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Bleat vs Shriek - What's the difference?

bleat | shriek |

As nouns the difference between bleat and shriek

is that bleat is the characteristic cry of a sheep or a goat while shriek is a sharp, shrill outcry or scream; a shrill wild cry such as is caused by sudden or extreme terror, pain, or the like.

As verbs the difference between bleat and shriek

is that bleat is of a sheep or goat, to make its characteristic cry while shriek is to utter a loud, sharp, shrill sound or cry, as do some birds and beasts; to scream, as in a sudden fright, in horror or anguish.

bleat

English

Alternative forms

* (Scotland)

Noun

(en noun)
  • The characteristic cry of a sheep or a goat.
  • Synonyms

    * (sheep's cry ) baa, baaing, bleating

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • Of a sheep or goat, to make its characteristic cry.
  • (informal) Of a person, to complain.
  • The last thing we need is to hear them bleating to us about organizational problems.

    Synonyms

    * (1): baa * (2): kvetch (US''), moan, whinge (''British ), whine

    Anagrams

    * * * ----

    shriek

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A sharp, shrill outcry or scream; a shrill wild cry such as is caused by sudden or extreme terror, pain, or the like.
  • * Dryden
  • Shrieks , clamours, murmurs, fill the frighted town.
  • * 1912 : (Edgar Rice Burroughs), (Tarzan of the Apes), Chapter 5
  • Sabor, the lioness, was a wise hunter. To one less wise the wild alarm of her fierce cry as she sprang would have seemed a foolish thing, for could she not more surely have fallen upon her victims had she but quietly leaped without that loud shriek ?
  • (UK) (slang) An exclamation mark.
  • Verb

  • To utter a loud, sharp, shrill sound or cry, as do some birds and beasts; to scream, as in a sudden fright, in horror or anguish.
  • * Shakespeare
  • It was the owl that shrieked .
  • * Dryden
  • At this she shrieked aloud; the mournful train / Echoed her grief.
  • To utter sharply and shrilly; to utter in or with a shriek or shrieks.
  • * Spenser
  • The ghostly owl, shrieking his baleful note.
  • * Moore
  • She shrieked his name to the dark woods.

    Anagrams

    * *