Crawl into a rat hole

[Bassim]

I am wondering if my sentences are grammatically correct. I am not sure if the phrase "crawl into a rat hole" makes sense in this sentence.

"How can you spread such lies about me?" Anna told her girlfriend. "If I were you, I'd have crawled into a rat hole of shame."

 

[emsr2d2]

They're grammatically correct. "A rat hole of shame" isn't a recognised phrase (in BrE, at least) but it's fairly clear what you mean. I might have used "I'd have crawled under a rock with shame".

Also, the tenses don't really match (just noticed this). If you're going to end as you have, I'd start with "How could you ...?"

 

[Rover_KE]

I'd say 'asked' rather than 'told'.

Delete the superfluous 'a'.

 

[emsr2d2]

I'd say 'asked' rather than 'told'.

Delete the superfluous 'a'.

Now that I've re-read it, so would I. I misplaced the full stop when I read it the first time and thought that "Anna told her girlfriend" was connected directly to "If I were you ...".

 

[Skrej]

I think I'd remove the 'of shame'.

Crawling into a rat hole (at least in AmE) already has connotations of shame or cowardice, so it seems superfluous to add 'of shame'. I've never heard the expression used with anything tacked on after 'rathole'.

The expression is also usually used more as an imperative or snarky suggestion, but it works okay in your example (minus 'shame').

"Why don't you just crawl back into your rat hole?"

 

[emsr2d2]

That's similar to the BrE "Why don't you just crawl back under whatever rock you crawled out from under?"

 

[Skrej]

Yes, AmE uses that version as well. Also you'll hear 'snake hole' instead of 'rat-hole', or even 'cesspool'.

I guess it just depends on your preferred vermin.

 

[emsr2d2]

Yes, AmE uses that version as well. Also you'll hear 'snake hole' instead of 'rat-hole', or even 'cesspool'.

I guess it just depends on your preferred vermin.

Vermin?! ;-) In my case, those are (or at least have been) pets.

 

[Rover_KE]

"Why don't you just crawl back under whatever rock you crawled out from under?"

Note this great expression in which three prepositions end a sentence - not just one!