to give the characteristic cry of a frog or crow
to speak in a hoarse throaty voice
archaic to make gloomy predictions; to be pessimistic
‘I doubt our being able to do so much.’ … ‘You croaking fellow! … We shall be able to do ten times more’ — Jane Austen
informal to die
to utter (something) in a hoarse raucous voice
to announce or forbode (something gloomy or momentous)
the raven … that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan — Shakespeare
informal to kill (somebody)
croak noun
croaker noun
croaky adj
[Middle English croken, of imitative origin]