clatter
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈklætɚ/
ipa: /ˈklætə/
rhymes: -ætə(ɹ)
Forms: form: clatters
form: clattering
form: clattered
form: clattered
Etymology: From Middle English clatren (“to make a rattling sound”), from Old English *clatrian (attested as the Late Old English gerund clatrung), of onomatopoeic origin. Compare Dutch klateren, kletteren.
The noun, derived from the verb, is first attested in the 14ᵗʰ century.
Senses: examples: text: When all the bees are gone to settle, / You clatter still your brazen kettle.
ref: 1728, Jonathan Swift, “A Dialogue between Mad Mullinix and Timothy”, in Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, editors, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, […], new edition, volume VII, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1801, →OCLC, page 403:
text: When he came to Nottingham, he entered that part of the market where butchers stood, and took up his inn in the best place he could find. Next, he opened his stall and spread his meat upon the bench, then, taking his cleaver and steel and clattering them together, he trolled aloud in merry tones: […]
ref: 1883, Howard Pyle, “Robin Hood Turns Butcher”, in The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood […], New York, N.Y.: […] Charles Scribner’s Sons […], →OCLC, part second, page 49:
text: Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark inn-yard, / And he tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was locked and barred; […]
ref: 1906 August, Alfred Noyes, “The Highwayman”, in Poems, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., published October 1906, →OCLC, part 1, stanza III, page 46:
text: I sprang up the break of the poop, and saw -- Wolf Larsen. What of my impetus and the stunning surprise, I clattered three or four steps along the deck before I could stop myself.
ref: 1904, Jack London, chapter 32, in The Sea-Wolf (Macmillan’s Standard Library), New York, N.Y.: Grosset & Dunlap, →OCLC:
text: [Hoop-and-stick] was not a little gentleman's game but was played by boys in heavy boots making a terrific noise as they clattered along on the pavements at quite a speed.
ref: 1971, Gwen White, Antique Toys And Their Background, page 127:
glosses: To make a rattling sound.
examples: text: But if that I knewe what his name hight, / For clatering of me I would him ſone quight; / For his falſe lying, of that I ſpake never, / I could make him ſhortly repent him forever: […]
ref: c. 1515–1516, published 1568, John Skelton, Againſt venemous tongues enpoyſoned with ſclaunder and falſe detractions &c.
text: Here is a great deale of good matter, / loſt for lacke of telling, / Now ſicker I see, thou doeſt but clatter: / harme may come of melling.
ref: 1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “Iulye. Ægloga Septima.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC, folio 29, recto:
glosses: To chatter noisily or rapidly.
examples: text: "I can't watch it because I have to go outside and clatter someone in the nuts!”
ref: 1988, Harry Enfield, Friday Night Live:
text: “An Orange bitch clattered seven shades of shite out of her,” Padraig eagerly piped up.
ref: 2010, Gerald Hansen, Hand in the Till:
glosses: To hit; to smack.
Derived terms: aclatter
clatterer
clattering
clatteringly