Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: food-disparagement law
Term: RAT
Definition: A rat is a slang term for a person who tells on others, especially to the police. It can also refer to someone who helps a gambler or swindler by acting as a decoy, or helps the police make an arrest. Another word for this type of person is a stool pigeon or capper.
Definition: A rat is a slang term used to describe a person who is an informant, especially for the police. It can also refer to a person who acts as a decoy for a gambler or swindler, or for the police to help make an arrest. Another term for a police informant is a stool pigeon.
In the first example, the term "rat" is used to describe a person who provided information to the police, which led to an arrest. In the second example, the term "rat" is used to describe a person who acted as a decoy for a gambler.