shriek
/ʃriːk
/verb [no object]
1Utter a high-pitched piercing sound or words, especially as an expression of terror, pain, or excitement: the audience shrieked with laughter [with direct speech]: ‘There it is!’ she shrieked [with object]: she was shrieking abuse at a taxi...
- Chehl tried to get free, shrieking in pain and terror, but he couldn't break loose.
- I shrieked with laughter, which is what you do with Rosemary, for her own contagious laugh is as big as she is.
- Sadie shrieked with laughter, and looked up to the sky.
Synonyms
scream, screech, squeal, squawk, roar, howl, bellow, bawl, shout, yell, cry, cry out, call, call out, call at the top of one's voice, clamour, bay, cheer, yawp, yelp, squall, caterwaul, whoop, wail;
raise one's voice
North American informal holler
1.1(Of something inanimate) make a high-pitched screeching sound: the wheels shrieked as the car sped away...
- The wheels of the car shrieked in protest as Khanor slammed on the brakes, nearly spinning out.
- They are the squeaky wheels shrieking for grease.
- The screeching metal sounded like innocent angels shrieking and crying from being excommunicated from the riches and comforts of their heaven.
1.2Be very obvious or strikingly discordant: the answer shrieked at her all too clearly the patterned carpets shrieked at Blanche from the shabby store...
- Commonsense shrieked at me not to let a drop pass my lips, but it was irresistible, like musty goat's cheese straight from the liquidizer.
- My mind shrieked at me, demanding that I get out while I could, while my heart was intact.
- The interior, even on a Calais, still shrieks its distinctly working car roots; a general plasticky look and feel which ill behoves a $50,000 car.
noun
1A high-pitched piercing cry or sound; a scream: shrieks of laughter...
- All the shrieks and screams inside sound like wind from the outside.
- The boy started to scream, not a yell of pain but a high-pitched shriek of panic that reminded me of a rabbit's death throes, which reminded me that I was hungry.
- Now maybe it'll go away - It let out a high-pitched shriek and Robyn screamed, now fully awake.
Synonyms
scream, screech, squeal, squawk, roar, howl, bellow, bawl, shout, yell, cry, call, clamour, bay, cheer, yawp, yelp, squall, caterwaul, whoop, wail
North American informal holler
2 informal An exclamation mark.
Derivatives
shrieker
- They tend to be shriekers, protestors, clowns, the whole bit.
- On the tennis court, this one-time ‘shrieker and screamer and racket-abuser’ admits to having lost his competitive edge and is nowadays happy just getting a game.
- Jude, Daisy and the children went to see a Robert Plant show in Mississippi and went to see the old shrieker and his band backstage afterwards.
Origin
Late 15th century (as a verb): imitative; compare with dialect screak, Old Norse skrækja, also with screech.