Other forms: squeaking, squeaks, squeaked
To squeak is to make a short high thin sound. The door squeaked, a squeak of protest, squeaky shoes.
It is what hinges, floorboards, mice and new shoes do, and the sound is small and high. As a noun it also means a narrow escape: a narrow squeak. Squeaky clean means spotless, from the sound clean glass makes. Note the squeaky wheel gets the grease, which is American for the complainer getting attention; and that squeak is imitative.
1verbsqueakTo make a short high thin sound.
“The old gate squeaks every time someone opens it.”
2nounnarrowA narrow escape.
“That was a narrow squeak; the lorry missed us by inches.”
squeak is a high thin sound.
Practised in Sounds & Noises