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; p. pr. & vb. n. Rattling.]
Etym: [Akin to D. ratelen, G. rasseln, AS. hrætele a rattle, in
hrætelwyrt rattlewort; cf. Gr. 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 a 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 ratting or clattering sound; as, to rattle a chain.
2. To assail, annoy, or stun with a ratting 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.]