jangle

From Middle English janglen (“to talk excessively, chatter, talk idly”), from Old French jangler (“to chatter, gossip, bawl, argue noisily”), perhaps from Frankish *jangelon (“to jeer”) (compare Middle Dutch jangelen (“to whine”)).

• IPA^(key): /ˈdʒæŋ.ɡəl/
• Rhymes: -æŋɡəl

jangle (third-person singular simple present jangles, present participle jangling, simple past and past participle jangled)

1. (intransitive) To make a rattling metallic sound.
2. (transitive) To cause something to make a rattling metallic sound.
   • Shakespeare

     Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune, and harsh.

3. (transitive) To irritate.

   The sound from the next apartment jangled my nerves.

4. To quarrel in words; to wrangle.
   • Shakespeare

     Good wits will be jangling; but, gentles, agree.

   • Carlyle

     Prussian Trenck […] jargons and jangles in an unmelodious manner.

jangle (plural jangles)

1. A rattling metallic sound.
   • Longfellow

     the musical jangle of sleigh bells

2. (obsolete) Idle talk; prate; chatter; babble.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Chaucer to this entry?)

• somewhat harsher than jingle

• jangle pop
• jangly

• jingle