screech

[ skreech ]

verb (used without object)

1. to utter or make a harsh, shrill cry or sound:

   The child screeched hysterically. The brakes screeched.

verb (used with object)

1. to utter with a screech:

   She screeched her warning.

noun

1. a harsh, shrill cry or sound:

   an owl's screech; the screech of brakes.

screech

¹

/ skriːtʃ /

noun

1. (esp in Newfoundland) a dark rum

screech

²

/ skriːtʃ /

noun

1. a shrill, harsh, or high-pitched sound or cry

verb

1. to utter with or produce a screech

Derived Forms

• ˈscreecher, noun

Other Words From

• screecher noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of screech¹

First recorded in 1550–60; variant of obsolete scritch “to scream”; akin to screak

Word History and Origins

Origin of screech¹

perhaps special use of screech ¹

Origin of screech²

C16: variant of earlier scritch , of imitative origin

Synonym Study

See scream.

Example Sentences

They were sitting at a picnic table when they heard shouts and the screech of tyres.

From BBC

As we surveyed the damage there was the screech of yet more glide bombs being released, followed by the heavy thud of the explosion.

From BBC

Buttons below trigger city sounds, like the screech of a subway.

From Seattle Times

With a screech the owl released him, and Abel fell with no fear at all of falling.

From Literature

Gonzalez ordered them to stop and ran alongside the car, but the vehicle’s tires began to screech as it drove away from the officer, according to video from the scene.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• howl
• shout
• shriek
• squeal
• yell