Definition of 'creak'
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present
tense creaks
, present participle creaking
, past tense, past participle creaked
verb
If something creaks, it makes a short, high-pitched sound when it moves.
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of
creak
Word Frequency
creak in British English
verb
2. (intransitive)
to make such sounds while moving
the old car creaked along
noun
3.
a harsh squeaking sound
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
creaky (ˈcreaky) adjective
creakily (ˈcreakily)
adverb
creakiness (ˈcreakiness)
noun
creakingly (ˈcreakingly)
adverb
Word origin
C14: variant of croak, of imitative origin
Word Frequency
creak in American English
verb intransitive
2.
to move slowly with or as with such a sound
noun
3.
such a sound
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word Frequency
creak in American English
(krik)
transitive verb
3.
to cause to creak
noun
4.
a creaking sound
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
creakingly adverb
Word origin
[1275–1325; ME creken to croak, appar. back formation from OE crǣcettan, var. of crācettan to croak]Examples of 'creak' in a sentence
creak
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…
Trends of
creak
View usage for:
In other languages
creak
British English: creak
VERB /kriːk/
If something creaks, it makes a short, high-pitched sound when it moves.
The bed-springs creaked.
Browse alphabetically
creak
Related terms of
creak
Source
Definition of creak from the Collins English Dictionary
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
larva or lava?
Which version is correct?
conker or conquer?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
conker
conquer
The season is here again.
ewe or yew?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
ewe
yew
She pointed at the and her two lambs.
pray or prey?
Which version is correct?
tuba or tuber?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
tuber
tuba
Lift each out of the ground with a garden fork.
Your score:
Word of the day
nanopublishing
an inexpensive form of online publishing that uses blogging as a model to reach a specific audience
Latest Word Submissions
A little bird told me… 7 animal idioms
It’s new words time at Collins Dictionary and this month we see the addition of words like fingerling, net zero and emotional support animal. This month, there were a few animal-related additions.
Read more
9 new words added to Collins Dictionary
Here are nine words recently added to Collins English Dictionary online. The words we use reflect the preoccupations of our time, and with the possibility of holidays and travel returning to the agenda, the dictionary welcomes ‘capsule hotel’, ‘tourist tax’, and the American informal shortening ‘vacay’ (from ‘vacation’).
Read more
New Conversations Day
The twelfth of July marks New Conversations Day. If you haven’t heard of it, don’t fret or feel afflicted by FOMO, for this is the first such day – ever.
Read more
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more
Join the Collins community
All the latest wordy news, linguistic insights, offers and competitions every month.
Read more
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
attend court or reach court?
Which version is correct?
consume energy or muster the energy?
Which version is correct?
environmental damage or nerve damage?
Which version is correct?
deny treatment or improve treatments?
Which version is correct?
annual loss or sad loss?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
sad loss
annual loss
He is a very to journalism and the book world.
Your score: