rat-tat
/ratˈtat
/(also rat-tat-tat /rattatˈtat/ or rat-a-tat /ratəˈtat/)
noun
A rapping sound (used especially in reference to a sequence of knocks on a door or the sound of gunfire): there was a loud rat-tat on the heavy door the rat-tat of the Kalashnikovs...
- The household was roused this morning by a rat-tat-tat on the door.
- That's when I heard the gunfire. A constant rat-a-tat of machine guns and the screaming of women mixed with the sounds of battle.
- I swooped down on them, making the rat-a-tat sound of the turret guns and the thud and boom of the bombs.
Origin
Late 17th century: imitative.