v. 1 clatter An acorn dropped from an overhanging tree and rattled down the tin roof 2 shake, vibrate, jar, joggle, jiggle The wind was strong enough to rattle the windows in their frames 3 unnerve, disconcert, discomfit, disturb, perturb, shake, discountenance, upset, agitate, put off, Chiefly US and Canadian faze They are only trying to rattle us by saying that we might lose our jobs if we strike 4 jounce, bounce, bump, jolt, speed, hurtle The stagecoach came rattling down the road, swaying wildly 5 rattle off. recite, list, utter, reel off, run through, enumerate, call off The announcer rattled off a long list of trains cancelled because of the storm 6 rattle on. chatter, babble, jabber, gibber, prate, prattle, blabber, cackle, blather, ramble, Chiefly Brit witter, natter, Slang US run off at the mouth The speaker kept rattling on and on about the delights of collecting beer cans
n. 7 clatter, racket, noise; rale or râle, crackle, crackling; death-rattle I heard the rattle of the beans and knew you were about to grind the coffee The doctor said he didn't like the rattle in my chest. 8 clapper, sistrum, US noise-maker Rattles have been used as musical instruments for thousands of years