Definition

1. Noun:
   • A narrow victory or escape: Something achieved or avoided by a very small margin.
   • A thing that squeaks: Any object or artifact that produces a high-pitched, creaking sound when it is used or moved.
   • A young bird, especially a pigeon: A nestling or a very young bird that has not yet developed its adult feathers or calls.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Narrow Margin):
  • The election was a real squeaker, decided by just a few hundred votes.
  • Winning that game in overtime was a squeaker; we almost lost.
• Noun (Squeaking Object):
  • One of the wheels on the cart is a squeaker and needs oil.
  • Her new shoes turned out to be squeakers on the polished floor.
• Noun (Young Bird):
  • We found a squeaker that had fallen from its nest.
  • The pigeon fancier was caring for several squeakers in the loft.

Advanced Usage

• "to win by a squeaker": To win a competition or contest by an extremely narrow margin.
  • The home team won by a squeaker, with a last-second field goal.
• Used informally to describe a close and tense situation.
  • Getting the project approved by the board was a real squeaker.

Variants and Related Words

• Squeak (verb/noun): To make a short, high-pitched sound or the sound itself.
  • The door hinge began to squeak.
• Squeaky (adjective): Making or likely to make squeaking sounds.
  • The squeaky floorboard gave away his position.

Synonyms

• Close call: A situation where something bad was narrowly avoided.
• Narrow victory/win: A win by a small margin.
• Nestling: A bird that is too young to leave its nest.
• Creaker: An object that creaks (similar to a squeaking object).

Related Phrases

• Squeak by/through: To barely succeed or pass.
  • He managed to squeak through the exam with a passing grade.
• Squeak out a victory: To achieve a victory by a very small margin.
  • The underdog team squeaked out a victory in the final seconds.

Related Idioms

• A close shave: A narrow escape from danger or failure (similar to "squeaker" as a narrow escape).
  • Missing that car was a close shave!
• By the skin of one's teeth: By a very narrow margin; barely.
  • He passed the test by the skin of his teeth.

Noun

1. something achieved (or escaped) by a narrow margin
2. any artifact that makes a squeaking sound when used
   • those sneakers are squeakers
   • which hinge is the squeaker?