clatter
nounEtymology 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.
1
A rattling noise; a repetition of abrupt, sharp sounds.
- The patter of feet, and clatter of strap and swivel, seemed to swell into a bewildering din, but they were almost upon the fielato offices, where the carretera entered the town, before a rifle flashed.1907 January, Harold Bindloss, chapter 7, in The Dust of Conflict, 1st Canadian edition, Toronto, Ont.: McLeod & Allen, →OCLC:
- There was something distinctly low-key, even wilfully alienating about the band’s performance. A scattering of OK Computer tracks were interspersed with more abstract latterday material – the clatter of 15 Step and Myxamatosis.2017 June 26, Alexis Petridis, “Glastonbury 2017 verdict: Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Lorde, Stormzy and more”, in the Guardian:
1 more example
- ... disintegrated Incredibly , pitched your clattering pieces to the bottom stair Of intellect , insisting that you start Again . Or proud - flesh , clotted mental pores , might claim Authentic miracle only to decry it . Campanulas .1978, William Cookson, Agenda, volume 16, number 1 - v. 18, Poets and Painters Press, →OCLC, page 7:
2
A loud disturbance.
3
Noisy talk or chatter.
- a young mother with a clatter of kids told me ... her Catholic doctor refused point-blank to advise other than the rhythm method.1970 December 22, “Women First; Contraception: what do you think?”, in The Irish Times, page 6:
- There haven't been any men for years. The last one I can remember was a hairy old ballad singer who, it turned out, had a wife and a clatter of kids.1985, Emma Cooke, Eve's Apple, Blackstaff Press, →ISBN, page 20:
4 more examples
- There are a clatter of other PRSI classes. E is for Church of Ireland ministers only. H relates to enlisted military personnel and non-commissioned officers.2012 July 24, Dominic Coyle, “Business Q&A: No reason to pay PRSI for benefits you don’t need”, in The Irish Times:
- The children are ... all in early middle-age, which means a clatter of grandchildren, as well as her own offspring, descend on Rosemarie’s house on a regular basis.2017 June 12, Darragh McManus, “Goodbye House: RTE's latest reality show is kind of terrible but also sweet and touching”, in Irish Independent:
- The artisan redbrick cottages that line the streets off Barrow Street in Ringsend, Dublin 4 are pretty to look at, but, while historically clatters of kids have been reared within their walls, they can seem a bit compact for modern living.2019 June 6, Alanna Gallagher, “Artisan one-bed in Dublin 4 has thought of everything for €450k”, in The Irish Times:
- We assume that because a person has been elected to the Dáil or because they have a clatter of compliant, photo-ready children or they’re in a helicopter and their nickname is Slasher Larkin, their every utterance is gospel.2020 February 1, Marian Keyes, “Am I ever going to feel like a grown-up?”, in The Irish Times:
5
Alternative Alternative form of clitter; scree.
- Clatter, or, as it is sometimes called, Clitter, is the name given to the confused masses of granite rocks that are so frequently seen covering large areas of ground on the hill sides of the moor, or clustering around the bases of many of the tors.1887, William Crossing, The Ancient Crosses of Dartmoor, Exeter: James G Commin, page 45:
- Synonyms
- commotion, racket, clatter, clattering, clacking, crackling, crepitation, knocking, patter, pitter-patter, pit-a-pat, rapping, ratatat, rattle, rattling, roll, rubadub, tapping
- Antonyms
- snap
- Derived terms
- clattersome, clattery
- Related terms
- reverberation
- Hypernyms
- sound
- Meronyms
- tap