in the rattle
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Kept in confinement as a disciplinary measure.
Register: slang
Examples
If you were in the rattle too often, you would be labeled a troublemaker. Once that happened, it was virtually impossible to get back into the Navy's good books, and the chances were high that they would find some way to get rid of you.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “in the rattle” mean?
Kept in confinement as a disciplinary measure.
Is “in the rattle” formal or informal?
in the rattle is generally slang.