squeal
part of speech
verb (squeal, squeals, squealed, squealing); noun (a squeal, squeals)
meaning for a pupil
1) To make a long, high, loud sound, like a pig or an excited child. tree →
2) A long, high sound like that, from a person, animal, or brakes or tyres. tree →
3) (slang) To tell secrets to the police or to someone in charge about what others did; to tell on someone. tree →
sense in the lessons
In stories «squeal» shows delight, fright or pain: children squeal with laughter, pigs squeal, tyres squeal when a car brakes hard. In crime stories and slang «to squeal» means to inform on someone. Phrases: «squeal with delight», «squeal of brakes», «squeal on someone».
examples
- The children squealed with delight when they saw the puppies. tree →
- The pig gave a loud squeal. tree →
- The tyres squealed as the car stopped suddenly. tree →
- She let out a squeal when the cold water hit her. tree →
- My little sister squeals every time she goes on the swing. tree →
- (slang) He promised he wouldn't squeal on his friends. tree →
- We heard the squeal of the brakes on the bus. tree →
- The guinea pigs squeal when they hear the fridge open. tree →
- "Oh! let him go," squealed all the company. tree →
note
Regular verb: squealed, squealing. A squeal is higher and longer than a «squeak». The slang sense («squeal on someone», like «grass» in the UK or «dob in» in Australia) is informal and often shows disapproval.
In the corpora
- Blowing too hard makes a recorder jump up to a shrill squeal; a soft, steady breath gives a clear note.
- In the lumpy little valley the Mole trips and falls with a squeal — he's cut his shin.
- Of course Toad falls into the water with a splash and a squeal.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «squeal» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.