ENGLISH
REFERENCE

lab rat

idiom
Meaning

A student or employee who spends a great deal of time working in a laboratory.


Examples
SIMPLE

She is a total lab rat and loves her research.

CONTEXTUAL

Since he started his PhD, he has become a complete lab rat who rarely leaves the building.

COMPLEX

The dedicated scientist remained a committed lab rat throughout her career, finding more comfort among her beakers and samples than in the outside world.

Anchors to
Related idioms4entries
  1. 01

    poor as a rat

    Synonym of poor as a church mouse.

  2. 02

    rat run

    A small, usually minor road used by a significant amount of traffic as a short cut or to avoid congestion on more major routes.

  3. 03

    smell a rat

    To sense something suspicious.

  4. 04

    winter rat

    An old, unattractive automobile, purchased for little money, to be driven during brutal Great Lakes winters while the owner's "good" car remains garaged and protected from corrosive road salt for the season.

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