verb
clatter
KLA-tuh
verb
1
To make a rapid series of short, sharp banging or rattling sounds.
"The pans clattered to the floor when the shelf collapsed."
"Hooves clattered on the cobblestones outside."
noun
1
A loud rattling noise made by hard objects knocking together.
"There was a clatter of dishes from the kitchen."
How to Use Clatter
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA rattly, banging noise — or the act of making one.
Common pairings
clatter of pans
clatter down the stairs
a loud clatter
Word Forms
clattered past tense, clatters singular
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The pans _____ to the floor when the shelf collapsed.
Etymology
From Old English roots imitating the sound itself — like "clack" and "rattle," it's onomatopoeic in origin.