squeak
verb /skwiːk/
/skwiːk/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they squeak | /skwiːk/ /skwiːk/ |
| he / she / it squeaks | /skwiːks/ /skwiːks/ |
| past simple squeaked | /skwiːkt/ /skwiːkt/ |
| past participle squeaked | /skwiːkt/ /skwiːkt/ |
| -ing form squeaking | /ˈskwiːkɪŋ/ /ˈskwiːkɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] to make a short high sound that is not very loud
- My new shoes squeak.
- The mouse ran away, squeaking with fear.
- One wheel makes a horrible squeaking noise.
- [transitive, intransitive] (+ speech) to speak in a very high voice, especially when you are nervous or excited
- ‘Let go of me!’ he squeaked nervously.
- [intransitive] + adv./prep. to only just manage to win something, pass a test, etc.
- We squeaked into the final with a goal in the last minute.
- The gun control measures narrowly squeaked through Congress.
- The socialist party squeaked home with a majority of just two seats.
Word Originlate Middle English (as a verb): imitative; compare with Swedish skväka ‘croak’, also with squeal and shriek. The noun dates from the early 17th cent.