I. squeak 1 /skwiːk/ BrE AmE verb
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Origin: From the sound ]
1 . [intransitive] to make a short high noise or cry that is not loud:
A rat squeaked and ran into the bushes.
The door squeaked open.
2 . [intransitive and transitive] to say something in a very high voice, especially because you are nervous or excited:
‘Too late!’ she squeaked.
3 . [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] informal to succeed, win, or pass a test by a very small amount so that you only just avoid failure SYN scrape
squeak through/by/past/in
She just squeaked through her math test.
II. squeak 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
1 . a very short high noise or cry SYN squeal
squeak of
a squeak of alarm
the high-pitched squeak of a bat
2 . not a squeak if there is not a squeak from someone, they do not say anything or communicate at all:
We didn’t hear a squeak from him in months.
• • •
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.