rattle

1
[ rat-l ]
See synonyms for: rattlerattledrattling on Thesaurus.com

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.

  2. to move or go, especially rapidly, with such sounds: The car rattled along the highway.

  1. 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.

  1. to utter or perform in a rapid or lively manner: to rattle off a list of complaints.

  2. to disconcert or confuse (a person): A sudden noise rattled the speaker.

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

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

  2. an instrument contrived to make a rattling sound, especially a baby's toy filled with small pellets that rattle when shaken.

  1. the series of horny, interlocking elements at the end of the tail of a rattlesnake, with which it produces a rattling sound.

  2. a rattling sound in the throat, as the death rattle.

Origin of rattle

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English verb rat(t)elen, ratlen, cognate with Dutch ratelen, German rasseln ); of imitative origin

Other words for rattle

Words Nearby rattle

Other definitions for rattle (2 of 2)

rattle2
[ rat-l ]

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

Origin of rattle

2
First recorded in 1720–30; back formation from ratlingratline (taken as verbal noun)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use rattle in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for rattle (1 of 3)

rattle1

/ (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

  1. to send, move, drive, etc, with such a sound: the car rattled along the country road

  2. (intr foll by on) to chatter idly; talk, esp at length: he rattled on about his work

  3. (tr ; foll by off, out etc) to recite perfunctorily or rapidly

  4. (tr) informal to disconcert; make frightened or anxious

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

  1. a series of loosely connected horny segments on the tail of a rattlesnake, vibrated to produce a rattling sound

  2. 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)

  3. idle chatter

  4. an idle chatterer

  5. med another name for rale

Origin of rattle

1
C14: from Middle Dutch ratelen; related to Middle High German razzen, of imitative origin

British Dictionary definitions for rattle (2 of 3)

rattle2

/ (ˈrætəl) /


verb
  1. (tr often foll by down) to fit (a vessel or its rigging) with ratlines

Origin of rattle

2
C18: back formation from rattling, variant of ratline

British Dictionary definitions for Rattle (3 of 3)

Rattle

/ (ˈrætəl) /


noun
  1. 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