Make Your Point: RATTLETRAP

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pronounce RATTLETRAP:

RAT ull trap

connect this word to others:

I like the word rattletrap because it's fun to say! So are its synonyms, like rickety; ramshackle; tumble-down; de____it ("so old that it seems to be cracking or breaking"); and rattle-b__ ("shaky, flimsy, and about to fall apart, as if its pieces are rattling against each other").

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

definition:

In English, the word "rattletrap" dates back to the 1700s. We first used it to describe worthless little objects: trinkets, or knickknacks, especially the broken or shabby kind. Over time, we applied "rattletrap" to other objects, especially vehicles.

So, today, when you call something rattletrap, it's often a vehicle or other structure that's old, broken, and falling apart.

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Adjective: "a rattletrap car."

Also a noun: "I'm not getting in that rattletrap."

Other forms:

The plural noun is "rattletraps."

how to use it:

Pick the rare, funny, whimsical word "rattletrap" when you want to emphasize how something's pieces or elements are no longer holding together. It's more fun and interesting than calling it "a piece of crap."

We most often talk about rattletrap vehicles, like cars, submarines, and even space shuttles. But we can also talk about rattletrap devices, furniture, staircases, buildings and so on. If you like to get extra-abstract, you could talk about a rattletrap plan, argument, legislature, etc.

examples:

"There came from down the street the sound of a rattling and bumping. Tom looked up quickly, and saw approaching a rattletrap of a wagon, drawn by a big, loose-jointed mule, the large ears of which were flapping to and fro."
— Victor Appleton, Tom Swift and his Airship, 1910

"I drove a taxicab for several years... The hours were grueling... and the work nerve-racking, in rattletrap vehicles with bad brakes, slippery transmissions and untuned engines that often conked out in heavy rain."
— Fergus M. Bordewich, Wall Street Journal, 6 April 2007

has this page helped you understand "rattletrap"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this term, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "rattletrap" without saying "junky" or "clunky."

try it out:

In the Washington Post, a writer complained:

"Judith Capen's rattletrap dishwasher recently went into death throes. Two repairmen fiddled with it, then stomped off, saying she could buy a new one for less than it would cost to fix the 18-year-old machine... Search the Internet for consumer complaints about appliances and it appears there is scarcely a stove, refrigerator or dishwasher that won't break down, blow up, or flood your new parquet floors, usually in the midst of some major family event."

In your experience, is that a fair assessment of appliances today? Would you call any of your own appliances "rattletrap"?

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for this month is "That's Not a Thing, That's Two Things."

I describe it; you name it! For example, if I give you "It's that thing where Steve Harvey hosts two groups competing as vassals in medieval Europe," then you give me "Family Feudalism." To see the answer, scroll to the bottom.

Try this today:

It's that thing where two to four kids play as hefty aging semiaquatic mammals, hungrily competing to grab the most insurance coverage for orthopaedic operations on their largest weight-bearing joints.

review this word:

1. One opposite of RATTLETRAP is

A. SILENT.
B. STURDY.
C. STRAIGHT.

2. "Cash for _____" was a government program that encouraged US citizens to turn in their rattletrap cars.

A. Cherries
B. Clunkers
C. Gas Guzzlers

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.

I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
On vocabulary...
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  Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
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From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

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