SHRIEK

I. verb Etymology: Middle English shreken, probably irregular from shriken to ~; akin to Old Norse skrækja to ~ Date: 15th century intransitive verb to utter a sharp shrill sound, 2. to cry out in a high-pitched voice ; screech , to suggest such a cry (as by vividness of expression) , transitive verb to utter with a ~ , to express in a manner suggestive of a ~, II. noun Date: 1567 a shrill usually wild or involuntary cry, a sound resembling a ~