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rattle

verb · noun

Simple meaning

To scare, startle, unsettle.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

ratuhl

Say the bold part a little louder.

US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈɹætəl

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

verb

  1. transitiveergative

    To create a rattling sound by shaking or striking.

  2. intransitive

    To make a rattling noise; to make noise by or from shaking.

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

  4. transitivefigurativeinformal

    To scare, startle, unsettle, or unnerve.

  5. Shake and cause to make a rattling noise

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

noun

  1. Any of various plants of the genera Rhinanthus and Pedicularis, whose seeds produce a rattling noise in the wind.

  2. A device which produces a loud rattling sound, especially one having a ratchet mechanism and spun round on a handle.

  3. A baby's toy that makes percussive noises when shaken

  4. A baby's toy designed to make sound when shaken, usually containing loose grains or pellets in a hollow container.

  5. A rough noise produced in the throat by air passing through obstructed airways; croup; a death rattle.

  6. A noisy, senseless talker; a jabberer.

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: (transitive, ergative) To create a rattling sound by shaking or striking.

Used this way, rattle is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Emotional tone
Neutral
Formality
Neutral
Intensity
Not strongly marked
How common
Moderately common
Connotation
No strong connotation
Usage feel
Neutral and straightforward

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.