rat around

rat around

1. To search in, around, or through something or some place, especially in a sneaking, furtive manner. What are you doing ratting around in my desk? I was so poor at one point that I was reduced to ratting around in people's dumpsters for food each night.
2. To hunt for and catch or kill rats in something or some place. These small dogs have been perfect for ratting around the barn. We ought to rat around the entire property to be sure there are no nests left.
3. To waste time idly or aimlessly (in some place); to loiter or loaf around (some place). You've been ratting around the house for the whole weekend—go play outside or something! Would you two quit ratting around and do something useful for a change?
See also: around, rat
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

rat around

Sl. to waste time loafing around; to kick around. (Collegiate.) I didn't do anything but rat around all summer. If kids don't have jobs, they just rat around.
See also: around, rat
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

rat around

in. to waste time loafing around; to kick around. (Collegiate.) I didn’t do anything but rat around all summer.
See also: around, rat
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • find way around
  • feel around
  • feel around (for someone or something)
  • around (one's) ears
  • forage
  • forage around for (something)
  • gaze around
  • get (someone) around the table
  • get around the table
  • gaze around at (someone or something)
References in periodicals archive
Watching the spoilt brat parade her gangsta love rat around the world as his cheated wife raises his kids is galling to watch.
Spoilt Chloe Meeking a big mistake; STATE SIDE
"He could rat around, win the ball back and was good on the ball.
Jennings is our ticket away from trouble, says Shuker; He won't let Rovers down, insists coach
"We had to rat around in midfield and plug a lot of holes, but we did that well and I think we deserved a draw."
GLORY GRABB; Successor Wilson upstages Lewis on his own turf
At Everton, he has James McCarthy to rat around and do a lot of the dirty work, and they are a cohesive midfield unit.
Classy Barry deserves an England recall; STAR'S BURIED GHOST OF OZIL KO
"I have also told them about Marlon Pack, who is the ball player and Russ Penn, who likes to rat around and get in among teams.
Meet the Blues' inside man; GARBUTT GIVES EVERTON THE LOWDOWN ON FORMER CLUB
What should be a simple task descends into chaos as a photographer visits the house and tries to come up with innovative ways to capture the perfect shot, but the couple are busy chasing a rat around the house.
Bahrain film set for Busan festival..
First, the team mapped the brain signals that were being used by the rat to locate itself, by towing the rat around the laboratory while tracking it with a GPS system.
New 'RatCar' lets rodents 'drive using their thoughts'
Drinkwater's is to dog and rat around the midfield and they are both doing a fine job.
I can't see any team able to challenge City for title
There might even be the odd disease-ridden rat around to give people some inspiration.
Scream stars in the dungeons for castle cash; TheDailyPreview THE CASTLE DUNGEONS WARWICK CASTLE
She said: ``The only rat around at the time was the black rat which had a homing range of 100 yards.
Expert warns Black Death could return; Mersey scientist says virus is lying dormant
If you're a Barcelona player you might look at the team sheet and think, 'Yeah, Lampard's a player', but in terms of his actual impact on the day, I just wonder if they might go for a more mobile midfield three who try to rat around and nick the ball back.
CAN DIDI MEN DO IT? NOU chance NO chance