(rattles, rattling, rattled)
1.
When something rattles or when you rattle it, it makes short sharp knocking sounds because it is being shaken or it keeps hitting against something hard.
She slams the kitchen door so hard I hear dishes rattle...
He gently rattled the cage and whispered to the canary...
VERB: V, V n
•
Rattle is also a noun.
There was a rattle of rifle-fire.
N-COUNT
• rattling
At that moment, there was a rattling at the door.
N-SING
2.
A rattle is a baby's toy with loose bits inside which make a noise when the baby shakes it.
N-COUNT
3.
A rattle is a wooden instrument that people shake to make a loud knocking noise at football matches or tribal ceremonies.
N-COUNT
4.
If something or someone rattles you, they make you nervous.
She refused to be rattled by his ?3,000-a-day lawyer.
= unnerve
VERB: V n
• rattled
He swore in Spanish, another indication that he was rattled.
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ
5.
You can say that a bus, train or car rattles somewhere when it moves noisily from one place to another.
The bus from Odense rattled into a dusty village called Pozo Almonte...
VERB: V prep/adv