screech

American  

[skreech] / skritʃ /

verb (used without object)

1. to utter or make a harsh, shrill cry or sound.

   The child screeched hysterically. The brakes screeched.

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verb (used with object)

1. to utter with a screech.

   She screeched her warning.

noun

1. a harsh, shrill cry or sound.

   an owl's screech; the screech of brakes.

screech ¹ British  

/ skriːtʃ /

noun

1. a shrill, harsh, or high-pitched sound or cry

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verb

1. to utter with or produce a screech

screech ² British  

/ skriːtʃ /

noun

1. (esp in Newfoundland) a dark rum

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Related Words

See scream.

Other Word Forms

• screecher noun

Etymology

Origin of screech

First recorded in 1550–60; variant of obsolete scritch “to scream”; akin to screak

Example Sentences

Birds soared and swooped, screeched and fished; iguanas and lizards scrabbled; sea lions lazed and their king’s honk! echoed across the water.

From Literature

Outside of major cities, rural communities still light sparklers and screeching "missile" fireworks to celebrate the Lunar New Year, which falls next week.

From Barron's

On Thursday, mangled metal screeched as an excavator compacted the skeletons of former homes.

From Los Angeles Times

Nash blows on the flute with gusto, producing an earsplitting screech.

From Literature

It seemed an age before the high-pitched screeching sound had died and the panic-stricken creatures had departed.

From Literature

Related Words

• howl
• shout
• shriek
• squeal
• yell