also rat race, 1934 in reference to aviation training, from rat (n.) + race (n.1). Rat-run is from 1870 in a literal sense.
A rat race is ... a simple game of "follow the leader" in fighter planes. The leader does everything he can think of -- Immelmanns, loops, snap rolls, and turns, always turns, tighter and tighter. ["Popular Science," May 1941]
Meaning "competitive struggle" is from 1945.
双语例句
1. If I don't send a picture, he will smell a rat.
如果我不寄出照片，他将有所察觉。
来自柯林斯例句
2. They were accused of encouraging children to rat on their parents.
他们被指控唆使儿童告发自己的父母。
来自柯林斯例句
3. The brown rat has prominent ears and a long scaly tail.
那只棕鼠两只耳朵向前支着，一条长尾巴布满鳞片。
来自柯林斯例句
4. Captain Hardnose certainly ran that rat over the hill.
哈得诺思上尉当然要求那个告密者离职了.
来自《简明英汉词典》
5. The lab assistant injected the rat with the new drug.
