Advertisement

shriek (v.)

16c. variant of scrycke (c. 1200), from Old Norse skrækja "to screech" (see screech), probably of imitative origin. Related: Shrieked; shrieking. The noun is attested from 1580s, from the verb.

Others are reading

Advertisement
Definitions of shriek from WordNet
1
shriek (n.)
sharp piercing cry;
Synonyms: scream / screaming / shrieking / screech / screeching
shriek (n.)
a high-pitched noise resembling a human cry;
Synonyms: screech / screeching / shrieking / scream / screaming
2
shriek (v.)
utter a shrill cry;
Synonyms: shrill / pipe up / pipe
From wordnet.princeton.edu