squeal
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English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Inherited from Middle English squelen, probably from Old Norse skvala (“to squeal, bawl”), from Proto-Germanic *skwel- (“to chatter, babble, scream”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *skel-, from *kelh₁- (“to ring, resound, cry”). Compare Old Norse skval (“a squeal”, noun), Swedish skvallra (“to babble, chatter, tell on”).
Pronunciation
[edit]- (UK) IPA(key): /skwiːl/
- (US) IPA(key): /skwil/
- (General Australian) IPA(key): /skwiːl/
Audio (General Australian): (file)
- Rhymes: -iːl
Noun
[edit]squeal (plural squeals)
- A high-pitched sound, such as the scream of a child or a female person, or noisy worn-down brake pads.
- The cry of a pig.
Translations
[edit]a high-pitched sound
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Verb
[edit]squeal (third-person singular simple present squeals, present participle squealing, simple past and past participle squealed)
- (transitive, intransitive) To scream with a shrill, prolonged sound.
- The children squealed with delight while opening their Christmas presents.
- To make a squealing noise. (of an object)
- The brakes squeal terribly.
- 2022 November 30, Paul Bigland, “Destination Oban: a Sunday in Scotland”, in RAIL, number 971, page 75:
- We continue through suburban Newcastle along the edge of the Tyne, before squealing around the tight curves onto the magnificent High Level bridge, which affords glorious views across Newcastle and along the river before arriving at journey's end.
- (intransitive, slang) To give sensitive information about someone to a third party; to rat on someone.
- You'd better not squeal on me to the cops.
Synonyms
[edit]- (to rat on someone): inform, grass up, snitch; See also Thesaurus:rat out
Derived terms
[edit]Translations
[edit]to scream a high-pitched squeal
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to rat on someone
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Anagrams
[edit]Categories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old Norse
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English 1-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio pronunciation
- Rhymes:English/iːl
- Rhymes:English/iːl/1 syllable
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs
- English intransitive verbs
- English terms with usage examples
- English terms with quotations
- English slang
- en:Animal sounds
- en:Pigs
- en:Sounds