squeak
squeak — 名詞
- squeaksingular
- squeaksplural
1. a brief, thin, high-pitched noise — the kind a small mouse, a rusty hinge, or a
吱吱聲
短促、細而高的聲音
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.
Andrei 聽見舊圖書館地板下傳來一聲微弱的吱吱聲。
a squeak coming from + place
The leather sofa gave a small squeak whenever Devika shifted her weight.
只要 Devika 一動身體，皮沙發就會發出小小的吱聲。
give a squeak (verb collocation)
With every step on the polished hospital floor, Adaeze's shoes let out a tiny squeak.
走在醫院光亮的地板上，Adaeze 的鞋子每一步都發出細微的吱聲。
let out a squeak
The puppy gave a happy little squeak when Mira opened the bag of treats.
當 Mira 打開零食袋時，小狗開心地發出一聲小小的吱叫。
a happy/little squeak (adjective + noun)
- a little squeak
- a faint squeak
- give a squeak
- let out a squeak
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
險勝
差一點就失敗的勉強成功
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.
通過駕照考試對 Talia 來說真是險勝，因為她在坡道起步時熄火了兩次。
a narrow squeak (fixed collocation)
Catching the last train was a real squeak — Xiu jumped on as the doors closed.
趕上末班車真的是險勝——Xiu 在車門關上的瞬間跳了上去。
a real squeak (intensifier)
The team's 1–0 win was a squeak; the rival side hit the post three times.
球隊以一比零拿下這場險勝；對手在比賽中三度擊中門柱。
be a squeak (predicate use)
Getting the report in before midnight was a close squeak for Apinya's whole department.
趕在午夜前交出報告，對 Apinya 整個部門來說真是驚險過關。
a close squeak (synonym of narrow)
- a narrow squeak
- a close squeak
- a real squeak
- 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 — 動詞
- 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
發出吱聲
發出短而高的細小聲音
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.
每當 Christopher 半夜想偷溜出去，房間門就會大聲吱吱作響。
subject = object that needs oiling
Beatriz's new trainers squeaked on the polished gym floor with every step.
Beatriz 的新運動鞋在光亮的體育館地板上每走一步都發出吱聲。
squeak on + surface
The mouse squeaked from inside the cardboard box, waiting for someone to lift the lid.
小老鼠在紙箱裡發出吱吱聲，等著有人來掀開蓋子。
squeak from + place
Cyrus laughed so hard at the joke that his voice actually squeaked.
Cyrus 被那個笑話逗得太厲害，連聲音都尖了起來。
voice as subject (high register shift)
- the door squeaks
- the floor squeaks
- shoes squeak
- a wheel squeaks
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
勉強過關
以極小差距通過或獲勝
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.
Isabela 以高出及格線僅兩分的成績勉強通過了期末數學考試。
squeak through + exam/test
The local candidate squeaked into office by a margin of only thirty-six votes.
那位地方候選人以僅僅三十六票的差距驚險當選。
squeak into + role/position
Rodrigo's team squeaked by the rival school 2–1 in the last second of the semi-final.
Rodrigo 的球隊在準決賽最後一秒以二比一險勝對手學校。
squeak by + opponent
After a slow start, Yumi just squeaked into the top ten finishers of the marathon.
起步雖慢，Yumi 還是勉強擠進了馬拉松前十名。
squeak into + ranking
- squeak through an exam
- squeak by an opponent
- squeak into office
- just squeak through
- 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.