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。
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。
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。
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。
- 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。
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。
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。
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。
- 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.