rattle1 verbrattle2 noun
rattlerat‧tle1 /ˈrætl/ ●○○ verb 
WORD ORIGINrattle1
Origin:
1300-1400 Probably from Middle Low German ratelenVERB TABLE
rattle
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | rattle |
| he, she, it | rattles | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | rattled |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have rattled |
| he, she, it | has rattled | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had rattled |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will rattle |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have rattled |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am rattling |
| he, she, it | is rattling | |
| you, we, they | are rattling | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was rattling |
| you, we, they | were rattling | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been rattling |
| he, she, it | has been rattling | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been rattling |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be rattling |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been rattling |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- A battered old Chevrolet rattled past.
- I woke up to the sound of cups and plates rattling, and knew that Dad was already up.
- Keys rattled in his pocket as he walked.
- Monday's earthquake rattled windows and woke residents.
- Nothing rattles him.
- Sometimes, the bolts work loose and start rattling around.
- The windows were rattling in the wind.
- There's something rattling inside the washing machine.
- Gear changes at 4 a. m. nearly rattled my window.
- I did find the window open, and locked it myself because of the way it was rattling in the wind.
- Once they had done this, they used breathing and rhythmic rattling to induce trance states.
- Steve Merritt in an apparent bid to rattle Clinton.
- The church door was rattling insanely and nothing could be seen through the windows, so fierce was the rain.
- The man from corporates rattled everyone.
- Then come the usual suspects, categories that we can rattle through quickly before announcing the big ones.
THESAURUSobject/vehicle/the ground etc
to move suddenly from side to side or up and down, usually with a lot of force: · The floor shook from a distant explosion.· The walls were still shaking.· The trees were shaking in the wind.
to shake and make a noise: · The windows rattled in the wind.· The train was rattling over the bridge.
to shake continuously with small fast movements: · The music was so loud that the whole room vibrated.· The atoms vibrate at different frequencies.
to move unsteadily from side to side: · The bike began to wobble alarmingly as she fought to control it.· The cup wobbled and he grabbed it to stop it from falling.
to move gently backwards and forwards or from side to side: · The trailer rocked in the wind.· The boat was rocking from side to side with the waves.
(also judder especially British English) if a vehicle or machine shudders, it shakes for a short time.: · The lift shuddered then began to descend.· The engine shuddered into life (=it shook and then started working).· The car juddered to a halt (=it shook and then stopped) outside the house.
Longman Language Activatorwhen things shake if something shakes , it makes very small quick movements from side to side or up and down: · Ed was playing his music so loud that the whole house shook.· Suddenly the ground beneath my feet began to shake.· The car slowed down, shook for a moment and then stopped.
to shake and repeatedly hit against something else, making a continuous noise: · The windows were rattling in the wind.· I woke up to the sound of cups and plates rattling, and knew that Dad was already up.
if something wobbles , it moves from side to side because it is not steady or not well balanced: · The chair wobbled under her weight and then fell over.· Jerry came in carrying a tray of glasses that were wobbling alarmingly.
to shake continuously with very small, very fast movements, for example because of the effects of a very loud noise: · Some insects' wings vibrate so fast that the movement is invisible to the human eye.vibrate to: · Everything in the room was vibrating to the beat of the drum.
if something such as a piece of machinery or a vehicle shudders , it shakes uncontrollably with very small movements: · Our house was so close to the railway that you could feel it shudder every time a train went by.shudder to a halt (=shake a lot and then stop): · The train shuddered to a halt at the station.
especially British if something judders , it shakes with small, quick movements, especially because something is stopping it moving freely or smoothly: · Jackson took his Land Rover off the track and it juddered over 15 metres of grass.· The elevator doors juddered open when we reached the fifth floor.judder to a halt (=shake a lot and then stop): · Something was obviously wrong with the car and eventually it just juddered to a halt.
to move up and down or from side to side with sudden large movements - use this especially about a vehicle or machine that is not working well or moving smoothly: · Our coach jolted and stopped. Then it started again.jolt along/over/through etc: · He ran down the hill, the backpack jolting from side to side on his back.jolt to a halt/stop: · Everyone was alarmed when the elevator jolted to a halt.
sounds made by something repeatedly hitting something the sound produced when something hard keeps hitting another hard surface: · One of the machines started to make a strange knocking sound.· The builders' knocking and hammering made it difficult for me to concentrate on my work.
the sound produced when someone keeps hitting a surface, especially a door or window, with their hand or with a hard object: rap/rapping at/on etc: · A violent rap at the door made me run downstairs.· I was kept awake by the rapping of a branch on my window.
to make a quiet irregular sound, like the sound of rain falling or quick, light steps: patter on/in etc: · Raindrops were pattering on the car roof.patter about/around (=move around with a pattering sound): · I could hear feet shuffling and pattering about upstairs.
if something rattles , it makes a hard, quickly repeated sound, especially because part of it is loose and keeps hitting against something: · There's something rattling inside the washing machine.rattle about/around (=move around with a rattling sound): · Sometimes, the bolts work loose and start rattling around.rattle along/past etc (=move somewhere making a rattling sound): · A battered old Chevrolet rattled past.
to produce a sound by lightly and repeatedly hitting a hard surface: tap on/against: · Is that someone tapping on the door?· It sounded as though something outside was tapping against the window.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
It was hard not to get rattled when the work piled up.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES She picked up the envelope and gave it a shake.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
It was hard not to get rattled when the work piled up. She picked up the envelope and gave it a shake.· Now she was rattling along the empty streets, the horse's hooves sounding sharp and crisp in the silence.· Michael Lynagh is still rattling along towards the four-figure mark but not at the same rate.· Rain reduced it to 37 overs a side and the home team were soon rattling along.· They rattled along the main street of what looked like a typical East Anglian village.· The train rattled along and we both hung on to the straps looking at each other.· The car rattled along, crossing the myriad narrow gauge loco tracks that ran between the factories lining the route.
· Such nuclei behave as if they have a-particles rattling around inside them.· What if they have 30, 000 fans rattling around in the Rose Bowl by Thanksgiving?· Still it's hard to believe the young warlord won't rattle around in his armoury for just the right mace.· The one I'd considered earlier, but they refuse single people because they would rattle around on their own.
· Terry and Ponzo came back and we rattled off in the old truck to meet Rickey.· He would then rattle off the list.· There will be Stormy, rattling off one of the jokes that always left them laughing.· The tram clanged its bell and rattled off angrily into the gloom.· Yes, they told her, and she quickly rattled off the correct spelling.· He rattled off the list of headline-worthy cases he was being forced to abandon.
· Then come the usual suspects, categories that we can rattle through quickly before announcing the big ones.
NOUN· A little wind had been born from the breeze and was sighing in the walnut tree and rattling the scullery door.· He rattled the screen door and pounded as hard as he could.· While you can click the 42oG's doors shut with fingertip pressure, slam them and they rattle.· He looked up as some one rattled at the front door of the shop; irritably he waved them away.· These went on for several hours, rattling doors and windows almost continuously.
· The sabre-rattling is empty gesturing.
· The last breath of a dying wind rattled the kitchen windowpane.· The first cold winds rattled the windowpane, and I had made it just in time.· Today a wind rattles the stalks of bamboo.· Pressed against a window, she bullied herself to reach a decision. Wind rattled an awning above her head.· It was probably the wind rattling some lattice, but she was going to find out.· A gust of wind rattles the sash window and the draught makes Robyn shiver.· The wind gusted outside and rattled the loosened boards.
· The window frames rattled violently and glass cracked with the sound of a pistol shot.· The window frames rattled in the wind.· The windows rattled, the walls shook, and the rain pounded on the roof.· The wind in the gusts seemed directed straight at the small casement window, which rattled and banged.· The blinded windows rattle in my pale Bones, the skeleton that never tires.· In this isolated house, with the elements raging outside, and the windows rattling under the strain?· Her windows were rattling in the wind, patches of sunlight and shade sped across the view.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1[intransitive, transitive] if you rattle something, or if it rattles, it shakes and makes a quick series of short sounds: - Who rattled your cage?
Dan banged on her door and rattled the handle. The window rattled in the wind. Bottles rattled as he stacked the beer crates.2[intransitive] if a vehicle rattles somewhere, it travels there while making a rattling soundrattle along/past/over etc The cart rattled along the stony road. An old blue van rattled into view.3[transitive] informal to make someone lose confidence or become nervous: His mocking smile rattled her more than his anger. It was hard not to get rattled when the work piled up. His confidence was rattled by the accident.4rattle somebody’s cage spoken informal to annoy someone – used humorously: Who rattled your cage?rattle around phrasal verb British English to live in a building that is much too big for yourattle around in Dad and I rattled around miserably in the house after Mum died.rattle something ↔ off phrasal verb to say several pieces of information or a list quickly and easily from memory: Chris rattled off some statistics about the teams.rattle on phrasal verb British English informal to talk quickly for a long time about boring things SYN go onrattle on about Nancy would rattle on for hours about her grandchildren.rattle through something phrasal verb British English informal to do something quickly because you want to finish itrattle up something phrasal verb British English if a sports player rattles up a number of points, they get that number of points very quickly: The West Indies had rattled up 411 for 5 when rain stopped play.rattle1 verbrattle2 noun
rattlerattle2 noun EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- I heard the rattle of a key in the door, and knew David was home.
- Just then we heard the rattle of a key in the lock.
- A machine gun opened up but its rattle was lost in the second explosion.
- Death rattle is what it was.
- Foaming liquid sprayed above the dancers' heads and fell to the floor with the dry rattle of earth sprinkled on wood.
- Ponyets heard the staccato rattle of the receiver quite plainly.
- Sioux medicine men collected tiny, glistening pebbles from anthills and used them in medicine rattles.
- There was a rattle and a creak from behind me.
- Think about the rattle of the electric trains on their way to Southfields and Putney.
THESAURUSmade by things hitting other things
a loud sound caused especially when something hard or heavy hits something else: · I heard a loud bang and rushed out to see what had happened.· He slammed the door shut with a bang.
a very loud sound caused when something hits something else, especially when damage is caused: · The tray of dishes fell to the floor with a crash.· I heard an enormous crash outside our house, and I went to see what had happened.
a quiet low sound made when a heavy object falls down onto surface: · There was a dull thud as the box hit the floor.· His head hit the ground with a sickening thud.
a dull loud sound made when a heavy object hits something else: · There was a loud thump as Eddie threw Luther back against the wall.
a short ringing sound made when two glass, metal, or china objects hit each other: · the clink of champagne glasses· The clink of cutlery could be heard in the restaurant.
the pleasant sound that is made by light pieces of glass or metal hitting each other repeatedly: · He listened to the faint tinkle of cow bells in the distance.
the sound of small metal objects being shaken together: · the jingle of her bracelets· the jingle of keys
a short repeated sound made when things hit against each other – used especially when part of something is loose and is hitting against something: · There was a strange rattle coming from the engine.· the rattle of the trolley
WORD SETSablaze, adjectiveacoustic, adjectiveacoustics, nounaglow, adjectivebaa, verbbabble, verbbabble, nounbabel, nounbaby talk, nounbackfire, verbbackground, nounbang, nounbang, verbbang, interjectionbark, verbbark, nounbattle cry, nounbay, verbbeat, verbbeat, nounbellow, verbbellow, nounblare, verbblast, nounbleat, verbbleep, nounbleep, verbblip, nounbong, nounboom, nounboom, verbbowwow, interjectionbrassy, adjectivebray, verbbrazen, adjectivebreathy, adjectivebubble, verbbump, nounchatter, verbchatter, nounclink, verbclink, nouncrack, verbcrack, nouncrackle, verbcrackling, nouncrash, verbcrash, nouncreak, verbcreaky, adjectivecroak, verbcroak, nouncrow, nouncrow, verbcrunch, nouncrunch, verbding-dong, noundiscord, noundiscordant, adjectivedrone, verbdrone, noundrown, verbdrum, verbdrumbeat, noundrumming, noundull, adjectiveecho, verbecho, nounfizz, verbflat, adjectivefootfall, nounfootstep, nounfusillade, noungrinding, adjectivegroan, verbgroan, noungrunt, verbgrunt, nounguffaw, verbgunshot, nounguttural, adjectivehigh, adjectivehigh, adverbhiss, verbindistinct, adjectiveirregular, adjectivelow, verbmarbled, adjectivematching, adjectivemellow, adjectivemelodic, adjectivemelodious, adjectivemetallic, adjectivemoan, verbmoan, nounmodulate, verbmonotone, nounmoo, verbmurmur, verbmurmur, nounmusical, adjectivemusically, adverbmute, verbnasal, adjectivenoise, nounoink, interjectionoof, interjectionpatter, verbpatter, nounpeal, nounpeal, verbpenetrating, adjectivepercussion, nounpsychedelic, adjectivepulse, nounputter, verbquack, verbquack, nounquaver, nounracket, nounrasp, verbrasp, nounraspberry, nounrat-a-tat, nounrattle, nounraucous, adjectivereedy, adjectivereport, nounresonance, nounresonant, adjectiveresonate, verbresonator, nounresound, verbresounding, adjectivereverberate, verbreverberation, nounrich, adjectivering, nounring, verbringing, adjectiveripple, verbripple, nounroar, nounroaring, adjectiveroll, verbrough, adjectiverustle, verbrustle, nounscratch, verbscratch, nounscream, verbscream, nounscrunch, verbsmoky, adjectivesnarl, verbsoft, adjectivesoft-spoken, adjectivesonorous, adjectivesotto voce, adverbsplosh, verbsweet, adjectiveswoosh, verbtick-tock, nountinny, adjectivetonal, adjectivevivid, adjectivevowel, nounwail, verbweak, adjectivewhack, nounwham, interjectionwhine, verbwhinny, verbwhirr, verbwhistle, verbwhistle, nounyelp, nounyowl, verbzoom, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES She picked up the envelope and gave it a shake.
1 She picked up the envelope and gave it a shake.
[countable, uncountable] a short repeated sound, made when something shakes: They listened anxiously to every rattle and creak in the house.rattle of the rattle of chains the faint rattle of distant gunfire → death rattle► see thesaurus at sound2[countable] a baby’s toy that makes a noise when it is shaken3[countable] British English an object that people shake to make a loud noise and show excitement or encouragement, for example at ceremonies or sports games
- cotton gin
- cotton-picking
- cottonwood
- cotton wool
- couch
- couchette
- couch potato
- couch surfing
- cougar
- cough
- cough mixture
- could
- couldst
- coulis
- council
- council estate
- Council for the Protection of Rural England
- council house
- councillor
- councilman
- Council of Europe
- council of war
- council tax
- councilwoman
- counsel