rat-a-tat

[ rat-uh-tat ]

noun

1. a sound of knocking or rapping:

   a sharp rat-a-tat on the window.

Word History and Origins

Origin of rat-a-tat¹

First recorded in 1675–85; imitative

Example Sentences

You could hear her before you could see her: a throaty, rat-a-tat laugh — ha-ha-ha-ha — drifting through the cool canyon air.

From Los Angeles Times

Each show reflects in its own way the influence of a gritty genre that situated world-weary protagonists in cold, uncaring worlds armed only with their wits, fists, guns and rat-a-tat dialogue.

From Los Angeles Times

Like darkness emanating from Mordor, rat-a-tat headlines about Trump signal the return of a figure dead set on power.

From Los Angeles Times

But California’s governor was utterly slavish in the role of dutiful party soldier, repeatedly extolling Biden’s performance with a rat-a-tat of statistics — a Newsom hallmark — on falling inflation, rising employment and other favorable barometers.

From Los Angeles Times

The film, in its first minutes, prefers the latter, opening with a rat-a-tat montage of her many successes: author, linguist, Phi Beta Kappa scholar.

From New York Times

Related Words

• chatter