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rattle
rat·tle / ˈratl/ • v. 1. [intr.] make a rapid succession of short, sharp knocking sounds, typically as a result of being shaken and striking repeatedly against a hard surface or object: there was a sound of bottles rattling as he stacked the crates. ∎ [tr.] cause (something) to make such sounds: he rattled some change in his pocket. ∎ (of a vehicle or its driver or passengers) move or travel somewhere while making such sounds: trains rattled past at frequent intervals. ∎ (rattle around in) fig. be in or occupy (an unnecessarily or undesirably spacious room or building). 2. [tr.] (often be rattled) inf. cause (someone) to feel nervous, worried, or irritated: she turned quickly, rattled by his presence. • n. 1. a rapid succession of short, sharp, hard sounds: the rattle of teacups on the tray. ∎ a gurgling sound in the throat of a dying person. 2. a thing used to make a rapid succession of short, sharp sounds, in particular: ∎ a baby's toy consisting of a container filled with small pellets that makes a noise when shaken. ∎ the set of horny rings at the end of a rattlesnake's tail, shaken with a dry buzzing sound as a warning. PHRASES: rattle someone's cage inf. make someone feel angry or annoyed. rattle sabers threaten to take aggressive action.See also saber-rattling.PHRASAL VERBS: rattle something off say, perform, or produce something quickly and effortlessly: he rattled off some instructions. rattle on/away talk rapidly and at length, esp. in an inane or boring way.DERIVATIVES: rat·tly / ˈratl-ē; ˈratlē/ adj. |
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Cite this article
"rattle." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "rattle." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-rattle.html "rattle." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-rattle.html |
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rattle
rattle give out a rapid succession of short sharp sounds XIV; various transf. uses from XVI. prob. — (M)LG., MDu. ratelen = MHG. razzeln (G. rasseln), of imit. orig.
Hence sb. rattling sound; instrument for making a rattling noise; plant having a seed-pod that rattles XVI. |
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T. F. HOAD. "rattle." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "rattle." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-rattle.html T. F. HOAD. "rattle." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-rattle.html |
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rattle
rattle rattle sabres threaten to take aggressive action.
rattle someone's cage make someone feel angry or annoyed; the person concerned is being humorously compared with a dangerous caged animal. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "rattle." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "rattle." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-rattle.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "rattle." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-rattle.html |
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rattle
rattle. See ratchet.
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MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "rattle." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "rattle." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-rattle.html MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "rattle." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-rattle.html |
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rattle
rattle •battle, cattle, chattel, embattle, prattle, rattle, Seattle, tattle
•fractal
•cantle, covenantal, mantel, mantle, Prandtl
•pastel • Fremantle • tittle-tattle
•startle, stratal
•Nahuatl
•fettle, kettle, metal, mettle, nettle, petal, Popocatépetl, settle
•dialectal, rectal
•dental, gentle, mental, Oriental, parental, rental
•transeptal
•festal, vestal
•gunmetal
•antenatal, fatal, hiatal, natal, neonatal, ratel
•beetle, betel, chital, decretal, fetal
•blackbeetle
•acquittal, belittle, brittle, committal, embrittle, it'll, kittle, little, remittal, skittle, spittle, tittle, victual, whittle
•edictal, rictal
•lintel, pintle, quintal
•Bristol, Chrystal, crystal, pistol
•varietal • coital • phenobarbital
•orbital • pedestal • sagittal • vegetal
•digital • skeletal • Doolittle
•congenital, genital, primogenital, urogenital
•capital • lickspittle • hospital • marital
•entitle, mistitle, recital, requital, title, vital
•subtitle • surtitle
•axolotl, bottle, dottle, glottal, mottle, pottle, throttle, wattle
•fontal, horizontal
•hostel, intercostal, Pentecostal
•greenbottle • bluebottle • Aristotle
•chortle, immortal, mortal, portal
•Borstal
•anecdotal, sacerdotal, teetotal, total
•coastal, postal
•subtotal
•brutal, footle, pootle, refutal, rootle, tootle
•buttle, cuttle, rebuttal, scuttle, shuttle, subtle, surrebuttal
•buntal, contrapuntal, frontal
•crustal • societal • pivotal
•hurtle, kirtle, myrtle, turtle
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Cite this article
"rattle." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "rattle." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-rattle.html "rattle." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-rattle.html |
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