rataplan

[ rat-uh-plan ]

/ ˌræt əˈplæn /

noun

a sound of or as of the beating of a drum.

verb (used without object), rat·a·planned, rat·a·plan·ning.

to produce such a sound.

Nearby words

Origin of rataplan

1840–50; < French; imitative

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for rataplan

They turned in at the Rataplan and drew up at the carriage entrance.
The Cab of the Sleeping Horse|John Reed Scott
The old horse, Rataplan, knew me so well that he had started off before ever I gave the first shake to the bridle.
The Exploits Of Brigadier Gerard|Arthur Conan Doyle
It was the rataplan beating before a troop of wrestlers and jugglers who were traversing the Marche and Reggio Emilia.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Volume 26, July 1880.|Various
Then they have a "Rataplan" duet, which may be called a repetition of Marie's solo with an accompaniment of rataplans.
The Complete Opera Book|Gustav Kobb

Their machine-guns would sound the rataplan as the belts were emptied.
Trooper Bluegum at the Dardanelles|Oliver Hogue

British Dictionary definitions for rataplan

rataplan

/ (ˌrætəˈplæn) /

noun

a drumming sound

Word Origin for rataplan

from French, of imitative origin

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