rat-pack, noun

Origin:
Abbreviation of ration pack.
army slang
A food pack issued by the army to men on duty away from base camp. Also transferred sense, see quotation 1993.
1984 Fair Lady 14 Nov.‘There is only one thing I can’t stand — those fleshy pink pork sausages that come out of a tin..and the dog biscuits in our rat packs.’ They take rat packs with them when they leave the base — one for each day they are away.
1985 S. Veal in Family Radio & TV 1 Apr. 43The food in the rat packs gave us plenty of energy and included little goodies like milk shakes and chocolate bars but after three days it was monotonous, to say the least.
1985 Frontline Aug. 54We give him a ratpack (a seven day food supply, containing corned beef, chocolate bars, ‘dog biscuits’, etc).
1988 A. Campbell in Fair Lady 27 Apr. 95In his letters he was always moaning about the ratpacks (ration packs) they get.
1988 C. Mitchell in Personality 6 June 12The youngsters report for their two-year absence from civilian life, when short hair, ‘rat packs,’ early rising, PT and much floor scrubbing will become..the alternative to a pretty easy and pampered lifestyle.
1990 C. Sherlock Hyena Dawn 209Fortunately he had a rat-pack with enough food and water to last him for two days.
1993 E. Beattie in Motorist Mar. 12The company was to rely heavily on army-style ration packs for meals, affectionately known as ‘rat packs’.
A food pack issued by the army to men on duty away from base camp. Also transferred sense, see quotation 1993.
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slang
ration, nounn.RAU, nounn.
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