Adjacent Words

Screech definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SCREECH, v.i. [See Screak and Shriek.]
1. To cry out with a sharp shrill voice; to utter a sudden shrill cry, as in terror or acute pain; to scream; to shriek.
2. To utter a sharp cry, as an owl; thence called screech-owl.
SCREECH, n.
1. A sharp shrill cry uttered in acute pain, or in a sudden fright.
2. A harsh shrill cry, as of a fowl.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: 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]
2: sharp piercing cry; "her screaming attracted the neighbors" [syn: scream, screaming, shriek, shrieking, screech, screeching] v
1: make a high-pitched, screeching noise; "The door creaked when I opened it slowly"; "My car engine makes a whining noise" [syn: whine, squeak, screech, creak, screak, skreak]
2: utter a harsh abrupt scream [syn: squawk, screak, skreak, skreigh, screech]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Date: 1560 1. a high shrill piercing cry usually expressing pain or terror 2. a sound resembling a screech II. verb Etymology: alteration of earlier scritch, from Middle English scrichen; akin to Old Norse skrækja to screech Date: 1577 intransitive verb 1. to utter a high shrill piercing cry ; make an outcry usually in terror or pain 2. to make a shrill high-pitched sound resembling a screech; also to move with such a sound <the car screeched to a stop> transitive verb to utter with or as if with a screech • screecher noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. a harsh high-pitched scream. --v.tr. & intr. utter with or make a screech. Phrases and idioms: screech-owl any owl that screeches instead of hooting, esp. a barn-owl or a small American owl, Otus asio. Derivatives: screecher n. screechy adj. (screechier, screechiest). Etymology: 16th-c. var. of ME scritch (imit.)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Screech Screech, n. A harsh, shrill cry, as of one in acute pain or in fright; a shriek; a scream. Screech bird, or Screech thrush (Zo["o]l.), the fieldfare; -- so called from its harsh cry before rain. Screech rain. Screech hawk (Zo["o]l.), the European goatsucker; -- so called from its note. [Prov. Eng.] Screech owl. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A small American owl (Scops asio), either gray or reddish in color. (b) The European barn owl. The name is applied also to other species.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Screech Screech (skr[=e]ch), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Screeched; p. pr. & vb. n. Screeching.] [Also formerly, scritch, OE. skriken, skrichen, schriken, of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. skr[ae]kja to shriek, to screech, skr[imac]kja to titter, Sw. skrika to shriek, Dan. skrige; also Gael. sgreach, sgreuch, W. ysgrechio, Skr. kharj to creak. Cf. Shriek, v., Scream, v.] To utter a harsh, shrill cry; to make a sharp outcry, as in terror or acute pain; to scream; to shriek. ``The screech owl, screeching loud.'' --Shak.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(screeches, screeching, screeched) 1. If a vehicle screeches somewhere or if its tyres screech, its tyres make an unpleasant high-pitched noise on the road. A black Mercedes screeched to a halt beside the helicopter... The car wheels screeched as they curved and bounced over the rough broken ground. VERB: V prep/adv, V 2. When you screech something, you shout it in a loud, unpleasant, high-pitched voice. 'Get me some water, Jeremy!' I screeched... ...a player who screeches at you on the field. = shriek VERB: V with quote, V at n • Screech is also a noun. The figure gave a screech. N-COUNT 3. When a bird, animal, or thing screeches, it makes a loud, unpleasant, high-pitched noise. A macaw screeched at him from its perch. VERB: V at n • Screech is also a noun. He heard the screech of brakes. N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. n. Shriek, scream, scritch. II. n. See scream, n

Moby Thesaurus

bark, battle cry, bawl, bay, bell, bellow, blare, blat, blate, bleat, blubber, boom, bray, breathe, buzz, cackle, call, caterwaul, chant, cheer, chirp, coo, creak, crow, cry, drawl, exclaim, flute, gasp, give tongue, give voice, groan, growl, grunt, hail, halloo, hiss, holler, hollo, hoot, howl, hurrah, keen, lilt, low, meow, mew, mewl, miaow, moan, moo, mumble, murmur, mutter, neigh, nicker, pant, penetrate, pierce, pipe, pule, rallying cry, roar, rumble, screak, scream, shout, shriek, shrill, sibilate, sigh, sing, skirl, skreigh, snap, snarl, snort, sob, sough, squall, squawk, squeak, squeal, thunder, troat, trumpet, twang, ululate, ululation, vent, voice, wail, war cry, war whoop, warble, whicker, whine, whinny, whisper, whistle, whoop, wrawl, yammer, yap, yawl, yawp, yell, yelp, yip, yo-ho, yowl