rattle vs tremolo

rattle

noun
  • A musical instrument that makes a rattling sound. 

  • The set of rings at the end of a rattlesnake's tail which produce a rattling sound. 

  • A rough noise produced in the throat by air passing through obstructed airways; croup; a death rattle. 

  • A rapid succession of percussive sounds, as made by loose objects shaking or vibrating against one another. 

  • A noisy, senseless talker; a jabberer. 

  • A baby’s toy designed to make sound when shaken, usually containing loose grains or pellets in a hollow container. 

  • Any of various plants of the genera Rhinanthus and Pedicularis, whose seeds produce a rattling noise in the wind. 

verb
  • To make a clatter with one's voice; to talk rapidly and idly; often with on or away. 

  • To create a rattling sound by shaking or striking. 

  • To drive or ride briskly, so as to make a clattering. 

  • To scare, startle, unsettle, or unnerve. 

  • To make a rattling noise; to make noise by or from shaking. 

tremolo

noun
  • A variation in the volume of a note or a chord, evoking a tremor or quiver. 

  • The device in an organ that produces a tremolo effect. 

  • A rapid repetition of the same note, or an alternation between two or more notes. It can also be intended to mean a rapid and repetitive variation in pitch for the duration of a note. It is notated by a strong diagonal bar across the note stem, or a detached bar for a set of notes (or stemless notes). 

How often have the words rattle and tremolo occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )