rattle

¹

[ rat-l ]

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.

   Synonyms: knock, clatter

2. to move or go, especially rapidly, with such sounds:

   The car rattled along the highway.

3. 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.

3. to utter or perform in a rapid or lively manner:

   to rattle off a list of complaints.

4. to disconcert or confuse (a person):

   A sudden noise rattled the speaker.

   Synonyms: discompose

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

noun

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

   Synonyms: clatter

2. an instrument contrived to make a rattling sound, especially a baby's toy filled with small pellets that rattle when shaken.
3. the series of horny, interlocking elements at the end of the tail of a rattlesnake, with which it produces a rattling sound.
4. a rattling sound in the throat, as the death rattle.

rattle

²

[ rat-l ]

verb (used with object)

, Nautical.

, rat·tled, rat·tling.

1. to furnish with ratlines (usually followed by down ).

rattle

¹

/ 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

3. to send, move, drive, etc, with such a sound

   the car rattled along the country road

4. intrfoll byon to chatter idly; talk, esp at length

   he rattled on about his work

5. tr; foll by off, out etc to recite perfunctorily or rapidly
6. informal.
   tr 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
3. a series of loosely connected horny segments on the tail of a rattlesnake, vibrated to produce a rattling sound
4. 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 )
5. idle chatter
6. an idle chatterer
7. See rale
   med another name for rale

Rattle

²

/ ˈrætəl /

noun

1. RattleSir Simon1955MBritishMUSIC: conductor 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

rattle

³

/ ˈrætəl /

verb

1. troften foll bydown to fit (a vessel or its rigging) with ratlines

Word History and Origins

Origin of rattle¹

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

Origin of rattle²

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of rattle¹

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

Origin of rattle²

C18: back formation from rattling , variant of ratline

Example Sentences

The wave begins when individual perception of risk starts to shift, when the environmental threat reaches past the least fortunate and rattles the physical and financial security of broader, wealthier parts of the population.

From ProPublica

The scandal tainted the bank’s reputation, led to the exit of Thiam in a power struggle, and rattled Swiss financial circles.

From Fortune

They’ll rattle off their top five goals of the quarter or their individual aspirations, she says.

From Quartz

The law came to life in an era when the United States was rattled by wartime – we entered World War I in 1917 – and worried about radicals.

From Voice of San Diego

Apple last month announced two important privacy changes that have rattled the mobile advertising industry.

From Digiday

But this time I can plainly hear, through the rush of words, the faint rattle of hysteria that bespeaks a screw loose somewhere.

From The Daily Beast

Rather, the hope is to rattle the cages a bit and make sure that the leadership of the Senate reflects the energy in the ranks.

From The Daily Beast

Their hope was to rattle the newcomer, but the incident just embarrassed the incumbent.

From The Daily Beast

Achtung Baby's ironic astringency was a successful reaction to Rattle and Hum's gauzy sincerity.

From The Daily Beast

He proceeded to rattle off the names of dozens of notable cast members, urging them to stand for an ovation.

From The Daily Beast

It is much more convenient than a lamp, because it doesn't rattle, and you can throw the light on the page so much better.

From Project Gutenberg

He will rattle on in Spanish till Herr S. gets desperate, and tries to reduce him to order.

From Project Gutenberg

The nerves of our industrial civilization are worn thin with the rattle of its own machinery.

From Project Gutenberg

The brazen roar of the cannon is mingled with the intermittent rattle of innumerable machine guns.

From Project Gutenberg

Even from where he stood, Kip Burland could hear the rattle of the milk box top.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bewilder
• bother
• confound
• confuse
• distract
• disturb
• embarrass
• faze
• frighten
• scare
• shake
• unnerve