rataplan

[ rat-uh-plan ]

/ ˌræt əˈplæn /

a sound of or as of the beating of a drum.

to produce such a sound.

Origin of rataplan

1840–50; < French; imitative

They turned in at the Rataplan and drew up at the carriage entrance.

The Cab of the Sleeping Horse |John Reed Scott
The old horse, Rataplan, knew me so well that he had started off before ever I gave the first shake to the bridle.

The Exploits Of Brigadier Gerard |Arthur Conan Doyle
It was the rataplan beating before a troop of wrestlers and jugglers who were traversing the Marche and Reggio Emilia.

Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Volume 26, July 1880. |Various
Then they have a "Rataplan" duet, which may be called a repetition of Marie's solo with an accompaniment of rataplans.

The Complete Opera Book |Gustav Kobb

Their machine-guns would sound the rataplan as the belts were emptied.

Trooper Bluegum at the Dardanelles |Oliver Hogue

rataplan

/ (ˌrætəˈplæn) /

a drumming sound

from French, of imitative origin