Also 8 squawl. [f. SQUALL v.1]
1. A discordant or violent scream; a loud, harsh cry.
1709. W. King, Misc., 518. Betty distorts her Face with hideous Squawl, And Mouth of a foot wide begins to bawl.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 443. Very bad music, badly executed, being rather roars or squalls than songs.
1782. Wolcot (P. Pindar), Odes to R.A.’s, xiii. Wks. 1812, I. 42. My lovely strangers, one and all, Gave, all at once, a diabolic squawl.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., I. 94. The crowing pheasant … Betrays his lair with awkward squalls.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Manch. Strike, vi. 69. The passing squalls of the baby, who, however, allowed himself to be quickly hushed.
1883. Stevenson, in Century Mag., XXVII. 189/2. Away up the cañon, a wild-cat welcomed us with three discordant squalls.
b. The action or habit of squalling or talking in a shrill voice.
1755. Connoisseur, No. 51, ¶ 3. He was determined, that the babe … should be put out to nurse,—he hated the squall of children.
1825. Creevey, in C. Papers (1904), II. 87. Altho’ these young ladies … have all more or less of the quality squall, yet their manners are particularly correct.
† 2. Cant. (See quot.) Obs.
1725. New Cant. Dict., Squawl, a Voice; as, The Cove as a bien Squawl, the Fellow has a good Voice.
