Rattle

/ˈɹæ.təl/ noun, verb, slang

noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: Object that rattles.; Any of various plants of the genera Rhinanthus and Pedicularis, whose seeds produce a rattling noise in the wind.
  • Grammar: rattle is listed as noun, verb, slang.
  • Nearest alternatives: abash, abate, addle, addle the wits.
  • Useful contrasts: calm, mumble, mute toy.
  • Usage evidence: When you talk of the devil you will hear his bones rattle.

How to use "rattle"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "rattle" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.

Meaning check

  • Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
  • Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
  • Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
  • Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?

Source and review context

This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "rattle" in a final draft.

If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.

Before you rely on this definition

Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "rattle" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "rattle" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.

Compare nearby meanings

  • Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
  • Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
  • Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
  • Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.

Definition decision workflow

1. Identify the role

Check whether "rattle" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.

2. Test the nearest option

Compare it with "abash" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.

3. Confirm with context

Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.

Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.

Final meaning check

Before publishing a sentence with "rattle", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.

When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Object that rattles.; Any of various plants of the genera Rhinanthus and Pedicularis, whose seeds produce a rattling noise in the wind. countable, uncountable
  2. 2
    Alternative form of rottol: a former Middle Eastern and North African unit of dry weight usually equal to 1–5 lb (0.5–2.5 kg). alt-of, alternative, historical
  3. 3
    loosely connected horny sections at the end of a rattlesnake's tail wordnet
  4. 4
    Object that rattles.; A baby’s toy designed to make sound when shaken, usually containing loose grains or pellets in a hollow container. countable, uncountable

    "Pleas'd with a rattle, tickled with a straw."

  5. 5
    a baby's toy that makes percussive noises when shaken wordnet
Show 10 more definitions
  1. 6
    Object that rattles.; A musical instrument that makes a rattling sound. countable, uncountable

    "The rattles of Isis and the cymbals of Brasilea nearly enough resemble each other."

  2. 7
    a rapid series of short loud sounds (as might be heard with a stethoscope in some types of respiratory disorders) wordnet
  3. 8
    Object that rattles.; A device which produces a loud rattling sound, especially one having a ratchet mechanism and spun round on a handle. countable, uncountable

    "[T]he footpath to Hendon went across hay and corn fields and in summer the sound of rattles used by boys hired to "fray" the birds from the crops was familiar."

  4. 9
    Object that rattles.; The set of rings at the end of a rattlesnake's tail which produce a rattling sound. countable, uncountable

    "The rattle of the rattlesnake is composed of the hardened terminal scales, loosened in succession, but not cast off, and modified in form so as to make a series of loose, hollow joints."

  5. 10
    Rattling sound.; A rapid succession of percussive sounds, as made by loose objects shaking or vibrating against one another. countable, onomatopoeic, uncountable

    "I wish they would fix the rattle under my dashboard."

  6. 11
    Rattling sound.; Noisy, rapid talk; babble. archaic, countable, uncountable

    "All this adoe about the golden age is but an empty rattle and frivolous conceipt."

  7. 12
    Rattling sound.; Trivial chatter; gossip. archaic, uncountable

    "“And pray where, Lady Honoria,” cried Mrs. Delvile, “do you contrive to pick up all this rattle?”"

  8. 13
    Rattling sound.; A noisy, senseless talker; a jabberer. countable, uncountable

    "‘Sir James is a young Man of an amiable disposition, and excellent character;—a little too much of the Rattle perhaps, but a year or two will rectify that […].’"

  9. 14
    Rattling sound.; A scolding; a sharp rebuke. countable, obsolete, uncountable
  10. 15
    Rattling sound.; A rough noise produced in the throat by air passing through obstructed airways; croup; a death rattle. countable, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To create a rattling sound by shaking or striking. ergative, transitive

    "to rattle a chain"

  2. 2
    shake and cause to make a rattling noise wordnet
  3. 3
    To scare, startle, unsettle, or unnerve. figuratively, informal, transitive

    "“Tut!” said old Bittlesham. “Tut is right”, I agreed. Then the rumminess of the thing struck me. “But if you haven’t dropped a parcel over the race,” I said, “why are you looking so rattled?”"

  4. 4
    make short successive sounds wordnet
  5. 5
    To make a rattling noise; to make noise by or from shaking. intransitive

    "I wish the dashboard in my car would quit rattling."

Show 5 more definitions
  1. 6
    To assail, annoy, or stun with a rattling noise. obsolete, transitive

    "Sound but another [drum], and another shall / As loud as thine rattle the welkin’s ear."

  2. 7
    To scold; to rail at. obsolete, transitive

    "This came to the Bishop's Ear, who presently sent for the Curate, Rattled him to some Tune, with Menaces to the Highest Degree"

  3. 8
    To drive or ride briskly, so as to make a clattering.

    "We rattled along for a couple of miles."

  4. 9
    To make a clatter with one's voice; to talk rapidly and idly; often with on or away.

    "She rattled on for an hour."

  5. 10
    To experience withdrawal from drugs. UK, slang

Synonyms

All synonyms
abashabateaddleaddle the witsagitateagreeable rattle

Antonyms

calmmumblemute toyquiet

Example

"When you talk of the devil you will hear his bones rattle."

Common questions

What does "rattle" mean?

Object that rattles.; Any of various plants of the genera Rhinanthus and Pedicularis, whose seeds produce a rattling noise in the wind.

What is a synonym for "rattle"?

Common synonyms include: abash, abate, addle, addle the wits, agitate, agreeable rattle.

How do you use "rattle" in a sentence?

When you talk of the devil you will hear his bones rattle.

How do you pronounce "rattle"?

Pronounced /ˈɹæ.təl/.

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English ratelen, of uncertain origin; perhaps borrowed from Middle Dutch ratelen or of native origin related to Old English hratele, hrætele (“a plant known for its rustling or rattling sound”), ultimately imitative. The noun (c. 1500) is from the verb.

Etymology 2

From Arabic رَطْل (raṭl), variant of classical رِطْل (riṭl), ultimately from Ancient Greek λίτρα (lítra). Doublet of liter.

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Synonyms

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