Rattling

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Rattle \Rat"tle\ (r[a^]t"t'l), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Rattled}
     (-t'ld); p. pr. & vb. n. {Rattling} (-tl[i^]ng).] [Akin to D.
     ratelen, G. rasseln, AS. hr[ae]tele a rattle, in
     hr[ae]telwyrt rattlewort; cf. Gr. kradai`nein to swing, wave.
     Cf. {Rail} a bird.]
     1. To make a quick succession of sharp, inharmonious noises,


        as by the collision of hard and not very sonorous bodies
        shaken together; to clatter.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              And the rude hail in rattling tempest forms.
                                                    --Addison.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              'T was but the wind,
              Or the car rattling o'er the stony street. --Byron.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To drive or ride briskly, so as to make a clattering; as,
        we rattled along for a couple of miles. [Colloq.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To make a clatter with the voice; to talk rapidly and
        idly; to clatter; -- with on or away; as, she rattled on
        for an hour. [Colloq.]
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  rattling
       adj 1: extraordinarily good; used especially as intensifiers; "a
              fantastic trip to the Orient"; "the film was
              fantastic!"; "a howling success"; "a marvelous
              collection of rare books"; "had a rattling
              conversation about politics"; "a tremendous
              achievement" [syn: {fantastic}, {howling(a)}, {marvelous},
               {marvellous}, {rattling(a)}, {terrific}, {tremendous},
               {wonderful}, {wondrous}]
       2: quick and energetic; "a brisk walk in the park"; "a lively
          gait"; "a merry chase"; "traveling at a rattling rate"; "a
          snappy pace"; "a spanking breeze" [syn: {brisk}, {lively},
           {merry}, {snappy}, {spanking}, {zippy}]
       n : a rapid series of short loud sounds (as might be heard with
           a stethoscope in some types of respiratory disorders);
           "the death rattle" [syn: {rattle}, {rale}]
       adv : used as intensifiers; `real' is sometimes used informally
             for `really'; `rattling' is informal; "she was very
             gifted"; "he played very well"; "a really enjoyable
             evening"; "I'm real sorry about it"; "a rattling good
             yarn" [syn: {very}, {really}, {real}]