squeak
squeak — 名詞
- squeaksingular
- squeaksplural
1. a brief, high-pitched noise, like the sound made by a mouse, a dry hinge, or rub
吱吱聲
短而尖的聲音
a brief, high-pitched noise, like the sound made by a mouse, a dry hinge, or rubber soles sliding on a clean floor
The cat perked up its ears at the faint squeak of a mouse behind the kitchen wall.
貓咪豎起耳朵，聽到廚房牆後有老鼠細微的吱吱聲。
collocation: faint squeak (quiet high sound)
Olga let out a tiny squeak of surprise when she opened her cousin's gift from Brazil.
Olga 打開巴西表親送的禮物時，嚇得小小地吱了一聲。
let out a squeak + of [emotion]
The old wooden stairs in Ingrid's building make a loud squeak whenever someone steps on them.
Ingrid 公寓大樓的老舊木造樓梯，每次有人走過都會發出很大的嘎吱聲。
The loud squeak of wet sneakers on the gym floor echoed through the empty hall.
潮濕的運動鞋在體育館地板上發出響亮的吱吱聲，在空蕩蕩的大廳中迴盪。
文法句型
a squeak (of something)
let out a squeak
用法筆記
Often used with 'of' followed by an emotion: a squeak of fright / surprise / excitement. Also common in the negative: 'not a squeak' means no sound or no communication at all.
常見錯誤
2. a situation in which someone only just avoids failure, danger, or defeat, succee
險勝；逃過
勉強成功或避開失敗、危險
a situation in which someone only just avoids failure, danger, or defeat, succeeding by a very small difference
The election was a real squeak — the winner got just twelve votes more than the loser.
這場選舉真是險勝——贏家只比輸家多了十二票。
pattern: a real squeak (informal, emphasising narrow margin)
Diego escaped the falling branch by a squeak when it landed just behind his heels.
Diego 驚險地躲過落下的樹枝，樹枝正好掉在他腳跟後方。
The business was saved by a squeak when a last-minute investor agreed to back the project.
這家公司靠著最後一刻投資者同意資助該專案，才驚險地保住了。
The team's one-point victory was a close squeak that left the fans breathless.
這支球隊以一分的差距驚險獲勝，讓球迷們緊張得喘不過氣來。
- close call
the more common equivalent in everyday speech, especially in American English
- narrow escape
focuses on avoiding danger rather than just succeeding by a small margin
文法句型
a close squeak
by a squeak
用法筆記
The common fixed phrase is 'close squeak' (= a narrow escape). This sense is almost always preceded by 'a' and a modifier (close, real, narrow). Less common in American English; 'close call' is more frequent in the US.
常見錯誤
squeak — 動詞
- squeakpresent simple I / you / we / they
- squeakshe / she / it
- squeakedpast simple
- squeaking-ing form
1. when an animal, object, or human voice produces a brief, high-pitched sound of l
吱吱叫
發出短而尖的聲音
when an animal, object, or human voice produces a brief, high-pitched sound of low volume
The mouse squeaked and ran under the sofa when Kenji turned on the kitchen light.
Kenji 打開廚房燈時，老鼠吱吱叫了一聲，跑到沙發底下。
animal subject: mouse squeaks (typical)
Fatima's bicycle brakes squeak every time she rides in wet weather.
Fatima 的腳踏車煞車每次在下雨天騎車時都會吱吱作響。
The old man's voice squeaked with emotion as he read the letter from his daughter.
那位老先生讀著女兒的來信時，聲音因激動而尖細地吱吱叫著。
The rusty back gate squeaked loudly whenever the wind blew it open.
後院那扇生鏽的大門每次被風吹開時都會大聲嘎吱作響。
- creak
a deeper, lower-pitched sound, typically from wood or metal slowly moving
- squeal
a longer, louder, higher-pitched sound, often from excitement or brakes
- screech
a harsh, very loud, high sound made by tires, birds, or people
- pipe
a less common verb meaning to make a high sound with the voice, like a young child
文法句型
squeak (with/from something)
squeak + adj (e.g. squeak open)
用法筆記
The subject is usually an animal (mouse, rat, bat), an object (door, hinge, floorboard, brake), or a human voice under strain (nervousness, excitement, old age). Not used for loud, harsh sounds — those use 'screech' or 'squeal'.
常見錯誤
2. to achieve a pass, win, or place by such a narrow margin that failure was almost
勉強通過
好不容易成功或贏得
to achieve a pass, win, or place by such a narrow margin that failure was almost the outcome
Mei-Lin studied late every night that week and just squeaked through the final exam.
Mei-Lin 那整個星期每晚都讀書到很晚，最後勉強通過了期末考。
pattern: squeak through [exam/test]
The underdog team squeaked past the champions with a goal in the final minute.
那支不被看好的球隊在最後一分鐘進球，驚險地擊敗了衛冕冠軍。
pattern: squeak past [opponent]
Priyanka squeaked into the last available spot on the nursing programme just before the deadline.
Priyanka 在截止前勉強擠進了護理課程的最後一個名額。
The new environmental bill squeaked through parliament with just one vote to spare.
這項新的環境保護法案在國會以一票之差勉強通過。
- scrape through
very similar meaning; suggests a more desperate or close struggle
- just pass
neutral term without the vivid sound metaphor; less informal
- narrowly win
more formal; used especially in sports and competitions
文法句型
squeak through something
squeak by something
squeak past someone
squeak into something
用法筆記
This sense is always followed by an adverb or prepositional phrase (through, by, past, into) that specifies what was narrowly achieved. The simple form 'He squeaked' without a complement has a different meaning (the animal/object sound sense).