squeal

English

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English squelen, probably from Old Norse skvala (“to squeal, bawl”), from Proto-Germanic *skwel- (“to chatter, babble, scream”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *skel-, from *kelh₁- (“to ring, resound, cry”). Compare Old Norse skval (“a squeal”, noun), Swedish skvallra (“to babble, chatter, tell on”).

Pronunciation

(UK) IPA^(key): /skwiːl/　
(US) IPA^(key): /skwil/
Audio (AU) (file)
Rhymes: -iːl

Noun

squeal (plural squeals)

A high-pitched sound, such as the scream of a child or a female person, or noisy worn-down brake pads.
The cry of a pig.

Translations

a high-pitched sound

Bulgarian: писък (bg) m (pisǎk), крясък (bg) m (krjasǎk)
Finnish: vingahdus (fi), kiljahdus (fi)
French: crissement (fr) m
Georgian: წივილი (c̣ivili)
German: Schrei (de) m, Kreischen n
Greek: στριγκλιά (el) f (strigkliá), τσίριγμα (el) n (tsírigma)
Maori: ngawī, ngangī (Of a pig)
Portuguese: guincho (pt) m
Russian: визг (ru) m (vizg), скре́жет (ru) m (skréžet) (e.g. of brakes), скрип (ru) m (skrip) (creak)
Scottish Gaelic: sgal m
Spanish: chillido m, chirrido (es) m, rechinido m (Mexico), rechinar (es), rechino (es) m
Swedish: skrik (sv), skri (sv)

Verb

squeal (third-person singular simple present squeals, present participle squealing, simple past and past participle squealed)

(transitive, intransitive) To scream with a shrill, prolonged sound.
I made my girlfriend squeal with delight last night.
(of an object) To make a squealing noise.
The brakes squeal terribly.
- 2022 November 30, Paul Bigland, “Destination Oban: a Sunday in Scotland”, in RAIL, number 971, page 75:
  We continue through suburban Newcastle along the edge of the Tyne, before squealing around the tight curves onto the magnificent High Level bridge, which affords glorious views across Newcastle and along the river before arriving at journey's end.
(intransitive, slang) To give sensitive information about someone to a third party; to rat on someone.

Synonyms

(to rat on someone): inform, grass up, snitch; See also Thesaurus:rat out

Derived terms

squealdom
squealer
squeal like a stuck pig
squealy

Translations

to scream a high-pitched squeal

Bulgarian: пискам (bg) (piskam), врещя (bg) (vreštja)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 尖聲啼哭／尖声啼哭 (zh) (jiānshēngtíkū)
Dutch: snierken (nl), krijsen (nl)
Finnish: vinkua (fi), kiljua (fi)
French: crier (fr), hurler (fr), crisser (fr)
German: kreischen (de)
Greek: στριγκλίζω (el) (strigklízo), τσιρίζω (el) (tsirízo)
Hungarian: visít (hu), sivít (hu)
Irish: sceamh
Italian: strillare (it), urlare (it), guaire (it), gridare con voce stridula
Maori: pūkoto, ngawī, ngatī (by a child), wē, ngangī (Of a pig)
Russian: визжа́ть (ru) impf (vizžátʹ), вереща́ть (ru) impf (vereščátʹ)
Scottish Gaelic: sgal
Spanish: chillar (es)
Swedish: skrika (sv)

to rat on someone

Bulgarian: доноснича (bg) (donosniča)
Finnish: vasikoida (fi)
French: (formally) dénoncer (fr), (colloquial) balancer (fr), (slang) moutonner (fr), (slang) cafter (fr)
German: singen (criminal, slang), petzen (colloquial)
Greek: προδίδω (el) (prodído), καρφώνω (el) (karfóno) (colloquial)
Hungarian: beárul (hu), beköp (hu), besúg (hu), befúj (hu), spicliskedik
Italian: cantare (it), fare la spia, spifferare (it)
Polish: donosić (pl), kapować (pl) (slang)
Russian: стуча́ть (ru) impf (stučátʹ), доноси́ть (ru) impf (donosítʹ)
Spanish: chillar (es), delatar (es), chivarse (es) (Spain), pegar un chivatazo (Spain), botonear (es) (Argentina), buchonear (Argentina)
Swedish: tjalla (sv), gola (sv)

Anagrams

Quales, equals, queals, quesal