# rattle through

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/rattle-through
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

To do or finish something very quickly, like a list of tasks or a speech. You use this when you are in a hurry and want to get things done fast.

For teachers: To perform a task, deliver a speech, or complete a sequence of items with great speed. The verb is transitive and typically takes a noun phrase representing a list or agenda as its object.

## Examples

- We need to rattle through these last few emails before lunch.
- The manager rattled through the meeting agenda in ten minutes because he had a plane to catch.
- The lecturer proceeded to rattle through the complex historical timeline, leaving the students struggling to capture the nuances of the geopolitical shifts.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He rattled through of the presentation." but "He rattled through the presentation." — The particle 'through' is followed directly by the object without the preposition 'of'.

## Usage notes

- Usually takes a noun object representing a list, a set of tasks, or a spoken text.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'breeze through' (which implies ease) versus 'rattle through' (which implies speed and sometimes a lack of care).

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.