rattle off

Idioms  

1. Also, reel off. Utter or perform rapidly or effortlessly, often at length. For example, The treasurer rattled off the list of all those who had not paid their dues, or She reeled off song after song. The verb rattle has been used for fast talking since the late 1300s and for other kinds of fast production since the late 1800s (George Bernard Shaw wrote of “men who rattle off their copy” in a letter of 1896). The verb reel off, which alludes to unwinding from a reel, has been used figuratively since about 1830.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rattle off

Congressional candidate JoAnna Mendoza can quickly rattle off prices from the grocery store in the small town of Eloy, Arizona, where she grew up.

From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026

In a topsy-turvy opening set, the six-time major champion Alcaraz raced into a 3-0 lead, only for De Minaur to rattle off three games in a row for 3-3, to roars of approval.

From Barron's ● Jan. 27, 2026

He became the first pitcher to rattle off back-to-back complete games in the playoffs since 2001.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2025

Lucas can rattle off her unanswered questions about Stanley Wilson’s death.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2025

If I so much as sneezed, she would rattle off a list of infectious diseases that would have me in the grave by nightfall.

From "Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys