'rat

plural 'rats

1. abbreviationellipsisinformalEllipsis of muskrat.

   He useta trap otter, mink, mushkrats, and bear, wolves. You just love it. He taught us how to skin 'rats and stuff like that. I was 'bout ten.

   1997, Shawn Thompson, Soul of the River: Life in the Thousand Islands, GeneralStore PublishingHouse, →ISBN, page 44

   2 more examples

   The 1946-47 catch of 68,656 is approximately 23 'rats per acre over the 3,000 acres of producing marches. The additional sea-rims and ridges were not trapped. To trap this number of 'rats per acre the marshes must carry at least 30 to 35 animals per acre […]. If ignited by lightning or other agencies during dry spells these will suffer damage to 'rat populations.

   1949, Ted O'Neil, The Muskrat in the Louisiana Coastal Marshes: A Study of the Ecological, Geological, Biological, Tidal and Climatic Factors Governing the Production and Management of the Muskrat Industry in Louisiana, page 93 to 94

   Part of that muskrat courage is a defense mechanism that comes from being picked on, as muskrats are fodder for virtually every predator going: fox, eagle, hawk, mink—even a snapping turtle will take a young muskrat on occasion, tugging it underwater and drowning it as the female 'rat swims on, unsuspecting. […] Kenny finds a 'rat in each of the next three sets, […]

   2017, Kenny Salwey, J. Scott Bestul, Last River Rat: Kenny Salwey's Life in the Wild, Fulcrum Publishing, →ISBN