🔊 A rapid noise 🌟 Very impressive

rattling

1 8.2

Makes a describing word sound very strong

adjective
/ˈræt.əl.ɪŋ/

: muy

That was a rattling good match, filled with excitement and surprises.

Examples

The comedian's rattling performance had the audience in stitches.
Her rattling enthusiasm for the project inspired everyone on the team.
And when he would do his little quips, it would get laughs that is rattling to an opponent.

Synonyms

very

vsrattling

∞ 1.0

To a large degree

is the same degree but differs by being informal and lively

really

vsrattling

∞ 1.0

Shows how strong something is, for example very cold

is similar in degree but is more marked as informal and lively

real

vsrattling

Informal

694 7.9

Very, used to make an adjective stronger

is similar but carries a distinct lively British flavour

howling

vsrattling

2 5.2

Shows great success and impresses many people

is used more generally to intensify adjectives rather than praise success

rip-roaring

vsrattling

Informal

1 7.3

Very noisy and full of lively activity

is like this but also serves as a general informal intensifier

roaringly

vsrattling

1 7.2

In a very loud and excited way

is used similarly but focuses more on lively or effective quality

rattlingly

vsrattling

7.9

To make a describing word much stronger

is the informal preadjective intensifier form used mainly in British speech

roaring

vsrattling

Informal

7.0

To use before an adjective to show a very strong feeling

is similar but carries a specifically lively British tone

ripsnorting

vsrattling

8.6

Very exciting and full of loud, strong action

shares energy but is used more broadly as a simple intensifier

Compounds

saber rattling

Literature

4 7.7

Showing weapons to scare other countries without fighting

How Intense

incredibly

172 2.8

rattling

1 8.2

quite

∞ 1.0

fairly

895 1.0

Surface Forms

rattling positive

rattler comparative

rattliest superlative

Morphology

rattling = rattle (semi-transparent) = rattle + ing

The form is clearly rattle + -ing, but the intensifying/adverbial sense 'very' is idiomatic and not directly predictable from the base verb.

Etymology

Rattling comes from the verb rattle, a word that copies the quick, sharp sound of things hitting each other, like coins in a tin or a baby's rattle. Because that sound feels strong and lively, people began to use rattling to mean 'very' or 'really' in friendly speech, so a 'rattling good' meal is a really good meal.