The difference between Mouse and Rat

When used as nouns, mouse means any small rodent of the genus mus, whereas rat means a medium-sized rodent belonging to the genus rattus.

When used as verbs, mouse means to move cautiously or furtively, in the manner of a mouse (the rodent) (frequently used in the phrasal verb to mouse around), whereas rat means to betray someone and tell their secret to an authority or an enemy.


check bellow for the other definitions of Mouse and Rat

  1. Mouse as a noun:

    Any small rodent of the genus Mus.

  2. Mouse as a noun (informal):

    A member of the many small rodent and marsupial species resembling such a rodent.

  3. Mouse as a noun:

    A quiet or shy person.

  4. Mouse as a noun (computing):

    (plural mice or, rarely, mouses) An input device that is moved over a pad or other flat surface to produce a corresponding movement of a pointer on a graphical display.

  5. Mouse as a noun (boxing):

    Hematoma.

  6. Mouse as a noun (nautical):

    A turn or lashing of spun yarn or small stuff, or a metallic clasp or fastening, uniting the point and shank of a hook to prevent its unhooking or straightening out.

  7. Mouse as a noun (obsolete):

  8. Mouse as a noun:

    A match used in firing guns or blasting.

  9. Mouse as a noun (set theory):

    A small model of (a fragment of) with desirable properties (depending on the context).

  10. Mouse as a noun (historical):

    A small cushion for a woman's hair.

  1. Mouse as a verb (intransitive):

    To move cautiously or furtively, in the manner of a mouse (the rodent) (frequently used in the phrasal verb to mouse around).

  2. Mouse as a verb (intransitive):

    To hunt or catch mice (the rodents), usually of cats.

  3. Mouse as a verb (transitive, nautical):

    To close the mouth of a hook by a careful binding of marline or wire.

    Examples:

    "Captain Higgins moused the hook with a bit of marline to prevent the block beckets from falling out under slack."

  4. Mouse as a verb (intransitive, computing):

    To navigate by means of a computer mouse.

  5. Mouse as a verb (obsolete, nonce, transitive):

    To tear, as a cat devours a mouse.

  1. Rat as a noun (zoology):

    A medium-sized rodent belonging to the genus Rattus.

  2. Rat as a noun (informal):

    A term indiscriminately applied to numerous members of several rodent families (e.g. voles and mice) having bodies longer than about 12 cm, or 5 inches.

  3. Rat as a noun (informal):

    A person who is known for betrayal; a scoundrel; a quisling.

    Examples:

    "What a rat, leaving us stranded here!"

  4. Rat as a noun (informal):

    An informant or snitch.

  5. Rat as a noun (informal):

    A scab: a worker who acts against trade union policies.

  6. Rat as a noun (slang):

    A person who routinely spends time at a particular location.

    Examples:

    "Our teenager has become a mall rat."

    "He loved hockey and was a devoted rink rat."

  7. Rat as a noun (UK, north-west, _, London, slang, vulgar):

    Vagina.

    Examples:

    "Get your rat out."

  8. Rat as a noun:

    A wad of shed hair used as part of a hairstyle.

  1. Rat as a verb (usually with “on” or “out”):

    To betray someone and tell their secret to an authority or an enemy; to turn someone in, bewray.

    Examples:

    "He ratted on his coworker."

    "He is going to rat us out!"

  2. Rat as a verb (of a dog, etc.):

    To kill rats.

  1. Rat as a noun (regional):

    A scratch or a score.

  2. Rat as a noun (nautical, regional):

    A place in the sea with rapid currents and crags where a ship is likely to be torn apart in stormy weather.

  1. Rat as a verb (regional):

    To scratch or score.

    Examples:

    "He ratted a vertical line on his face with a pocket knife."

  2. Rat as a verb (regional, rare, obsolete):

    To tear, rip, rend.

    Examples:

    "'Ratted to shreds."