squeal
squeal — noun
- squealsingular
- squealsplural
1. A high-pitched sound, typically long and fairly loud, that comes from a person,
A high-pitched sound, typically long and fairly loud, that comes from a person, an animal, or a machine such as car brakes.
The pig gave a loud squeal when the farmer opened the gate.
collocation: a loud squeal
A sudden squeal from the kitchen told us the kettle had boiled over.
Joshua heard the squeal of brakes and ran to the window to look.
Renata's squeal of delight echoed through the hallway when she opened the gift.
The old car came to a stop with a loud squeal from its worn tyres.
文法句型
a squeal
squeal of [something]
用法筆記
Often followed by 'of' plus a noun identifying the source or cause of the sound, such as 'squeal of brakes' or 'squeal of delight'.
常見錯誤
squeal — verb
- squealpresent simple I / you / we / they
- squealshe / she / it
- squealedpast simple
- squealing-ing form
1. To produce a long, very high-pitched noise, of the kind a pig makes, or the soun
To produce a long, very high-pitched noise, of the kind a pig makes, or the sound of car tyres rubbing hard against the road.
The piglets squealed loudly when Tariq entered the barn with their food.
subject: piglets squeal for food
Harper squealed with joy when she saw the beach for the first time.
pattern: squeal with [emotion]
The old train wheels squealed as they moved along the rusty tracks.
Femi's car tyres squealed when he hit the brakes suddenly.
The metal gate squealed as Hugo pushed it open against the rust.
文法句型
squeal with [emotion]
squeal when [event]
[tyres/brakes] squeal
用法筆記
Frequently followed by 'with' plus an emotion noun such as 'delight', 'excitement', or 'laughter'. The subject is typically a pig, a child, or vehicle tyres and brakes.
常見錯誤
2. To complain in a loud, emotional way about something that has upset or annoyed y
To complain in a loud, emotional way about something that has upset or annoyed you.
The players squealed about the poor condition of the football field.
pattern: squeal about [something]
Stefan's little brother squealed when dinner was not what he wanted.
Some passengers squealed loudly when the flight was delayed by six hours.
Dewi squealed to the manager about the rude service she received.
The students squealed about having extra homework over the weekend.
文法句型
squeal about [something]
squeal to [someone]
用法筆記
Stronger and more emotional than 'complain'. Suggests a noisy expression of dissatisfaction, often in a slightly childish way.
常見錯誤
3. To secretly tell the police or another person in authority about something wrong
To secretly tell the police or another person in authority about something wrong that someone else has done, especially a crime.
Aoi squealed on her partner to get a lighter sentence from the judge.
pattern: squeal on [someone]
The thief had squealed to the police about where the money was hidden.
pattern: squeal to the police
Gabriel refused to squeal on his classmates even when the teacher asked.
Nobody trusted Faisal after he squealed to the boss about the office prank.
The gang leader warned his men not to squeal if they got caught.
文法句型
squeal on [someone]
squeal to [authority]
用法筆記
The preposition 'on' introduces the person being reported. The crime itself is not the direct object — you 'squeal on a person', not 'squeal a crime'. Strongly informal; more neutral alternatives include 'inform on' or 'report'.