when people get caught up in an Internet argument or flame war and sink deeper and deeper into a pit of ugliness and shame (while their friends stand by silently or urging them desperately to climb out of the hole they've dug for themselves) they are inevitably consumed by the 'rant lion.'
Mike and Pat argued about Republicans vs. Democrats again on each other's Facebook, starting out courteously and fairly, but of course it quickly descended into a pit of vitriol and personal ugliness: fresh meat for the rant lion.
You use someone as your rant box when you just bitch to them without regard for what they think. Usually done by someone upset about something not directly related with their rant box.
"Man, Stacy used me as a rant box last night and I couldn't get away."
When chearleaders piss you off with their anoying bullshit you go into rantmode.
Chearleader: "hahahahahahah ahhhhhhhhhhh omg omg omg omg omg look look look look ahhhhhhh lolololololololol whateeevvverrr whateeevvverrr like like like like ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh."
Timothy: Face turns red, starts banging head into wall and cursing he is now entering rant mode. "&@&$? Chearleaders shut the &$@! I would rather shove a glass tube in my own penis hole and smash it with a hammer than to listen to your $&@? anymore!"
High geek speak for entering and closing any rant on any topic. Using html coding conventions in discussion usually in instant messages, text messages, or other written communications.
Me: That was fine but what i'm pissed about is <rant> they didn't invite me to their party.
You: OMG you've opened your rant tag. here goes...
Me: Believe it! those guys are jerks! Ok. I got that out of my system</rant>
An email typically sent by colleagues to one another that should really have had the benefit of 10 minutes calming down time before the sendbutton has been clicked; the sort of email you would usually write to your internet provider complaining about their service, rather than your colleagues. This email is typically sent by someone who needs to vent and very often are sent before the sender reads the remaining thread in which their "concerns" are addressed.
"Just sent a rant-o-gram to those monkeys in HR. Not being paid for 3 months is really starting to affect my level of nutrition"
"We've all just been paid yesterday. Didn't you check your emails this morning?"
"That recall message function never works, does it?"