Definition:
n. pit viper with horny segments at the end of the tail that rattle when shaken
Example:
When the rattlesnake is rattling, it’s usually not a good idea to go poking it with a stick.
Sentence in Classic:
Then Joe and Huck had another swim, but Tom would not venture, because he found that in kicking off his trousers he had kicked his string of rattlesnake rattles off his ankle, and he wondered how he had escaped cramp so long without the protection of this mysterious charm.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer By Mark Twain
ContextSubsequent experiences with rattlesnakes taught me that my first encounter was fortunate in circumstance.