Adjacent Words

Scream definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SCREAM, v.i. [English skirmish.]
1. To cry out with a shrill voice; to utter a sudden, sharp outcry, as in a fright or in extreme pain; to shriek.
The fearful matrons raise a screaming cry.
2. To utter a shrill harsh cry; as the screaming owl.
SCREAM, n. A shriek or sharp shrill cry uttered suddenly, as in terror or in pain; or the shrill cry of a fowl; as screams of horror.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: sharp piercing cry; "her screaming attracted the neighbors" [syn: scream, screaming, shriek, shrieking, screech, screeching]
2: a high-pitched noise resembling a human cry; "he ducked at the screechings of shells"; "he heard the scream of the brakes" [syn: screech, screeching, shriek, shrieking, scream, screaming]
3: a joke that seems extremely funny [syn: belly laugh, sidesplitter, howler, thigh-slapper, scream, wow, riot] v
1: utter a sudden loud cry; "she cried with pain when the doctor inserted the needle"; "I yelled to her from the window but she couldn't hear me" [syn: shout, shout out, cry, call, yell, scream, holler, hollo, squall]
2: utter or declare in a very loud voice; "You don't have to yell--I can hear you just fine" [syn: yell, scream]
3: make a loud, piercing sound; "Fighter planes are screaming through the skies"

Merriam Webster's

I. verb Etymology: Middle English scremen; akin to Middle Dutch schreem scream Date: 12th century intransitive verb 1. a. (1) to voice a sudden sharp loud cry (2) to produce harsh high tones b. to make a noise resembling a scream <the siren screamed> c. to move with great rapidity 2. a. to speak or write with intense or hysterical emotion b. to protest, demand, or complain vehemently c. to laugh hysterically 3. to produce a vivid startling effect transitive verb to utter with or as if with a scream II. noun Date: 1605 1. a loud sharp penetrating cry or noise 2. a very funny person or thing

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a loud high-pitched piercing cry expressing fear, pain, extreme fright, etc. 2 the act of emitting a scream. 3 colloq. an irresistibly funny occurrence or person. --v. 1 intr. emit a scream. 2 tr. speak or sing (words etc.) in a screaming tone. 3 intr. make or move with a shrill sound like a scream. 4 intr. laugh uncontrollably. 5 intr. be blatantly obvious or conspicuous. 6 intr. colloq. turn informer. Etymology: OE or MDu.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Scream Scream, n. A sharp, shrill cry, uttered suddenly, as in terror or in pain; a shriek; a screech. ``Screams of horror.'' --Pope.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Scream Scream, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Screamed; p. pr. & vb. n. Screaming.] [Icel. skr[ae]ma to scare, terrify; akin to Sw. skr["a]ma, Dan. skr[ae]mme. Cf. Screech.] To cry out with a shrill voice; to utter a sudden, sharp outcry, or shrill, loud cry, as in fright or extreme pain; to shriek; to screech. I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry. --Shak. And scream thyself as none e'er screamed before. --Pope.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(screams, screaming, screamed) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. When someone screams, they make a very loud, high-pitched cry, for example because they are in pain or are very frightened. Women were screaming; some of the houses nearest the bridge were on fire... He staggered around the playground, screaming in agony... VERB: V, V in n • Scream is also a noun. Hilda let out a scream. ...screams of terror. N-COUNT 2. If you scream something, you shout it in a loud, high-pitched voice. 'Brigid!' she screamed. 'Get up!'... They started screaming abuse at us. VERB: V with quote, V n 3. When something makes a loud, high-pitched noise, you can say that it screams. (WRITTEN) She slammed the car into gear, the tyres screaming as her foot jammed against the accelerator... As he talked, an airforce jet screamed over the town. = screech VERB: V, V prep/adv • Scream is also a noun. There was a scream of brakes from the carriageway outside. = screech N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. n. Shriek, screech, cry out (in a shrill voice). II. n. Shriek, screech, yell, outcry, shrill cry.

Moby Thesaurus

bark, battle cry, bawl, bay, bell, bellow, belly laugh, blare, blat, blate, bleat, blubber, blue story, boom, bray, breathe, buzz, cackle, call, card, caterwaul, chant, cheer, chirp, complain, coo, creak, crow, cry, cry out, dirty joke, dirty story, dolorous tirade, double entendre, drawl, ethnic joke, exclaim, flute, fun, funny story, gag, gasp, give tongue, give voice, good one, good story, groan, growl, grumble, grunt, guffaw, hail, halloo, hiss, holler, hollo, hoot, howl, howler, hurrah, jape, jeremiad, jest, jestbook, joke, keen, lament, laugh, lilt, low, make an outcry, meow, mew, mewl, miaow, moan, moo, mumble, murmur, mutter, neigh, nicker, outcry, panic, pant, pipe, plaint, planctus, play, point, protest, pule, rallying cry, rib tickler, riot, roar, rumble, screak, screech, shout, shriek, shrill, sibilate, sick joke, sidesplitter, sigh, sight gag, sing, skirl, skreigh, snap, snarl, snort, sob, sough, sport, squall, squawk, squeak, squeal, story, thunder, tirade, troat, trumpet, twang, ululate, ululation, visual joke, wail, wail of woe, war cry, war whoop, warble, wheeze, whicker, whimper, whine, whinny, whisper, whistle, whoop, wow, wrawl, yammer, yap, yarn, yawl, yawp, yell, yelp, yip, yo-ho, yowl