shriek

[ shreek ]

/ ʃrik /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR shriek ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a loud, sharp, shrill cry.

a loud, high sound of laughter.

any loud, shrill sound, as of a whistle.

verb (used without object)

to utter a loud, sharp, shrill cry, as birds.

to cry out sharply in a high voice: to shriek with pain.

to utter loud, high-pitched sounds in laughing.

(of a musical instrument, a whistle, the wind, etc.) to give forth a loud, shrill sound.

verb (used with object)

to utter in a shriek: to shriek defiance.

Origin of shriek

1560–70; earlier shrick, N variant of shritch (now dial.), Middle English schrichen, back formation from Old English scriccettan; akin to shrike

SYNONYMS FOR shriek

1, 5 scream, screech.

5 See scream.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR shriek ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM shriek

shriek·er, noun shriek·ing·ly, adverb shriek·y, adjective out·shriek, verb (used with object)

Words nearby shriek

shrewdie, shrewish, shrewmouse, shrewsbury, shri, shriek, shrieval, shrievalty, shrieve, shrift, shrike

Example sentences from the Web for shriek

Students moan and growl and shriek and yawp, as if exorcising demons in a ritualistic ceremony.

How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze |Lizzie Crocker |January 9, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
A shriek of glee briefly broke out across the Web as inquiring minds tried to deduce who was the lucky lady.

My Bizarre Night With James Deen, Libertarian Porn Star |Emily Shire |November 12, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Even her brother, Sheriff, who tried to pick her up to cuddle her, was pushed away with a firm “no” and a shriek.

The Life of a Liberian Child with Ebola |Sarah Crowe |November 5, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
For all its performance art and immersive theater foundation, the show also has its own shriek moments.

Sex, Blood, and Screaming: Blackout’s Dark Frights |Tim Teeman |October 7, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

They will shriek and giggle, half-scared and half-delighted, when their father pretends to be a monster that will eat them up.

The Science of Weepies: Why We Love Crying at the Movies |Elizabeth Picciuto |June 4, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Figureheads for Frankenstein, they need only shriek themselves blue and their will, will be done.

Nonsenseorship |G. G. Putnam and Others
He came to his door and beat his shoulders against it, for that shriek sent a horrible chill through him.

With Wellington in Spain |F. S. Brereton
It made no resistance; I felt not even the slightest struggle; but now my brother began to scream and shriek like one possessed.

Lavengro |George Borrow
Then he flung a second decanter, and sank down once more with a shriek.

The Chequers |James Runciman
The lost man gave a shriek of joy; so prone are we to interpret things hopefully.

A Simpleton |Charles Reade

British Dictionary definitions for shriek

shriek

/ (ʃriːk) /

noun

a shrill and piercing cry

verb

to produce or utter (words, sounds, etc) in a shrill piercing tone

Derived forms of shriek

shrieker, noun

Word Origin for shriek

C16: probably from Old Norse skrækja to screech 1

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

shriek

noun

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

Origin of shriek

SYNONYMS FOR shriek

OTHER WORDS FROM shriek

Words nearby shriek

Example sentences from the Web for shriek

British Dictionary definitions for shriek

noun

verb

Derived forms of shriek

Word Origin for shriek

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

shriek

noun

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

Origin of shriek

SYNONYMS FOR shriek

OTHER WORDS FROM shriek

Words nearby shriek

Words related to shriek

Example sentences from the Web for shriek

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for shriek

noun

verb

Derived forms of shriek

Word Origin for shriek

British Dictionary definitions for shriek