wharf rat

• Expression argotique ancienne désignant une personne qui traîne autour des quais ou des ports, souvent sous-entendant un sans-abri, un petit voleur ou un vagabond vivant près de l'eau.

An old slang term for a person who loiters around docks or wharves, often implying someone who is homeless, a petty thief, or a vagrant living near the waterfront.

1. A person who frequents docksC1informalamerican

   A person who spends a lot of time around wharves or docks, often involved in petty crime or casual labor.

   rat des quais

   • The old wharf rat knew every corner of the harbor.
   • He was a wharf rat, always looking for odd jobs by the docks.
   • The police arrested a few wharf rats for stealing cargo.

2. A type of ratB2formal

   A common name for the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) that lives near wharves and ships.

   rat des quais

   • Wharf rats are known to carry diseases.
   • The ship's crew had to deal with a wharf rat infestation.
   • A wharf rat scurried along the pier.