rattle Hear it!

rattle¹ Definition

rat·tle (rat′'l)

intransitive verb -·tled, -·tling

  1. to make a series of sharp, short sounds in quick succession
  2. to go or move with such sounds a wagon rattling over the stones
  3. to talk rapidly and incessantly; chatter: often with on

Etymology: ME ratelen, prob. of WGmc echoic orig., akin to Ger rasseln

transitive verb

  1. to cause to rattle to rattle the handle of a door
  2. to utter or perform rapidly
  3. ☆ to confuse or upset; disconcert to rattle a speaker with catcalls

noun

  1. a quick succession of sharp, short sounds
  2. a rattling noise made by air passing through the mucus of a partly closed throat
  3. a noisy uproar; loud chatter
  4. ☆
    1. a series of horny rings at the end of a rattlesnake's tail, used to produce a rattling sound
    2. any of these
  5. a device, as a baby's toy or a percussion instrument, made to rattle when shaken

rattle¹ Idioms

rattle around in

to live or work in (a house, office, etc.) that is too big for one's needs

rattle² Definition

rat·tle (rat′'l)

transitive verb -·tled, -·tling

to provide with ratlines: usually with down

Etymology: back-form. < ratling (taken as prp.), var. of ratline

rattle Synonyms

rattle

n.

clatter, shaking, patter, noise, racket, rattling, din, knock, clack, clank, roll, rumble, drumming, pitapat, ratatat; see also noise 1.

rattle Synonyms

rattle

v.

  1. To make a rattling sound

    clatter, drum, clack, knock; see sound 1.

  2. *To talk rapidly and incessantly

    chatter, run on, prattle; see babble.

  3. *To disconcert

    confuse, discompose, put out, unnerve; see confuse, disturb 2, embarrass 1. See syn. study at embarrass.

rattle Usage Examples

Object

  • crossbar: Dominic Matthews, Sam Green, Lewis Reeves and Stuart Sadler all went close and Lewis Jones rattled the crossbar.
  • saber: In other words, having come so far, having rattled the saber for so long, we were obliged to follow through.
  • woodwork: Wolves fielded nine players with first team experience, but despite rattling the woodwork twice, came away from the game empty handed.
  • cage: I know i am probably rattling cages, good maybe someone will respond?
  • yarn: This is a rattling good yarn where Daniel is in his element and the team has fun in the sauna.
  • tin: Some rabbits recall on rattling the treat tin is far more impressive than most dogs!

Modifying Another Word

  • clearly: A comment in last week's New Journal warning about the risks involved in postal votes had clearly rattled the councilor.
  • seriously: The Lancaster surge seriously rattled York and they lacked organization for a while after.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • along: The train rattles along at a good lick, heading northeast toward the hills.
  • around: These rattling around in the engine, in alloy models quickly heralded its demise.
  • off: He makes a break for the door and runs inside as gunfire rattles off behind him.
  • through: We've not got that much longer but we'll keep rattling through.
  • on: She rattled on; how nice it was to meet her daughter's colleagues.

Followed by a transitive particle

  • off: Buck said she could rattle off poetry like nothing.

Used with why or when

  • when: Any empty space in the outer box can be packed with foam or bubble wrap to prevent objects rattling about when moved.

Preposition: in

  • wind: A mass of sail boat masts and rigging all rattling in the wind.
  • goal: Grantham rattled in 26 goals on their way to the final, clinching a deserved 1-0 victory against Bulwell Town.
  • break: The Swiss man rattled in a break of 87.

Preposition: of

  • wheel: There was no sound but the rattling of wheels and the dash of rain upon the roof.
  • chain: Now, as Ella's voice faded out, the rattle of a chain was heard clanking fiercely onto the floor.
rattle Quotes

Our tastesgreatly alter. The lad does not care for the child'srattle, and theoldmandoesnotcarefor theyoung man's whore.

—Johnson, Samuel known as Dr Johnson

La cruaute¤  , bien loin d'e"  tre un vice, est le premier sentiment qu'imprime en nous la nature; l'enfant brise son hochet, mord le te¤  ton de sa nourrice, e¤  trangle son oiseau, bien avant que d'avoir l'a"  ge de raison. Far from being a vice, cruelty is the primary feeling that nature imprints in us. The infant breaks its rattle, bites its nurse's nipple, and strangles a bird, well before reaching the age of reason.

—Sade, Donatien Alphonse Fran c° ois, Marquis de

Since a woman must wear chains, I would have the pleasure of hearing 'em rattle a little.

—Farquhar, George

Give, you gods, Give to your boy, your Caesar, The rattle of a globe to play withal, Thisgewgaw world, and put him cheaply off: I'll not be pleased with less than Cleopatra.

—Dryden,John

Sweet Thames, run softly till I end my song, Sweet Thames, run softly, for I speak not loud or long. But at my back in a cold blast I hear The rattle of the bones, and chuckle spread from ear to ear. See Marvell 556:62.

—Eliot,T(homas) S(tearns)

Trust him as much as you would a rattlesnake with a silencer on its rattle.

—Acheson, Dean Gooderham

Tweedledum and Tweedledee Agreed to have a battle; ForTweedledum said Tweedledee Had spoilt his nice new rattle.

—Dodgson

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? Only the monstrous anger of the guns. Only the stuttering rifles'rapid rattle Can patter out their hasty orisons.

—Owen,Wilfred

   Gentleness, docility, and a spaniel-like affection are, on this ground, consistently recommended as the cardinal virtues of the sex; and, disregarding the arbitrary economy of nature, one writer has declared that it is masculine for a woman to be melancholy. She was created to be the toy of man, his rattle, and it must jingle in his ears, whenever, dismissing reason, he chooses to be amused.

—Wollstonecraft, Mary also known as Mrs Godwin