rat runnoun [ C ]
uk/ˈræt ˌrʌn/us/ˈræt ˌrʌn/UKa small road that is used by a lot of drivers who are trying to avoid traffic on larger roads:
The road through our village has become a rat run for commuters trying to avoid delays on the A14.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Roads: rural & suburban
- back road
- beltway
- bypass
- byway
- dirt road
- feeder
- highway
- main road
- orbital road
- relief road
- service road
- stock route
- the highways and byways idiom
- thoroughfare
- through route
- throughway
- thruway
- trunk road
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