Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Squeak
Squeak
(skwēk)
, Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Squeaked
(skwēkt)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Squeaking
.] [Probably of imitative origin; cf. Sw.
sqväka
to croak, Icel. skvakka
to give a sound as of water shaken in a bottle.] 1.
To utter a sharp, shrill cry, usually of short duration; to cry with an acute tone, as an animal; or, to make a sharp, disagreeable noise, as a pipe or quill, a wagon wheel, a door; to creak.
Who can endure to hear one of the rough old Romans
squeaking
through the mouth of an eunuch? Addison.
Zoilus calls the companions of Ulysses the “
squeaking
pigs” of Homer. Pope.
2.
To break silence or secrecy for fear of pain or punishment; to speak; to confess.
[Colloq.]
Syn. – squeal.
If he be obstinate, put a civil question to him upon the rack, and he
squeaks
, I warrant him. Dryden.
Squeak
,Noun.
A sharp, shrill, disagreeable sound suddenly uttered, either of the human voice or of any animal or instrument, such as is made by carriage wheels when dry, by the soles of leather shoes, or by a pipe or reed.
Webster 1828 Edition
Squeak
SQUEAK
,Verb.
T.
1.
To utter a sharp shrill cry, usually of short duration; to cry with an acute tone, as an animal; or to make a sharp noise, as a pipe or quill, a wheel, a door and the like. Wheels squeak only when the axle tree is dry.Who can endure to hear one of the rough old Romans, squeaking through the mouth of an eunuch?
Zoilus calls the companions of Ulysses, the squeaking pigs of Homer.
2.
To break silence or secrecy for fear or pain; to speak.SQUEAK
,Noun.
Definition 2024
squeak
squeak
English
Noun
squeak (plural squeaks)
| Examples |
|---|
- A short, high-pitched sound, as of two objects rubbing together, or the calls of small animals.
- (games) A card game similar to group solitaire.
Translations
short, high-pitched sound
|
Verb
squeak (third-person singular simple present squeaks, present participle squeaking, simple past and past participle squeaked)
- (intransitive) To emit a short, high-pitched sound.
- 2014 August 17, Jeff Howell, “Home improvements: Repairing and replacing floorboards [print version: Never buy anything from a salesman, 16 August 2014, p. P7]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Property):
- But I must warn you that chipboard floors are always likely to squeak. The material is still being used in new-builds, but developers now use adhesive to bed and joint it, rather than screws or nails. I suspect the adhesive will eventually embrittle and crack, resulting in the same squeaking problems as before.
-
- (intransitive, slang) To inform, to squeal.
- Dryden
- If he be obstinate, put a civil question to him upon the rack, and he squeaks, I warrant him.
- Dryden
- (transitive) To speak or sound in a high-pitched manner.
- (intransitive, games) To empty the pile of 13 cards a player deals to themself in the card game of the same name.
- (intransitive, informal) To win or progress by a narrow margin.
- 1999, Surfer (volume 40, issues 7-12)
- […] allowing Parkinson to squeak into the final by a half-point margin.
- 2011 October 23, Tom Fordyce, “2011 Rugby World Cup final: New Zealand 8-7 France”, in BBC Sport:
- France were transformed from the feeble, divided unit that had squeaked past Wales in the semi-final, their half-backs finding the corners with beautifully judged kicks from hand, the forwards making yards with every drive and a reorganised Kiwi line-out beginning to malfunction.
- 1999, Surfer (volume 40, issues 7-12)
Translations
emit sound
Derived terms
- squeaky
- squeak by