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View synonyms for rattle

rattle

1

[ rat-l ]

verb (used without object)

, rat·tled, rat·tling.
  1. to give out or cause a rapid succession of short, sharp sounds, as in consequence of agitation and repeated concussions:

    The windows rattled in their frames.

    Synonyms: knock, clatter

  2. to move or go, especially rapidly, with such sounds:

    The car rattled along the highway.

  3. to talk rapidly; chatter:

    He rattled on for an hour about his ailments.



verb (used with object)

, rat·tled, rat·tling.
  1. to cause to rattle:

    He rattled the doorknob violently.

  2. to drive, send, bring, etc., especially rapidly, with rattling sounds:

    The wind rattled the metal can across the roadway.

  3. to utter or perform in a rapid or lively manner:

    to rattle off a list of complaints.

  4. to disconcert or confuse (a person):

    A sudden noise rattled the speaker.

    Synonyms: discompose

  5. Hunting. to stir up (a cover).

noun

  1. a rapid succession of short, sharp sounds, as from the collision of hard bodies.

    Synonyms: clatter

  2. an instrument contrived to make a rattling sound, especially a baby's toy filled with small pellets that rattle when shaken.
  3. the series of horny, interlocking elements at the end of the tail of a rattlesnake, with which it produces a rattling sound.
  4. a rattling sound in the throat, as the death rattle.

rattle

2

[ rat-l ]

verb (used with object)

, Nautical.
, rat·tled, rat·tling.
  1. to furnish with ratlines (usually followed by down ).

rattle

1

/ ˈrætəl /

verb

  1. troften foll bydown to fit (a vessel or its rigging) with ratlines
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

rattle

2

/ ˈrætəl /

verb

  1. to make or cause to make a rapid succession of short sharp sounds, as of loose pellets colliding when shaken in a container
  2. to shake or cause to shake with such a sound

    the explosion rattled the windows

  3. to send, move, drive, etc, with such a sound

    the car rattled along the country road

  4. intrfoll byon to chatter idly; talk, esp at length

    he rattled on about his work

  5. tr; foll by off, out etc to recite perfunctorily or rapidly
  6. informal.
    tr to disconcert; make frightened or anxious
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a rapid succession of short sharp sounds
  2. an object, esp a baby's toy, filled with small pellets that rattle when shaken
  3. a series of loosely connected horny segments on the tail of a rattlesnake, vibrated to produce a rattling sound
  4. any of various European scrophulariaceous plants having a capsule in which the seeds rattle, such as Pedicularis palustris ( red rattle ) and Rhinanthus minor ( yellow rattle )
  5. idle chatter
  6. an idle chatterer
  7. med another name for rale
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Rattle

3

/ ˈrætəl /

noun

  1. RattleSir Simon1955MBritishMUSIC: conductor Sir Simon . born 1955, English conductor. Principal conductor (1980–91) and music director (1991–98) of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra; chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra from 2002
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of rattle1

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English verb rat(t)elen, ratlen, cognate with Dutch ratelen, German rasseln ); of imitative origin

Origin of rattle2

First recorded in 1720–30; back formation from ratling ratline (taken as verbal noun)
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Word History and Origins

Origin of rattle1

C18: back formation from rattling , variant of ratline

Origin of rattle2

C14: from Middle Dutch ratelen ; related to Middle High German razzen , of imitative origin
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Example Sentences

“We tried this Bob Dylan-y thing, like …” she rattles off a rapid-fire nonsense representation of “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” “then we went through something more funky, more ironic, kind of Talking Heads,” she says, laughing.

After about 60 minutes, when Finn Russell's penalty reduced the gap to four points, the former Scotland captain Rory Lawson said South Africa had been "rattled".

From BBC

When New York City was rattled by an earthquake earlier this year, Hernández threw on a skintight jumpsuit and a cap with NYC on it to embody the trembler.

From Salon

The election results rattled climate policy experts and environmental advocates.

From Salon

D’Angelo Russell put his hands to his head in disbelief as one three rattled out.

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