What's a 'rat'?

[miamited]

Hi all,

I'm just curious to do a bit of research on people's understanding. In legal terms, what does it mean to call someone a 'rat'. In other words, when someone says that someone else is a rat, what is the general understanding of what they are meaning to be understood about the other person?

God bless,
In Christ, ted

 

[grasping the after wind]

Hi all,

I'm just curious to do a bit of research on people's understanding. In legal terms, what does it mean to call someone a 'rat'. In other words, when someone says that someone else is a rat, what is the general understanding of what they are meaning to be understood about the other person?

God bless,
In Christ, ted

I do not think the term rat has a meaning in legal terms.

 

[Chesterton]

I think it means to be either a traitor or a snitch. As a verb it means to snitch, usually to snitch on people who are friends or associates. Why do you ask?

 

[Go Braves]

Hi all,

I'm just curious to do a bit of research on people's understanding. In legal terms, what does it mean to call someone a 'rat'. In other words, when someone says that someone else is a rat, what is the general understanding of what they are meaning to be understood about the other person?

God bless,
In Christ, ted

In Donald Trump terms, anybody who doesn't remain fully loyal to him, no matter the ethics of doing that & no matter the personal jeopardy, is a rat. But he doesn't reciprocate that loyalty.

 

[Elliewaves]

They tell the truth to get someone in trouble for wrongdoing .

 

[redleghunter]

Hi all,

I'm just curious to do a bit of research on people's understanding. In legal terms, what does it mean to call someone a 'rat'. In other words, when someone says that someone else is a rat, what is the general understanding of what they are meaning to be understood about the other person?

God bless,
In Christ, ted

I believe the term became popular in mafia and organized crime lore.

When one is part of a crime family or mafia and took a secret oath to that organization and then sells them out to avoid hard sentencing, mobsters deem such a “rat.”

The rat if out of jail would normally be found stuffed in a car trunk (boot for the Brits) dead with a rat stuffed in their mouth.

If in prison waiting trial, the rat would normally be “shived” in prison.

Or the body is never found. Which was the evil demise of the father of two schoolmates of mine in grammar school. Press reports were that their dad laundered money for a mob family in NY and one day just disappeared body never to be found.

For more on the definition of “rat” one can cautiously view the Godfather movies and The Sopranos.

 

[Kenny'sID]

Someone dirty or as mentioned, ratting someone out/telling on them, is another definition of "rat".

"You dirty rat, you killed my brother, and I will rat you out for doing so"

Why?

 

[miamited]

Hi kenny,

You ask 'why'?

I'm just curious because of the situation that we have where President Trump called Mr. Cohen a 'rat'. I realize it's been a while ago, but it was always my understanding, as RLH alludes and effiewaves clearly states, that it became popular in crime syndicates to denote someone who decided to give evidence of wrong doing by a criminal. A 'rat' was someone who had been keeping a set of illegal books to hide money that then decided to show an investigative group evidence the 'truth' concerning the cooked books. A 'rat' was someone who knew about a murder and had kept it secret for some time and then decided to open up about the 'truth' of the murder. A 'rat' always, for me, carried with it the idea that the 'rat' was telling the truth against a false story that was being given as the truth.

Therefore, as many pointed out at the time, President Trump was correct in labeling Mr. Cohen a rat. He had been involved in the inner workings of the business and personal world of Donald Trump and had decided to come clean. But, for me, the issue is that the 'rat' is generally found to have been telling the truth. This is why the 'rat' must always be silenced in the criminal world.

God bless,
In Christ, ted

 

[The Barbarian]

I believe the term became popular in mafia and organized crime lore.

Ah, that explains it:

Over the weekend, the president attacked his former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, in a tweet, calling him a "Rat." Cohen, who has pleaded guilty to campaign finance and other violations, claimed that Trump "directed" him to make hush money payments to two women out of concern about how the allegations of the affairs would affect the 2016 election if they became public.
After Trump calls Cohen a 'Rat,' criticism of 'mob' language

 

[redleghunter]

Ah, that explains it:

Over the weekend, the president attacked his former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, in a tweet, calling him a "Rat." Cohen, who has pleaded guilty to campaign finance and other violations, claimed that Trump "directed" him to make hush money payments to two women out of concern about how the allegations of the affairs would affect the 2016 election if they became public.
After Trump calls Cohen a 'Rat,' criticism of 'mob' language

Would not be surprised if Cohen has represented the Gambino family over the years.

 

[The Barbarian]

Would not be surprised if Cohen has represented the Gambino family over the years.

It would fit. So did Trump's other fixer.

It is obviously quite rare to hear a high-ranking elected official openly embrace the terminology and moral logic of La Cosa Nostra. But Trump is not just a guy who has seen a lot of mob movies. He has worked closely with Mafia figures throughout his business career. “I know all about flipping, for 30, 40 years I’ve been watching flippers,” he tells Fox News. “Everything’s wonderful, and then they get ten years in jail and they flip on whoever the next-highest one is, or as high as you can go.”


Trump’s claim of expertise in his area is not some idle boast. He hired Roy Cohn, by that point a mob lawyer, worked closely with figures linked to the Russian-American mafia, Felix Sater and Michael Cohen, and made money in his properties attracting money launderers.
Trump Wants to Ban Flipping Because He Is Almost Literally a Mob Boss

 

[ItIsFinished!]

I wonder if those who complain daily about President Trump , spend even half that time praying for him.

Think.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

A rat cannot be trusted.

Although my 9 cats love to play with them.

M-Bob

 

[The Barbarian]

Fox Judge says Cohen is telling the truth.