squeak

plural squeaks

1. countableA short, high-pitched sound, as of two objects rubbing together, or the sounds made by mice and other small animals.
2. uncountablegamesA card game similar to group solitaire.
3. countableslangA narrow squeak.

   "I had the very devil of a squeak for it," he went on. "I did the hurdles over two or three garden-walls, but so did the flyer who was on my tracks, and he drove me back into the straight and down to High Street like any lamplighter. […]

   1905, E. W. Hornung, A Thief in the Night

present singular third person squeaks · participle present squeaking · participle past squeaked · past squeaked

1. intransitiveTo emit a short, high-pitched sound.

   1 more example

   But I must warn you that chipboard floors are always likely to squeak. The material is still being used in new-builds, but developers now use adhesive to bed and joint it, rather than screws or nails. I suspect the adhesive will eventually embrittle and crack, resulting in the same squeaking problems as before.

   2014 August 17, Jeff Howell, “Home improvements: Repairing and replacing floorboards [print version: Never buy anything from a salesman, 16 August 2014, p. P7]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Property)

2. intransitiveslangTo inform, to squeal.

   If he be obstinate, put a civil question to him upon the rack, and he squeaks, I warrant him.

   1690, [John] Dryden, Don Sebastian, King of Portugal: […], London: […] Jo. Hindmarsh, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page number)

   Synonyms: drop a dime

3. transitiveTo speak or sound in a high-pitched manner.
4. intransitivegamesTo empty the pile of 13 cards a player deals to oneself in the card game of the same name.
5. informalintransitiveTo win or progress by a narrow margin.

   […] allowing Parkinson to squeak into the final by a half-point margin.

   1999, Surfer, volume 40, numbers 7-12

   1 more example

   France were transformed from the feeble, divided unit that had squeaked past Wales in the semi-final, their half-backs finding the corners with beautifully judged kicks from hand, the forwards making yards with every drive and a reorganised Kiwi line-out beginning to malfunction.

   2011 October 23, Tom Fordyce, “2011 Rugby World Cup final: New Zealand 8-7 France”, in BBC Sport

   Antonyms: romp

1. UKWorld War IslanggovernmentThe British War Medal.