noun
squeak
skweek
noun
1
A short, high-pitched sound, like that made by a mouse or an unoiled hinge.
"The old door gave a squeak every time it opened."
"She heard a tiny squeak from behind the skirting board."
2
Informal: a very close win or narrow escape.
"They won by a squeak in the final minute."
verb
1
To make a short, high-pitched sound.
"The floorboards squeaked with every step."
2
To just barely manage to do or win something.
"He squeaked through the exam with the lowest possible pass mark."
How to Use Squeak
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA thin, high-pitched sound — or to barely scrape by at something.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
squeak by
squeak through
a squeaky hinge
Word Forms
squeaked past tense, squeaks plural, squeaks singular
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The old door gave a _____ every time it opened.