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/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /skwiːl/　

  • Audio (General Australian):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -iːl

Noun

squeal (plural squeals)

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

Translations

a high-pitched sound

• Bulgarian: писък (bg) m (pisǎk), крясък (bg) m (krjasǎk)
• Czech: jekot m, zaječení n, ječení n, pištění n, zapištění n
• Finnish: vingahdus (fi), kiljahdus (fi)
• French: crissement (fr) m
• Georgian: წივილი (c̣ivili)
• German: Schrei (de) m, Kreischen (de) n, Quieken
• Greek: στριγκλιά (el) f (strigkliá), τσίριγμα (el) n (tsírigma)
• Irish: sceamh f
• Macedonian: пи́сок m (písok), вре́сок m (vrésok)
• 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)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To scream with a shrill, prolonged sound.

   The children squealed with delight while opening their Christmas presents.

2. To make a squealing noise. (of an object)

   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.

3. (intransitive, slang) To give sensitive information about someone to a third party; to rat on someone.

   You'd better not squeal on me to the cops.

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)

• Czech: ječet (cs) impf, zaječet pf, pištět impf, zapištět pf, vřískat (cs) impf, zavřískat pf, kvičet impf, zakvičet pf
• Dutch: snierken (nl), krijsen (nl)
• Finnish: vinkua (fi), kiljua (fi)
• French: crier (fr), hurler (fr), crisser (fr)
• German: kreischen (de), quieken (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
• Macedonian: пи́ска (píska), пи́шти (píšti), вре́ска (vréska)
• 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 (hu)
• Italian: cantare (it), fare la spia, spifferare (it)
• Macedonian: ко́доши (kódoši), и́здаде (ízdade)
• 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), skvallra (sv)

Anagrams

• equals, Quales, sequal, quesal, queals, Laques