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squeal

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squeal

  • /skwiːl/ UK
  • /skwil/ US
  • /skwiːl/ Australia

Rhymes with -iːl

Where it comes from

Inherited from Middle English squelen, probably from Old Norse skvala (“to squeal, bawl”), from Proto-Germanic *skwel- (“to chatter, babble, scream”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *skel-, from *kelh₁- (“to ring, resound, cry”). Compare Old Norse skval (“a squeal”, noun), Swedish skvallra (“to babble, chatter, tell on”).

noun squeals

  1. A high-pitched sound, such as the scream of a child or a female person, or noisy worn-down brake pads.
  2. The cry of a pig.

verb squeals · squealing · squealed

  1. ambitransitive To scream with a shrill, prolonged sound. The children squealed with delight while opening their Christmas presents.
  2. To make a squealing noise. (of an object) The brakes squeal terribly.
  3. intransitive, slang To give sensitive information about someone to a third party; to rat on someone. You'd better not squeal on me to the cops.

    Similar: inform

Similar: grass up, snitch

Thesaurus

verb

Similar: grass up, snitch

Translations

Every language

noun a high-pitched sound

Españolchillido, chirrido, rechinido, rechinar, rechino
Portuguêsguincho
Françaiscrissement
DeutschSchrei, Kreischen, Quieken
Ελληνικάστριγκλιά strigkliá, τσίριγμα tsírigma
Русскийвизг vizg, скре́жет skréžet, скрип skrip

verb to scream a high-pitched squeal

Españolchillar
中文尖聲啼哭 /尖声啼哭 jiānshēngtíkū
Françaiscrier, hurler, crisser
Deutschkreischen, quieken
Italianostrillare, urlare, guaire, gridare con voce stridula
Ελληνικάστριγκλίζω strigklízo, τσιρίζω tsirízo
Русскийвизжа́ть vizžátʹ, вереща́ть vereščátʹ

verb to rat on someone

Españolchillar, delatar, chivarse, pegar un chivatazo, botonear, buchonear
Françaisdénoncer, balancer, moutonner, cafter
Deutschsingen, petzen
Italianocantare, fare la spia, spifferare
Ελληνικάπροδίδω prodído, καρφώνω karfóno
Русскийстуча́ть stučátʹ, доноси́ть donosítʹ

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Cite this
MLA

"squeal." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/squeal. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

squeal. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/squeal

Chicago

"squeal." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/squeal.

BibTeX
@misc{squeal_2026,
  title = {squeal},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/squeal},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}