rattle — to make or cause to make a rapid series of short, sharp knocking sounds
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to make or cause to make a rapid series of short, sharp knocking sounds
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈrætəl/
Example Sentences
- The ghost decided to rattle some chains to scare people, but ended up just annoying the neighbors.
- Don't let the difficult questions rattle you during the exam.
- The snake's rattle warned hikers to stay away from the dangerous area.
rattle
VERB[/ˈrætəl/]
to make or cause to make a rapid series of short, sharp knocking sounds
The train rattled across the old bridge.
The loose window rattled during the strong wind. (🔊 Shake + 🪟 Noise → Rattle)
The rattling tanks entered the battle before everything finally settled.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Middle English 'ratelen', an onomatopoeia representing a series of short, sharp, and rapid sounds. This mimetic word captures the auditory quality of objects striking together in quick succession.
Breakdown
ratelen (Middle English onomatopoeia, imitative of clattering sound) → rattle. The word's form is primarily phonetic rather than morphologically composed, directly imitating the sound it represents.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The ghost decided to rattle some chains to scare people, but ended up just annoying the neighbors.”
“Don't let the difficult questions rattle you during the exam.”
“The snake's rattle warned hikers to stay away from the dangerous area.”
“My grandmother can rattle off the names of all her 47 cats without hesitation.”
“The old car's engine rattled like a box of angry hornets.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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