Also 6 sweaking. [f. SQUEAK v.]
1. Of the nature of a squeak or squeaks; characterized by squeaking.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 277. Among these people,… one … made a harsh squeaking noyse.
1592. Chettle, Kind-harts Dr. (1841), 15. The one in a sweaking treble, the other in an ale-blowen base.
a. 1704. T. Brown, Praise Drunkenness, Wks. 1730, I. 37. The drunkard’s voice is hoarse and manly, not like the squeaking trils of an Eunuch.
1854. Emerson, Lett. & Soc. Aims, Social Aims, Wks. (Bohn), III. 176. It seems to require several generations of education to train a squeaking … habit out of a man.
b. Of the voice: Thin and shrill.
1803. Med. Jrnl., IX. 563. At an early period the voice was altered, and grew squeaking.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, viii. Said Dwining, with his squeaking voice.
1878. W. A. Wright, Shaks. Jul. Cæsar, Notes 141. That ghosts had thin and squeaking voices was a belief in the time of Homer.
2. That squeaks; uttering squeaks.
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., V. ii. 220. And I shall see Some squeaking Cleopatra Boy my greatnesse.
1652. Benlowes, Theoph., V. viii. (1905), 368. Can squeaking reeds sound forth the organ’s full delight.
1682. Dryden, Medal, 35. The loudest bagpipe of the squeaking train.
c. 1760. Smollett, Burlesque Ode, 26. The squeaking pigs her bounty own’d.
1763. Churchill, Poems, Apol., Wks. 1767, I. 57. Italian fathers thus, with barb’rous rage, Fit helpless infants for the squeaking stage.
1802. Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T. (1816), I. xiii. 106. The sound of a squeaking fiddle.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. IV. vii. A fanfaronading hollow Spectrum and squeaking and gibbering Shadow!
Hence Squeakingly adv.
1611. Cotgr., Greslement,… shrilly, or sq[u]eakingly.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, To Whine, to cry squeekingly, as at Conventicles.
