ratatat

See also: rat-a-tat

English

Alternative forms

• rat-a-tat, rat-tat

Etymology

imitative.

Noun

ratatat (plural ratatats)

1. A swiftly repeated knocking sound.
   • 1890 February, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “The Tragedy of Pondicherry Lodge”, in The Sign of Four (Standard Library), London: Spencer Blackett […], →OCLC, page 72:

     A single narrow iron-clamped door formed the only means of entrance. On this our guide knocked with a peculiar postman-like rat-tat.