squeak

[ skweek ]

noun

1. a short, sharp, shrill cry; a sharp, high-pitched sound.
2. Informal. opportunity; chance:

   their last squeak to correct the manuscript.

3. an escape from defeat, danger, death, or destruction (usually qualified by narrow or close ).

verb (used without object)

1. to utter or emit a squeak or squeaky sound.
2. Slang. to confess or turn informer; squeal.

verb (used with object)

1. to utter or sound with a squeak or squeaks.

verb phrase

1. to succeed, survive, pass, win, etc., by a very narrow margin:

   They can barely squeak by on their income. The team managed to squeak through.

squeak

/ skwiːk /

noun

1. a short shrill cry or high-pitched sound
2. informal.
   an escape (esp in the phrases narrow squeak , near squeak )

verb

1. to make or cause to make a squeak
2. intr; usually foll by through or by to pass with only a narrow margin

   to squeak through an examination

3. informal.
   intr to confess information about oneself or another
4. tr to utter with a squeak

Derived Forms

• ˈsqueaker, noun
• ˈsqueakiness, noun
• ˈsqueaky, adjective
• ˈsqueakily, adverb

Other Words From

• squeaking·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of squeak¹

1350–1400; Middle English squeken, perhaps < Scandinavian; compare Swedish skväka to croak

Word History and Origins

Origin of squeak¹

C17: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Swedish skväka to croak

Example Sentences

It doesn’t pull off the former but squeaks out the latter, largely due to Greer’s sincere performance.

From Los Angeles Times

When Cynthia Ruiz turns on her kitchen faucet, she hears a slight squeak before cloudy fluid bursts out of the spout.

From Salon

They embraced risk and played to win big rather than striving not to offend and hoping to squeak by.

From Salon

One can hear every squeak of the shoes, every jeer from the loudmouths, every direction from the coaches.

From Los Angeles Times

The politicians who facilitated Hitler’s appointment as chancellor argued that Hitler would be boxed in so tight that he would “squeak.”

From Salon

Related Words

• creak
• screech
• squeal