Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Rattle \Rat"tle\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Rattled}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Rattling}.] [Akin to D. ratelen, G. rasseln, AS. hr[ae]tele
   a rattle, in hr[ae]telwyrt rattlewort; cf. Gr. ? to swing,
   wave. Cf. {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.

Source : WordNet®

rattling
     adj 1: extraordinarily good; used especially as intensifiers; "a
            fantastic trip to the Orient"; "the film was
            fantastic!"; "a howling success"; "a marvelous
            collection of rare books"; "had a rattling
            conversation about politics"; "a tremendous
            achievement" [syn: {fantastic}, {howling(a)}, {marvelous},
             {marvellous}, {rattling(a)}, {terrific}, {tremendous},
             {wonderful}, {wondrous}]
     2: quick and energetic; "a brisk walk in the park"; "a lively
        gait"; "a merry chase"; "traveling at a rattling rate"; "a
        snappy pace"; "a spanking breeze" [syn: {brisk}, {lively},
         {merry}, {snappy}, {spanking}, {zippy}]
     n : a rapid series of short loud sounds (as might be heard with
         a stethoscope in some types of respiratory disorders);
         "the death rattle" [syn: {rattle}, {rale}]
     adv : used as intensifiers; `real' is sometimes used informally
           for `really'; `rattling' is informal; "she was very
           gifted"; "he played very well"; "a really enjoyable
           evening"; "I'm real sorry about it"; "a rattling good
           yarn" [syn: {very}, {really}, {real}]