creak /kriːk/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Origin: From the sound ]
if something such as a door, wooden floor, old bed, or stair creaks, it makes a long high noise when someone opens it, walks on it, sits on it etc:
The floorboards creaked as she walked across the room.
The door creaked open.
—creak noun [countable]
• • •
THESAURUS
■ a high sound
▪ squeak a very short high sound or cry:
I heard the squeak of his shoes on the tiled floor.
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Annie gave a squeak of surprise.
▪ creak a long high sound that something makes when someone opens it, walks on it, sits on it etc - used especially about a door, wooden floor, bed, or stairs:
the creak of floorboards
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The door opened with a creak.
▪ screech a loud, long, unpleasantly high sound - used especially about someone’s voice, or about brakes, tyres etc:
There was a screech of tyres followed by a bang.
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She let out a screech of horror.
▪ beep ( also bleep British English ) a high electronic sound that a machine sends out, especially in order to attract someone’s attention:
You’ll hear a bleep when the photocopier’s finished printing.