---
title: rattle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «rattle» in the school dictionary: To rattle means to make a lot of short, knocking sounds by shaking, or to shake something so it does this. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# rattle

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** lot, rattle, toy, baby, Something, rattlesnake · **What happens:** rattle, mean, make, knock, shake, do · **To what, where:** lot, sounds, something, this, toy, noise · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«rattle» in the school dictionary: its 5 meanings for a pupil and its 8 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [rattle in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/rattle.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To rattle means to make a lot of short, knocking sounds by shaking, or to shake something so it does this.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rattle:m1:1
# text = To rattle means to make a lot of short, knocking sounds by shaking, or to shake something so it does this.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	rattle	rattle	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	csubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	lot	lot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	knocking	knock	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	advcl	_	_
12	sounds	sound	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	_
13	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
14	shaking	shake	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	shake	shake	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
19	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	18	obj	_	_
20	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	22	mark	_	_
21	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	22	nsubj	_	_
22	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	advcl	_	_
23	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	22	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rattle** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **make** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | a lot of short |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset lot=Product |
| 4 | **knock** | gerund |  | sounds |  |  |  |  | vn split-23.2 «NP V NP apart»: agent=Agent sound=Patient |
| 5 | **shake** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 6 | **shake** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent something=Patient |
| 7 | **do** | present | lot | this |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent this=Eventuality |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A rattle is a baby's toy that makes a noise when shaken.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rattle:m2:1
# text = A rattle is a baby's toy that makes a noise when shaken.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rattle	rattle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	toy	toy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
9	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	noise	noise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	13	advmod	_	_
13	shaken	shake	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a rattle | a baby's toy |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | a baby's toy | a noise |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset noise=Product |
| 3 | **shake** | participle | a baby's toy *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A rattle is also the sound itself, or the end of a rattlesnake's tail.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rattle:m3:1
# text = A rattle is also the sound itself, or the end of a rattlesnake's tail.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rattle	rattle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	itself	itself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Emp|Reflex=Yes	6	nmod:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	end	end	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	rattlesnake	rattlesnake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	's	's	PART	POS	_	14	case	_	_
16	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a rattle | the sound or the end of a rattlesnake's tail |  |  |  | rattle *nmod:unmarked* | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To rattle someone means to make them nervous.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rattle:m4:1
# text = To rattle someone means to make them nervous.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	rattle	rattle	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	csubj	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	nervous	nervous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rattle** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent someone=Theme |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **make** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | them *= they* |  |  |  | nervous *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset they=Product |

## Meaning 5 {#m5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To rattle off means to say a list quickly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rattle:m5:1
# text = To rattle off means to say a list quickly.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	rattle	rattle	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	4	nsubj	_	_
3	off	off	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	list	list	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rattle off** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | a list |  |  |  | quickly *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent list=Topic |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The windows rattled in the storm.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rattle:x1:1
# text = The windows rattled in the storm.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	windows	window	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	rattled	rattle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rattle** | participle |  | the windows *not said here* |  | the storm |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in storm=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The baby shook her rattle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rattle:x2:1
# text = The baby shook her rattle.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	shook	shake	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	rattle	rattle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shake** | past | the baby | baby's rattle |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent rattle=Patient |
| 2 | **rattle** |  | baby |  |  |  |  |  | nom rattle «event intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Something is rattling in the box.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rattle:x3:1
# text = Something is rattling in the box.
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	rattling	rattle	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	box	box	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rattle** | present · progressive | Something |  |  | the box |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in box=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A rattlesnake shakes its tail to warn you.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rattle:x4:1
# text = A rattlesnake shakes its tail to warn you.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rattlesnake	rattlesnake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	shakes	shake	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	warn	warn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shake** | present | a rattlesnake | rattlesnake's tail |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent tail=Patient |
| 2 | **warn** *speech: warn* | to-infinitive | a rattlesnake *not said here* |  | you |  |  |  | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent you=Recipient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't let the other team rattle you.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rattle:x5:1
# text = Don't let the other team rattle you.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	rattle	rattle	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **let** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | the other team |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent team=Theme |
| 2 | **rattle** | present | you *not said here* | you |  |  |  |  | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent you=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She rattled off her times tables.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rattle:x6:1
# text = She rattled off her times tables.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	rattled	rattle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	off	off	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	times	time	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	compound	_	_
6	tables	table	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rattle off** | past | She | her times tables |  |  |  |  | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent table=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The old car rattled down the road.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rattle:x7:1
# text = The old car rattled down the road.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	rattled	rattle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	down	down	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	road	road	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rattle down** | participle | the old car *not said here* | the road |  |  |  |  | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent road=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The stage coach went rattling past.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rattle:x8:1
# text = The stage coach went rattling past.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	stage	stage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	coach	coach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	rattling	rattle	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	xcomp	_	_
6	past	past	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past | the stage coach |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7 «NP V S-Quote»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **rattle** | gerund | the stage coach *not said here* |  |  |  |  | past *property* | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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