Rattan
(Rat*tan") n. [Malay rotan.] [Written also ratan.] (Bot.) One of the long slender flexible stems
of several species of palms of the genus Calamus, mostly East Indian, though some are African and
Australian. They are exceedingly tough, and are used for walking sticks, wickerwork, chairs and seats of
chairs, cords and cordage, and many other purposes.
Ratteen
(Rat*teen") n. [F. ratine.] A thick woolen stuff quilled or twilled.
Ratten
(Rat"ten) v. t. [Prov. E. ratten a rat, hence the verb literally means, to do mischief like a rat.]
To deprive feloniously of the tools used in one's employment for the purpose of annoying; as, to ratten a
mechanic who works during a strike. [Trades-union Cant] J. McCarthy.
Ratter
(Rat"ter) n.
1. One who, or that which, rats, as one who deserts his party.
2. Anything which catches rats; esp., a dog trained to catch rats; a rat terrier. See Terrier.
Rattinet
(Rat`ti*net") n. A woolen stuff thinner than ratteen.
Ratting
(Rat"ting) n.
1. The conduct or practices of one who rats. See Rat, v. i., 1. Sydney Smith.
2. The low sport of setting a dog upon rats confined in a pit to see how many he will kill in a given time.
Rattle
(Rat"tle) v. i. [imp. & p. p. Rattled (-t'ld); p. pr. & vb. n. Rattling ] [Akin to D. ratelen, G.
rasseln, AS. hrætele a rattle, in hrætelwyrt 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.
And the rude hail in rattling tempest forms.
Addison.
'T was but the wind,
Or the car rattling o'er the stony street.
Byron.
2. To drive or ride briskly, so as to make a clattering; as, we rattled along for a couple of miles. [Colloq.]
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.]
Rattle
(Rat"tle) v. t.
1. To cause to make a rattling or clattering sound; as, to rattle a chain.
2. To assail, annoy, or stun with a rattling noise.
Sound but another [drum], and another shall
As loud as thine rattle the welkin's ear.
Shak. 3. Hence, to disconcert; to confuse; as, to rattle one's judgment; to rattle a player in a game. [Colloq.]
4. To scold; to rail at. L'Estrange.
To rattle off. (a) To tell glibly or noisily; as, to rattle off a story. (b) To rail at; to scold. "She would
sometimes rattle off her servants sharply." Arbuthnot.
