A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1500-1513, 1584-1661
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Rattill, Rat(t)le, n. [e.m.E. rattell (1519), -el, rattle (1601), ratel (1689), Rattil(l v.]
1. A knocking, banging or clashing noise. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 156/194.
His harnas brak and maid ane brattill, The sowtaris hors start with the rattill 1513 Doug. ix xi 95.
The bustuus body down duschit … Quhil all the erd to granyt with a rattill 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv 1083.
Doun come cannabie and all … with sic a brattle, The houshold hearing sic a rattle [v.r. ratle], Mervelit a1605 Montg. Misc. P. iii 29.
Quhen with a quhisk sho [sc. Fortune] quhirlis about hir quheill, Rude is that rattill running with a reill
b. A knock, bang or blow. Only ‘Sc. and north.’ (OED). Also in this sense in the later dial. 1632 Lithgow Trav. i 33.
The woman gaue the frier such a rattle in the face 1632 Ib. iv 154.
Then hoysing him up … , they let the rope flee loose whence downe he falles with a rattle
2. transf. A toy, a bagatelle. 1661 Butler Leighton 337.
You have … too much charity, to think … that I would sell … the very sensual pleasure of my retirement for a rattle
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"Rattill n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/rattill_n>
