squawk

/skwɔk/

/skwɔk/

Other forms: squawking; squawked; squawks

To squawk is to make a harsh screech, like the sound that a large bird might make. Your pet parrot might squawk until you give her treats to nibble on.

The imitative word squawk first appeared in the 1800s, and around 1945, the term squawk box began to be used informally to mean "intercom or loudspeaker." Today, that term is primarily used by investors and brokers to mean "an intercom used to communicate stock deals." In addition to being the sound of an irritated bird, a squawk is also a complaint: "All he does is squawk about how hard his new job is."

Definitions of squawk

1. verb

   utter a harsh abrupt scream
   synonyms: screak, screech, skreak, skreigh

   type of:

   call, cry, holler, hollo, scream, shout, shout out, squall, yell

   utter a sudden loud cry
2. verb

   complain
   synonyms: beef, bellyache, bitch, crab, gripe, grouse, holler

   type of:

   complain, kick, kvetch, plain, quetch, sound off

   express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness
3. noun

   the noise of squawking
   “she awoke to the squawk of chickens”

   “the squawk of car horns”

   type of:

   noise

   sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
4. noun

   informal terms for objecting
   synonyms: beef, bitch, gripe, kick

   type of:

   objection

   the speech act of objecting