Rat-hole Edit Meaning

1.

To digress in an extensive way. To divert the conversation to a topic that is not only unrelated to the topic at hand, but a topic that will likely have no immediate resolution either.

That's an interesting discussion, but let's stay on track and not go down a rat-hole.

See The Colonel

2.

A dirty, dingy room, or apartment.

Why don't you clean this rat-hole up?

See dirty, unclean, unkempt, messy, foul, mess, smelly, rotten, dingy, dank, clean, sparkling, tidy, organized, spotless