rattletrap

A shaky, rickety, or worn out article; a knick-knack. "If I attempted to ride him at such a rattle-trap as that."-Trollope: Bar chester Towers , ch. xxxv. rattle-wing, s. Ornith.: Fuligula clangula . "The wings being short and stiff in proportion to the weight and size of the bird, are beaten so quickly as to produce a distinct whistling sound, whence the names of Rattle- wing and Whistler." - Yarrell: Brit. Biras (ed. 4th), iv. 438. răt-tler, *rat-yl-ler, *rat-ler, subst. [Eng. rattl(e) (1), v.; -er.] 1. One who rattles along, or talks quickly or thoughtle ly; a chatterer. dark spots, frequently bordered with yellow, on the back and sides; head and neck ornamented with dark or black longitudinal bands, or of almost uniform coloration. rattlesnake-fern, s. Bot.: Botrychium virgin i cum. rattlesnake-herb, s. Bot.: The genus Actwa. rattlesnake-root, s. ravelin the fruit of R. canescens is used in the West Indies as a dye; the root of R. nitid a is given in moderate doses as an emetic and a cathartic; R. serpent in a is used by the Hindus in snake bites, and as a tonic and febrifuge; the Javanese employ an infusion of the root as an anthelmintic. răv-age (age as Ig), s . [Fr., from ravir (Latin rapio )=to snatch or bear away suddenly.] Desola tion by violence, whether of man, beast, or physical causes; devastation, ruin, waste, havoc, despoil ment. răv'-age (age as Ig), v . t . [RAVAGE, 8.] Το desolate by violence; to despoil, to desolate, to lay waste, to commit havoc on, to spoil, to pillage, to consume.