screech

screech
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

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • screech — [ skritʃ ] verb 1. ) intransitive or transitive to make a loud, high, and unpleasant cry, especially when you are upset: SHRIEK: We tried to calm her, but she just screeched more loudly. 2. ) intransitive to make a loud, high, and unpleasant… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Screech — may mean: *Samuel Screech Powers, character played by Dustin Diamond in the NBC television sitcom Saved by the Bell *A mascot for numerable sports teams, including: **Screech (mascot), the Major League Baseball Washington Nationals **the mascot… …   Wikipedia

  • Screech — Screech, n. A harsh, shrill cry, as of one in acute pain or in fright; a shriek; a scream. [1913 Webster] {Screech bird}, or {Screech thrush} (Zo[ o]l.), the fieldfare; so called from its harsh cry before rain. {Screech rain}. {Screech hawk} (Zo[ …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • screech — [skri:tʃ] v [Date: 1500 1600; Origin: scritch to screech (13 20 centuries), from the sound] 1.) [I and T] to shout loudly in an unpleasant high voice because you are angry, afraid, or excited = ↑shriek, scream ↑scream ▪ Look out! she screeched. ▪ …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 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 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • screech — screech·er; screech; screech·ing·ly; …   English syllables

  • screech — ► NOUN ▪ a loud, harsh, piercing cry or sound. ► VERB 1) make a screech. 2) move rapidly with a screech. DERIVATIVES screecher noun screechy adjective (screechier, screechiest) …   English terms dictionary

  • screech|y — «SKREE chee», adjective, screech|i|er, screech|i|est. 1. screeching: »... a shrill, screechy voice (W. H. Hudson). 2. given to screeching …   Useful english dictionary

  • screech´er — screech «skreech», verb, noun. –v.i., v.t. to cry out sharply in a high voice; scream; shriek: »“Help! help!” she screeched. –n. a shrill, harsh scream: »The woman s screeches brought the police. ╂[apparently alteration of Middle English… …   Useful english dictionary

  • screech — mid 13c., schrichen, possibly of imitative origin (Cf. shriek). The noun is first recorded 1550s. Screech owl is attested from 1590s (scritch owl is from 1520s) …   Etymology dictionary

  • screech — vb scream, shriek, yell, *shout, squeal, holler, whoop screech n scream, shriek, yell, shout, squeal, holler, whoop (see under SHOUT vb) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

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