5 useful expressions
1. to rat someone out
Meaning: To tell an authority figure about someone’s wrongdoing.
Example:
She promised not to say anything, but she ratted me out during the meeting.
Real-life use:
“I can’t believe you ratted me out to the boss. I thought we agreed to handle it ourselves.”
2. to rat on someone
Meaning: To tell on someone, usually when they did something wrong.
Example:
I wasn’t planning to rat on him, but the manager asked me directly.
Real-life use:
“I’m not trying to rat on anyone, but this mistake could affect the whole team.”
3. a rat
Meaning: A person who betrays others by revealing information they were not supposed to share.
Example:
Only three people knew about this. Someone here is a rat.
Real-life use:
“He told everyone what I said in private. He’s such a rat.”
4. We have a rat / I smell a rat
Meaning: Someone in the group is secretly sharing information, or something feels suspicious.
Example:
Our competitor knew our strategy. I think we have a rat.
Real-life use:
“Only our team knew about the plan, but now everyone knows. I smell a rat.”
5. to give someone the side eye
Meaning: To look at someone with suspicion, judgment, or disapproval.
Example:
Scott always gives us the side eye when we come back late from lunch.
Real-life use:
“My coworker gave me the side eye when I walked in late again.”
Role play script from the conversation
Situation: They are colleagues who have been taking long lunches when they should be working. Their boss recently found out.
A: Did you hear the boss found out about the late lunches?
B: Seriously? We must have a rat.
A: I know, but who would rat us out? I mean, we’re still getting all our work done.
B: My guess is Scott over in accounting. He’s always giving us the side eye when we walk in late.
A: You’re so right. He’s totally the rat. But what do we do now?
B: I mean, I won’t be taking long lunches anymore.
A: Same. Hopefully we just get a warning.
Paragraph using all the expressions
I knew something was wrong when the boss suddenly mentioned our long lunches. Only a few people knew, so I immediately thought, we have a rat. I did not want to accuse anyone, but Scott had been giving us the side eye every time we walked in late. Later, I found out he had ratted us out during a meeting. I get that he did not want to lie, but it still felt like he had ratted on us instead of talking to us first. Now everyone thinks he is a rat, and the trust in the office feels completely broken.
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