rattling

UK: /ˈrætlɪŋ/ US: /ˈrætlɪŋ/ ,(rat′ling)

From the verb rattle: (⇒ conjugate)

rattling is: ⓘ

v pres p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

rat•tling /ˈrætlɪŋ/   adj. 

1. brisk:
   a rattling pace.
2. splendid;
   fine.

adv. 

3. very:
   a rattling good time.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

rat•tling  (rat′ling), adj. 

1. that rattles:
   a rattling door.
2. remarkably good, lively, or fast:
   a rattling talk; a rattling gallop.

adv. 

3. very:
   a rattling good time.

• 1350–1400; Middle English ratelinge; see rattle¹, -ing²

rat′tling•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

rattling / ˈrætlɪŋ/ adverb

1. (intensifier qualifying something good, fine, pleasant, etc): a rattling good lunch

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

rat•tle¹ /ˈrætəl/   v., -tled, -tling, n. 
v. 

1. to (cause to) make a rapid series of short, sharp sounds: [no object]
   The doors rattled in the storm.
   [~ + object]
   I rattled the doorknob.
2. to (cause to) move noisily: [no object]
   The old car rattled along the back roads.
   [~ + object]
   The wind rattled the metal can.
3. rattle off, to say or perform in a rapid or lively manner: [~ + off + object]
   to rattle off the multiplication table.
   [~ + object + off]
   She rattled her answers off.
4. rattle on, [no object] to chatter:
   rattling on about his ailments.
5. to confuse;
   make nervous;
   disconcert:
   [~ + object] The speaker was rattled by that last question.

n. [countable]

6. a rapid succession of short, sharp sounds.
7. a baby's toy filled with small pellets that rattle when shaken.
8. Reptiles the series of horny, hollow rings at the end of a rattlesnake's tail, with which it produces a rattling sound.

rat•tly, adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

rat•tle¹  (rat′l), v., -tled, -tling, n. 
v.i. 

1. to give out or cause a rapid succession of short, sharp sounds, as in consequence of agitation and repeated concussions:
   The windows rattled in their frames.
2. to move or go, esp. rapidly, with such sounds:
   The car rattled along the highway.
3. to talk rapidly;
   chatter:
   He rattled on for an hour about his ailments.

v.t. 

4. to cause to rattle:
   He rattled the doorknob violently.
5. to drive, send, bring, etc., esp. rapidly, with rattling sounds:
   The wind rattled the metal can across the roadway.
6. to utter or perform in a rapid or lively manner:
   to rattle off a list of complaints.
7. to disconcert or confuse (a person):
   A sudden noise rattled the speaker.
8. Sport [Hunting.] to stir up (a cover).

n. 

9. a rapid succession of short, sharp sounds, as from the collision of hard bodies.
10. an instrument contrived to make a rattling sound, esp. a baby's toy filled with small pellets that rattle when shaken.
11. Reptiles the series of horny, interlocking elements at the end of the tail of a rattlesnake, with which it produces a rattling sound.
12. Pathology a rattling sound in the throat, as the death rattle.

• 1250–1300; Middle English ratelen (verb, verbal), ratele (noun, nominal) (cognate with Dutch ratelen, German rasseln); imitative

Synonyms

• 1. clatter, knock.
• 7. discompose.
• 9. clatter.

rat•tle²  (rat′l), v.t., -tled, -tling. [Naut.]

1. Nautical, Naval Terms to furnish with ratlines (usually fol. by down).

• back formation from ratling ratline (taken as verbal noun, nominal) 1720–30

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

rattle / ˈræt^əl/ verb

1. to make or cause to make a rapid succession of short sharp sounds, as of loose pellets colliding when shaken in a container
2. to send, move, drive, etc, with such a sound: the car rattled along the country road
3. (intransitive) followed by on: to chatter idly; talk, esp at length: he rattled on about his work
4. (tr; followed by off, out, etc) to recite perfunctorily or rapidly
5. (transitive) to disconcert; make frightened or anxious

noun

1. a rapid succession of short sharp sounds
2. an object, esp a baby's toy, filled with small pellets that rattle when shaken
3. a series of loosely connected horny segments on the tail of a rattlesnake, vibrated to produce a rattling sound
4. any of various European scrophulariaceous plants having a capsule in which the seeds rattle, such as Pedicularis palustris (red rattle) and Rhinanthus minor (yellow rattle)
5. idle chatter
6. another name for rale

Etymology: 14th Century: from Middle Dutch ratelen; related to Middle High German razzen, of imitative origin