Rattle | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Răt'tle, v. i.

verbintransitive

(răt'tl), v. i. [imp. & p. p. RATTLED; p. pr. & vb. n. RATTLING.] [L. Ger. ratteln, rüteln, D. ratelen, H. Ger. rasseln, Dan. rasle, O. Sw. rasla.]

Sense 1. To make a quick, sharp noise, rapidly repeated, by the collision of bodies not very sonorous; to clatter.

And the rude hail in rattling tempest forms. Addison.

'Twas but the wind.

Or the car rattling o'er the stony street. Byron.

Sense 2. To speak eagerly and noisily; to utter words in a clattering manner; to jabber.

Thus turbulent in rattling tone she spoke. Dryden.

He rattles it out against popery. Swift.

Răt'tle, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. 1. To cause to make a rattling sound, or a rapid succession of sharp sounds; as, to rattle a chain.

Sense 2. To stun with noise; to deafen with sharp sounds rapidly repeated.

Sound but another, and another shall, As loud as thine, rattle the welkin's ear. Shak.

Sense 3. To scold; to rail at clamorously.

She would sometimes rattle off her servants sharply. Arbuthnot.

Răt'tle, n.

noun

n. 1. A rapid succession of sharp, clattering sounds; as, the rattle of a drum. Prior.

A rapid succession of words sharply uttered; loud, rapid talk; clamorous chiding.
An instrument with which a clattering sound is made.

The rattles of Isis and the cymbals of Brasilea nearly enough resemble each other. Raleigh. 4. A noisy person without sense or consequence; a jabberer.

It may seem strange that a man who wrote with so much perspicuity, vivacity, and grace, should have been, whenever he took a part in conversation, an empty, noisy, blundering rattle. Macaulay. 5. (pl.) The noise produced by the air in passing through mucus of which the lungs are unable to free themselves;—chiefly observable at the approach of death. Dunglison.

To spring a rattle, to cause it to sound.—Yellow rattle (Bot.), a plant of the genus Rhinanthus. Loudon.