a hole or tunnel made by a rat or similar rodent, a small, cramped, and unpleasant place, especially a room or building

go down the rathole, throw money down a rathole, rathole drilling

Formal and Informal Expressions of rathole

In different contexts, you can replace 'rathole' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'burrow, tunnel' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'dump, hole' is a commonplace synonym.

rathole: Explore its Definition & Usage

rathole Definition

1a hole or tunnel made by a rat or similar rodent
2a small, cramped, and unpleasant place, especially a room or building

Using rathole: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "rathole" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
The rathole was infested with rats.
Example
The apartment was a rathole, with peeling paint and dirty floors.
Example
The company's finances were being drained into a rathole project.
Example
He lived in a rathole of a room, barely big enough for a bed.

rathole Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for rathole

Phrases with rathole

go down the rathole
to be wasted or lost, especially money or effort
Example
The project went down the rathole when the investors pulled out.
throw money down a rathole
to waste money on something that is unlikely to succeed or be useful
Example
Investing in that company would be like throwing money down a rathole.
rathole drilling
the process of drilling a small-diameter hole to explore for oil or gas
Example
The company invested heavily in rathole drilling, hoping to find new sources of oil.

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Summary: rathole in Brief

The term 'rathole' [rat-hohl] refers to a hole or tunnel made by a rat or similar rodent, or a small, cramped, and unpleasant place, especially a room or building. It can also be used in phrases like 'go down the rathole,' meaning to be wasted or lost, and 'throw money down a rathole,' meaning to waste money on something that is unlikely to succeed or be useful.