or ruffian who frequents waterfronts.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

water rat

1. (Animals) any of several small amphibious rodents, esp the water vole or the muskrat

2. (Animals) any of various amphibious rats of the subfamily Hydromyinae, of New Guinea, the Philippines, and Australia

3. (Swimming, Water Sports & Surfing) informal a person who is very fond of water sports

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

wa′ter rat`

1. any of various aquatic rodents, as the muskrat.

2. Slang. a vagrant or thief who frequents a waterfront.

[1545–55]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	water rat - a person who enjoys being in or on the water water dog crewman, sailor - any member of a ship's crew
	2.	water rat - common large Eurasian vole Arvicola amphibius, water vole field mouse, vole - any of various small mouselike rodents of the family Cricetidae (especially of genus Microtus) having a stout short-tailed body and inconspicuous ears and inhabiting fields or meadows Arvicola, genus Arvicola - in some classifications considered synonymous with Microtus
	3.	water rat - any of various amphibious rats gnawer, rodent - relatively small placental mammals having a single pair of constantly growing incisor teeth specialized for gnawing beaver rat - amphibious rat of Australia and New Guinea

Translations

νεροαρουραίος

lupo di mare topo di fogna

water rat

n → topo d'acqua

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

References in periodicals archive ?

Gardner JL and Serena M (1995) Observations on activity patterns, population and den characteristics of the water rat Hydromys chrysogaster (Muridae: Hydromyinae) along Badger Creek, Victoria.

Distribution of the Australian Water-rat Hydromys chrysogaster in Victoria: findings from community-based sightings and live-trapping surveys

Mole, Water Rat, Badger, Mouse, and Toad welcome two newcomers into The River Bank: a female mole named Beryl and her friend Rabbit.

Johnson, Kij. The River Bank: A Sequel to The Wind in the Willows

A GIANT water rat has been spotted at South Pennine Boat Club in Mirfield - but there's no threat to local residents.

Fancy messing about in boats?

I STROLL through pretty Jesmond Dene A lovely charming sylvan scene The trees are now in full bloom And there's always plenty room For little creatures there to play I saw a few last Sunday A water rat swam swiftly by A blackbird sang up on high A brown rat scuttled in the old mill I watched it quickly scamper until A yapping terrier chased its tail Its swift pursuit to no avail Furthermore a squirrel squeaks I hear more birdies' twittering tweets The prettiest sight you'll see of all Is the sparkling tumbling waterfall A flash of colour - a kingfisher flies You'll miss it if you blink your eyes Further along a stately swan A stately swan!

POEM OF THE DAY; Walk Through the Urban Paradise Garden

He has also performed in Germany, Portugal, Spain and regularly in The United States, and was the guest speaker at the Grand Order of the Water Rats annual Ball at the Grosvenor House 2003 and was himself a Water Rat.

Brendan Healy, a man with a joke for every occasion, dies at age of 59

8DA YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS WEE THINKER ACROSS: 7 Overall 9 Omits 10 Delve 11 Nitrate 12 Who 13 Woollies 16 Contessa 17 Dam 19 Samurai 21 April 22 Akela 23 Echidna DOWN: 1 Hoedown 2 Well-to-do 3 Sane 4 Tortilla 5 Pisa 6 Essex 8 Langoustine 13 Water rat 14 El Dorado 15 Amalgam 18 Usual 20 Meek 21 Ashe QUICKIE ACROSS: 1 Scratchcard 8 Coo 9 Arc 11 Rampage 12 Occur 13 Ore 14 Emu 15 Eyesore 17 Nab 19 Gist 21 Oats 23 Iron 25 Afar 27 Nag 29 Through 31 Off 34 Fur 36 Plan b 37 Lioness 38 Tar 39 Tee 40 Teetotaller DOWN: 1 Soar 2 Come 3 Analyst 4 Cheese 5 Choir 6 Race 7 Drum 8 Crown 10 Crust 16 Ego 18 Boa 20 Inn 22 Art 24 Rag doll 25 Adopt 26 Job lot 28 Gorse 30 Habit 32 Flat 33 Fare 34 Fete 35 User

PS200 Xword

Let me just say that never before in my entire life have I witnessed anything so homble This morning a water rat crawled out from between rocks down by the docks.

Riding the back roads with Max & Gracie

As soon as Miss Mousie's eyes alight on handsome Matt LaBatt, the water rat, she can think of nothing but how to catch his attention.

Miss Mousie's Blind Date

Summer meant catching sticklebacks in a jar, watching Tales of the Riverbank and eating loganberries from my auntie's garden, but I suppose even then it wasn't very positive for the sticklebacks, and I imagine the animal rights people had a thing or two to say about Roderick the water rat being forced to do his own stunts in that little motor boat.

Sounds of summer look sure to stay the course

Finally Magpie and Jackdaw ask Water Rat if he can help find the spoon underwater.

Magpie's Missing Spoon

"The lifeguards (last year) named me Water Rat because I'm here so much," Eric Buckendahl, 13, said.

SWIMMERS FLOCK TO SUMMER SUN

The bayou water rat, also known as nutria, is 60 cm long and weighs nearly 9 kg.