ratting out
Informing on someone
Ratting out is informing on someone, especially to authorities—betraying their secrets or reporting their wrongdoing: He ratted out his accomplices to get a lighter sentence.
The phrase carries strong connotations of disloyalty and cowardice, suggesting the informer prioritizes self-interest over solidarity.
Related forms: rat out, ratted out, rats out.
- snitchingInforming on someone
- dropping dimesMaking pinpoint assists
- informantOne who provides intelligence
- divulgeReveal private information
- revealMake something visible
tattletale · tattling · spilling the beans · leaking · loose lips · expose · blowing the whistle · betrayal · uncover · squealer · stool pigeon · confession · traitor · narc · turning state's evidence · whistleblower · grass · disloyalty
- betrayalsbackstabbing, cheating, disloyalty, double-crossing, infidelity
- disclosurerevealing, disclosing, disclosure, disclose, divulge
- Informerssnitch, informer, informant, fink, squealer
ratting outkeeping quiet
Remaining silent
keeping mum · keeping secrets · covering for · protecting · shielding
ratting outstonewalling
Deliberately refusing to respond
clamming up · obstructing · running interference · not talking
ratting outconcealing
Keeping something secret
hiding · suppressing · withholding · burying · hushing up
rat, rats, ratted, ratting, ratter, ratters, out, outing, outings