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

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

And the schedule gives them a good chance to rattle off a couple more wins—beginning with next week against the one-win Saints.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 3, 2025

McQueen, 55, is quick to rattle off a list of modern-day conflicts that have parallels to the film — in the Ukraine, the Middle East, Libya.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 24, 2024

The leaders rattle off a 10k while chatting casually.

From BBC • Oct. 8, 2024

When Bailey was six and I a year younger, we used to rattle off the times tables with the speed I was later to see Chinese children in San Francisco employ on their abacuses.

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou