Meanings
plural bead-rattlers
- derogatoryA Roman Catholic.
He's a bead rattler, a papist.
2013, Charles Knepper, The Fleecing, page 254 more examples
And can't you smell that bacon? To think that a poor bead-rattler like me can't have any, on a Friday, no matter how early he's up, and that you might have all you wanted, if you'd only take the trouble to come and get it, you lazy heretics!
1951, Frances Parkinson Keyes, Joy Street, page 236A young bead-rattler it was, made the same mistake as yersel.
2012, Jeff Torrington, Swing Hammer Swing!Seeing how ye're a native son of our beloved country, and ain't a bead rattler, I'm gonna be generous and set ya a task.
2013, Stephen L. Antczak, James C. Bassett, Clockwork Fairy Tales: A Collection of Steampunk FablesI recall being impressed that you were able to translate it, though probably at the cost of the unreconstructed Rangers fans on the firm marking you down as a bead-rattler.
2017, Chris Brookmyre, Siege Mentality
Origin
A reference to rosary beads.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
bead-rattler. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bead-rattler
“bead-rattler.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bead-rattler. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bead-rattler,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bead-rattler.
Source: bead-rattler on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.