I. ˈskrēch noun
Date: 1560
1. : a high shrill piercing cry usually expressing pain or terror
2. : a sound resembling a screech
II. verb
Etymology: alteration of earlier scritch, from Middle English scrichen; akin to Old Norse skrækja to screech
Date: 1577
intransitive verb
1. : to utter a high shrill piercing cry : make an outcry usually in terror or pain
2. : to make a shrill high-pitched sound resembling a screech ; also : to move with such a sound
the car screech ed to a stop
transitive verb
: to utter with or as if with a screech
• screech·er noun