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- Dictionarydeath rattle
noun
- 1. a gurgling sound sometimes heard in a dying person's throat.
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noun
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Sound often produced by someone who is near death when fluids such as saliva and bronchial secretions accumulate in the throat and upper chest
A death rattle is noisy breathing that often occurs in someone who is near death. It is caused by an accumulation of fluids such as saliva and bronchial secretions in the throat and upper airways. Those who are dying may lose their ability to swallow and may have increased production of bronchial secretions, resulting in such an accumulation. Usually, two or three days earlier, symptoms of approac... Wikipedia