Definition

1. Noun:

   • A short, high-pitched sound or cry: A brief, sharp, often shrill noise, typically made by a small animal, object, or person.
   • A narrow escape or a marginal success: (Informal) A success or escape achieved by a very small margin.

2. Verb (intransitive):

   • To make a short, high-pitched sound or cry: To emit a brief, sharp, shrill noise.
   • To succeed, survive, or pass narrowly: (Informal) To barely manage to achieve something, such as winning or avoiding failure.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The mouse let out a tiny squeak.
  • We heard the squeak of the rusty hinge.
  • The team won by a squeak; the final score was 2-1.

• Verb (intransitive):

  • The old floorboards squeak when you walk on them.
  • The puppy will squeak when it wants attention.
  • He managed to squeak through the exam with a passing grade.

Advanced Usage

• "to squeak by/through": to barely succeed or pass.
  • She squeaked by in the election, winning by just a few votes.
• "a narrow squeak": a situation where one barely avoids danger or failure.
  • That was a narrow squeak! The car almost hit us.

Variants and Related Words

• Squeaky (adj): making or likely to make a squeaking sound.
  • a squeaky wheel
• Squeaker (n): 1. a person or thing that squeaks. 2. (Informal) a contest won by a very narrow margin.
  • The election was a real squeaker.

Synonyms

• Noun (sound): peep, chirp, creak, screech.
• Verb (sound): peep, chirp, creak, screech.
• Verb (succeed narrowly): scrape by, barely make it.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Squeak by/through: (as detailed in Advanced Usage) to succeed by a very small margin.
  • They squeaked through to the next round of the tournament.

Related Idioms

• Squeaky clean: (adj) completely clean; morally beyond reproach.
  • He has a squeaky clean reputation.
• The squeaky wheel gets the grease: (proverb) the person who complains or makes the most noise is the one who gets attention or service.
  • If you want help, you have to ask. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Noun

1. something achieved (or escaped) by a narrow margin
2. a short high-pitched noise
   • the squeak of shoes on powdery snow

Verb

1. make a high-pitched, screeching noise
   • The door creaked when I opened it slowly
   • My car engine makes a whining noise