[f. CLATTER v. + -ING1.] The action of the verb CLATTER.
1. Noise of the rapidly repeated collision of hard bodies; rattling.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1515. Clatering of conacles þat kesten þo burdes.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1634. Of hors and herneys noyse and claterynge Ther was.
1581. Savile, Agric. (1622), 198. The clattering and running of charets and horsemen.
1665. Manley, Grotius’ Low-C. Warres, 249. The noise and clattering of Arms in the Castle.
1820. W. Irving, Sketch Bk., I. 345. The clattering of his horse’s hoofs.
2. Chattering, rapid noisy talk. In mod. Sc., tattling.
c. 1400. Test. Love, I. (1560), 276 b/1. After much clattering, there is mokell rowning.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 41. No man thorugh his clateringe shulde desturbe the devine seruice of God.
1583. Fulke, Defence, vii. 302. Where then is your vain clattering of the mystery of antichrist?
1713. Swift, Faggot. Constable with staff of peace, Should come and make their clatt’ring cease.
1737. Ramsay, Scot. Prov., Ded. Few opportunities of common clattering.
† 3. Applied to a company of choughs. Obs.
c. 1430. Lydg., Hors, Shepe & G. (1822), 30. A clatering of chowhis A murmeracion of stares.
