A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Rattil(l, -el(l, Rat(t)le, v. [ME (c1330) and e.m.E. ratle, rattel(l, -il, ratylle (Cath. Angl.), rattle (1560), MDu., LG ratelen. Prob. of echoic origin.]
1. intr. Of solid things: To produce, when agitated or struck frequently, a series of short, sharp noises one after the other, so that the resultant sound is almost continuous.Cf. Rattil-gold n.Also proverb.a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 691.
Ryngis of rank steill rattillit and rent c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 180.
Thy rigbane rattillis and thy ribbis on raw a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 315.
Thy elderis banis ilk nycht rysis and rattillis [M. ratlis] 1513 Doug. vii xi 85.
Branchis al to rent Gan rattillyng [Ruddim. ratling] and resound of thar deray Ib. viii viii 167.
Thai lysnyng to persaue and heir the dyn, Ay mar and mar agane it dyd begyn To rerd and rattill [Sm. rattell, Ruddim. rattil] Ib. xi xv 20.
Hys rych mantill, of quham the forbreist lappys, Ratlyng [Sm. ratling; L. sinusque crepantes] of brycht gold wyre … was buklyt with a knot 1533 Boece 335.
In the tempill the armoure ratlit and made noyis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 619 (Bann.).
The raipis began to rattill [Ch. rattil] 15.. Clar. v 2028.
Giltin ruifis rattillitproverb. c1590 Fowler II 33/32.
As voyd and emptie vessels rings maist and rattels loudest a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 787.
Toome bagges rattles a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1396.
Stand chandlers and ye faw ye will rattle [Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1225: clatter]
b. To make an involuntary choking sound in the throat; to choke to (till) death.1647 Durh. Univ. J. XXXIV 64.
Putting the wirlle wind in her hasse that made her rattell till death
2. a. intr. To talk incessantly and thoughtlessly; to chatter. b. tr. To utter (illogicalities, nonsense, or the like).a. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7989.
Quhair suld be rest, thay rattill ay in a rane a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 607 (L).
Thay tratlit and ratlit Ane lang half hourb. 1513 Doug. viii Prol. 66.
The ralȝear raknys na wordis, bot ratlis furth ranys 1562-3 Winȝet I 50/24.
Thai … haldis it only law quhateuir thai raill, rattill, or trattill 1679 J. Barclay Descr. Cath. Ch. 46.
I grew impatient … To hear them rattling such nonsensick stuff
3. intr. To rattill and (to) rele, to behave in a reckless or riotous fashion; to live wildly.1570 Cal. Sc. P. III 304.
[If he were … quit of Englishmen] thir other lordis sould not get liberty to rattil and reil up and down the countrey as they do ?a1640 Copie of a Baron's Court (1821) 19.
Then he began to rattle and to reel, And kick'd against the college with his heel
