squeak
squeak — noun
- squeaksingular
- squeaksplural
1. a brief, thin, high-pitched noise — the kind a small mouse, a rusty hinge, or a
a brief, thin, high-pitched noise — the kind a small mouse, a rusty hinge, or a balloon being rubbed will make.
Andrei heard a faint squeak coming from under the floorboards in the old library.
a squeak coming from + place
The leather sofa gave a small squeak whenever Devika shifted her weight.
give a squeak (verb collocation)
With every step on the polished hospital floor, Adaeze's shoes let out a tiny squeak.
The puppy gave a happy little squeak when Mira opened the bag of treats.
文法句型
a squeak of/from X
用法筆記
Subject is usually small, fast, or under pressure — a mouse, a hinge, a rubber sole, a chair spring. A loud, sustained noise would not be called a squeak.
常見錯誤
2. an outcome where you barely manage to pass, win, or avoid disaster — almost the
an outcome where you barely manage to pass, win, or avoid disaster — almost the opposite happened.
Passing the driving test was a narrow squeak for Talia after two stalled hill starts.
a narrow squeak (fixed collocation)
Catching the last train was a real squeak — Xiu jumped on as the doors closed.
a real squeak (intensifier)
The team's 1–0 win was a squeak; the rival side hit the post three times.
Getting the report in before midnight was a close squeak for Apinya's whole department.
- close call
more common in American English; same meaning
- close shave
emphasises the danger barely avoided
- near miss
stresses how close failure or disaster came
- easy win
the opposite — a comfortable, untroubled success
文法句型
a narrow squeak
用法筆記
Most common in the fixed phrase 'a narrow squeak' (also 'a close squeak'). Distinguish from sense 1 (the sound): here the meaning is always about a barely-achieved outcome, not a noise.
常見錯誤
squeak — verb
- squeakpresent simple I / you / we / they
- squeakshe / she / it
- squeakedpast simple
- squeaking-ing form
1. to make a brief, thin, high noise — the way a mouse, an unoiled door, or a child
to make a brief, thin, high noise — the way a mouse, an unoiled door, or a child's toy might.
The bedroom door squeaked loudly whenever Christopher tried to sneak out after midnight.
subject = object that needs oiling
Beatriz's new trainers squeaked on the polished gym floor with every step.
squeak on + surface
The mouse squeaked from inside the cardboard box, waiting for someone to lift the lid.
Cyrus laughed so hard at the joke that his voice actually squeaked.
文法句型
something squeaks
squeak with/from + emotion
用法筆記
Subject is most often an inanimate object that should be silent (a door, a shoe, a chair) or a small animal. When applied to a person's voice, it suggests the pitch jumped up suddenly — from surprise, laughter, or puberty.
常見錯誤
2. to pass, win, or reach a position by the smallest possible margin — so close tha
to pass, win, or reach a position by the smallest possible margin — so close that failing was nearly certain.
Isabela squeaked through the final maths exam with just two marks above the pass line.
squeak through + exam/test
The local candidate squeaked into office by a margin of only thirty-six votes.
squeak into + role/position
Rodrigo's team squeaked by the rival school 2–1 in the last second of the semi-final.
After a slow start, Yumi just squeaked into the top ten finishers of the marathon.
- scrape through
very similar; slightly more emphasis on effort and difficulty
- barely pass
neutral register; less colourful than squeak
- edge out
transitive; about beating someone by a tiny margin
- breeze through
the opposite — to succeed easily and comfortably
文法句型
squeak through
squeak by
squeak into + place
用法筆記
Almost always followed by a preposition: 'through' (an exam), 'by' (an opponent), 'into' (a position or rank). Distinguish from sense 1 (making a noise): here the subject is a person or team, never an object.