creak

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

creak, v. i. [OE. creken, prob. of imitative origin; cf. E. crack, and. D. krieken to crackle, chirp.].

 To make a prolonged sharp grating or squeaking sound, as by the friction of hard substances; as, shoes creak.  [1913 Webster]
"The creaking locusts with my voice conspire."  [1913 Webster]
"Doors upon their hinges creaked."  [1913 Webster]

creak, v. t. 

 To produce a creaking sound with.  [1913 Webster]
"Creaking my shoes on the plain masonry."  [1913 Webster]

creak, n. 

 The sound produced by anything that creaks; a creaking.  Roget.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

creak, n. & v.
--n. a harsh scraping or squeaking sound.
--v.intr.
1 make a creak.
2 a move with a creaking noise. b move stiffly and awkwardly. c show weakness or frailty under strain.

Derivative

creakingly adv.

Etymology

ME, imit.: cf. CRAKE, CROAK

THESAURUS

creak

caterwaul, chirk, chirking, chirp, chirrup, crick, howl, keen, pipe, screak, scream, screech, shriek, shrill, skirl, skreigh, squawk, squeak, squeal, stridulate, stridulation, ululate, ululation, wail, whine, whistle, wrawl, yammer

ROGET THESAURUS

creak

Stridor

N stridor, creak, creaking, discord, stridor, roughness, sharpness cacophony, cacoepy, acute note, high note, soprano, treble, tenor, alto, falsetto, penny trumpet, voce di testa, creaking, stridulous, harsh, coarse, hoarse, horrisonous, rough, gruff, grum, sepulchral, hollow, sharp, high, acute, shrill, trumpet-toned, piercing, ear-piercing, high-pitched, high-toned, cracked, discordant, cacophonous.

VB creak, grate, jar, burr, pipe, twang, jangle, clank, clink, scream, yelp, buzz, set the teeth on edge, corcher les oreilles, pierce the ears, split the ears, split the head, offend the ear, grate upon the ear, jar upon the ear.