A rapid series of short loud sounds (as might be heard with a stethoscope in some types of respiratory disorders):
— The death rattle.

synonyms: rale, rattling.

Roget 417: musical instruments; band; string-band, brass-band; orchestra; orchestrina^†.    [Stringed instruments], monochord^†, polychord^†; harp, lyre, lute, archlute^†; mandola^†, mandolin, mandoline^†; guitar; zither; cither^†, cithern^†; gittern^†, rebeck^†, bandurria^†, bandura, banjo; bina^†, vina^†; xanorphica^†.    viol, violin, fiddle, kit; viola, viola d'amore [Fr.], viola di gamba [It]; tenor, cremona, violoncello, bass; bass viol, base viol; theorbo^†, double base, contrabasso^†, violone^†, psaltery [Slang]; bow, fiddlestick^†.    piano, pianoforte; harpsichord, clavichord, clarichord^†, manichord^†; clavier, spinet, virginals, dulcimer, hurdy-gurdy, vielle^†, pianino^†, Eolian harp.    [Wind instruments]; organ, harmonium, harmoniphon^†; American organ^†, barrel organ, hand organ; accordion, seraphina^†, concertina; humming top.    flute, fife, piccolo, flageolet; clarinet, claronet^†; basset horn, corno di bassetto [It], oboe, hautboy, cor Anglais [Fr.], corno Inglese^†, bassoon, double bassoon, contrafagotto^†, serpent, bass clarinet; bagpipes, union pipes; musette, ocarina, Pandean pipes; reed instrument; sirene^†, pipe, pitch-pipe; sourdet^†; whistle, catcall; doodlesack^†, harmoniphone^†.    horn, bugle, cornet, cornet-a-pistons, cornopean^†, clarion, trumpet, trombone, ophicleide^†; French horn, saxophone, sax [Slang], buglehorn^†, saxhorn, flugelhorn^†, althorn^†, helicanhorn^†, posthorn^†; sackbut, euphonium, bombardon tuba^†.    [Vibrating surfaces] cymbal, bell, gong; tambour^†, tambourine, tamborine^†; drum, tom-tom; tabor, tabret^†, tabourine^†, taborin^†; side drum, kettle drum; timpani, tympani^†; tymbal^†, timbrel^†, castanet, bones; musical glasses, musical stones; harmonica, sounding-board, rattle; tam-tam, zambomba^†.    [Vibrating bars] reed, tuning fork, triangle, Jew's harp, musical box, harmonicon^†, xylophone.    sordine^†, sordet^†; sourdine^†, sourdet^†; mute.    (iv) PERCEPTION OF SOUND ... show more

Roget 584: loquacity, loquaciousness; talkativeness etc. adj.; garrulity; multiloquence^†, much speaking.    jaw; gabble; jabber, chatter; prate, prattle, cackle, clack; twaddle, twattle, rattle; caquet^†, caquetterie [Fr.]; blabber, bavardage^†, bibble-babble^†, gibble-gabble^†; small talk etc. (converse) 588.    fluency, flippancy, volubility, flowing, tongue; flow of words; flux de bouche [Fr.], flux de mots [Fr.]; copia verborum [Lat.], cacoethes loquendi [Lat.]; furor loquendi [Lat.]; verbosity etc. (diffuseness) 573; gift of the gab etc. (eloquence) 582.    talker; chatterer, chatterbox; babbler etc. v.; rattle; ranter; sermonizer, proser^†, driveler; blatherskite [U.S.]; gossip etc. (converse) 588; magpie, jay, parrot, poll, Babel; moulin a paroles [Fr.].    ... show more

Dutch: gerammel, gereutel

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

Dutch: rammelaar
Polish: grzechotka

Loosely connected horny sections at the end of a rattlesnake's tail.

Dutch: ratel

Make short successive sounds.

Roget 407: roll, drum, rumble, rattle, clatter, patter, clack; bombinate^†.    hum, trill, shake; chime, peal, toll; tick, beat.    drum in the ear, din in the ear.    ... show more

Roget 584: be loquacious etc. adj.; talk glibly, pour forth, patter; prate, palaver, prose, chatter, prattle, clack, jabber, jaw; blather, blatter^†, blether^†; rattle, rattle on; twaddle, twattle; babble, gabble; outtalk; talk oneself out of breath, talk oneself hoarse; expatiate etc. (speak at length) 573; gossip etc. (converse) 588; din in the ears etc. (repeat) 104; talk at random, talk nonsense etc. 497; be hoarse with talking.    ... show more

Dutch: rammelen

Shake and cause to make a rattling noise.