clatter

[ klat-er ]

/ ˈklæt ər /

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See synonyms for: clatter / clattered / clattery on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to make a loud, rattling sound, as that produced by hard objects striking rapidly one against the other: The shutters clattered in the wind.

to move rapidly with such a sound: The iron-wheeled cart clattered down the street.

to talk fast and noisily; chatter: They clattered on and on about their children.

verb (used with object)

to cause to clatter: clattering the pots and pans in the sink.

noun

a rattling noise or series of rattling noises: The stagecoach made a terrible clatter going over the wooden bridge.

noisy disturbance; din; racket.

noisy talk; din of voices: They had to shout over the clatter at the cocktail party.

idle talk; gossip.

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Origin of clatter

before 1050; Middle English clateren,Old English clatr- (in clatrunge); cognate with Dutch klateren to rattle; see -er⁶

OTHER WORDS FROM clatter

clat·ter·er, nounclat·ter·ing·ly, adverbclat·ter·y, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use clatter in a sentence

Within a navy blue duffel bag were clattering bone-hued beads, amulets, and bracelets.
China’s Blood Ivory Bazaar|Brendon Hong|June 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The sound made by clattering plates restores him to a restaurant where dined with his friend killed in the war.
David's Bookclub: Time Regained|David Frum|April 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Presently there was a clattering of hoofs behind him, and Ribsy came galloping along the road, with nothing on him but his collar.
Davy and The Goblin|Charles E. Carryl
“Mon pauvre petit, you are hungry,” said Aristide, carrying it to the car racked by the clattering engine.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke

At this critical moment feet were heard clattering and stumbling up the stair as if in tremendous haste.
The Garret and the Garden|R.M. Ballantyne
Then her face was turned from me, and down I had come, clattering to common earth, cursing because I had hurt myself.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd
Then it was clattering down on the sidewalk, Williams crumpling over it with two slugs in his body.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various

British Dictionary definitions for clatter

clatter

/ (ˈklætə) /

verb

to make or cause to make a rattling noise, esp as a result of movement

(intr) to chatter

noun

a rattling sound or noise

a noisy commotion, such as one caused by loud chatter

Derived forms of clatter

clatterer, nounclatteringly, adverbclattery, adjective

Word Origin for clatter

Old English clatrung clattering (gerund); related to Dutch klateren to rattle, German klatschen to smack, Norwegian klattra to knock

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

clatter

Origin of clatter

OTHER WORDS FROM clatter

Words related to clatter

How to use clatter in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for clatter

Derived forms of clatter

Word Origin for clatter