rattle

1 to make a series of short sharp noises the children tromped through the kitchen, making the plates on the shelf rattle Synonyms clack, clatter Related Words chink, chirp, clank, click, clink; clang, clash, crash; spatter, sputter; racket; clip-clop, clop, clop-clop

2 to engage in casual or rambling conversation busily rattling away about our vacation plans, we didn't listen to the announcements and missed our flight Synonyms babble, blab, cackle, chaffer [British], chatter, chin [slang], converse, gab, gabble, gas, jabber, jaw, kibitz (also kibbitz), natter, palaver, patter, prate, prattle, rap, chat, run on, schmooze (or shmooze), talk, twitter, visitRelated Words gossip, tattle; descant, discuss, expatiate; yak (also yack), yammer, yap

3 to talk at length without sticking to a topic or getting to a point she rattled on and on about all her European shopping trips, but I wasn't really listening Synonyms blather (on), go on, maunder, ramble, run onRelated Words deviate, digress, stray, wander; sidetrack; blab, blabber, blither, bumble, burble, chat, chatter, drivel, drool, gab, gabble, gibber, jabber, patter, prate, prattle, waffle

4 to throw into a state of self-conscious distress don't let a little mistake rattle you while you're playing during the piano recital Synonyms abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, faze, fluster, mortify, nonplus, embarrassRelated Words agitate, bother, chagrin, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distress, disturb, perturb, put off, put out, unhinge, unsettle, upset; debase, degrade, demean, humble, humiliate, queer, shameNear Antonyms calm, comfort, console, relieve, soothe; buoy, cheer, embolden, encourage, hearten; assure, reassure