rattle someone's cage

verb

To demand attention from someone; to nag, nudge, or remind someone.

“If you really want to rattle his cage, ask him about his family.”

Similar
rattle someone's chain
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbrattle someone's cage (third-person singular simple present rattles someone's cage, present participle rattling someone's cage, simple past and past participle rattled someone's cage)

present singular third person rattles someone's cage · participle present rattling someone's cage · participle past rattled someone's cage · past rattled someone's cage

  1. informalTo demand attention from someone; to nag, nudge, or remind someone.

    Nobody has corrected the problem yet, so it's time to rattle their cage.

  2. informalTo anger or to annoy someone.

    If you really want to rattle his cage, ask him about his family.

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
rattle someone's chain
Also see
enragerattle someone's chain
Cite this entry
APA

rattle someone's cage. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rattle%20someone's%20cage

MLA

“rattle someone's cage.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rattle%20someone's%20cage. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rattle someone's cage,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rattle%20someone's%20cage.

Source: rattle someone's cage on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.