Rattletrap
/ˈræt.əl.træp/noun
A dilapidated, shabby, or unreliable vehicle or machine.
Did you know?Rattletrap is a 19th-century American slang word built from the noisy verb rattle and trap, probably suggesting a flimsy contraption that clatters apart as it moves.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
hræتلian
“to make a rapid or repeated noise; to shake or clatter”
Middle English
ME
ratelen
“to clatter, chatter, or make a continuous harsh noise”
Old English
OE
træppe
“a snare or trap”
19th Century
English
rattletrap
“a noisy, shaky, shabby contraption, especially a worn-out vehicle”
Modern English
English
rattletrap
“a dilapidated or unreliable vehicle or machine”