rattle someone's cage

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rattle 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)

1. (informal) To 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. (informal) To anger or to annoy someone.

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

• rattle someone's chain

• the squeaky wheel gets the grease
• yank someone's chain