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Shrill vs Pierce - What's the difference?

shrill | pierce |

As an adjective shrill

is high-pitched and piercing.

As a verb shrill

is to make a shrill noise.

As a noun shrill

is a shrill sound.

As a proper noun pierce is

, medieval variant of piers modern usage may also derive from the surname.

shrill

English

Adjective

(er)
  • High-pitched and piercing.
    • She spoke in a shrill voice.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Hear the shrill whistle which doth order give / To sounds confused.
  • * Byron
    • Let winds be shrill , let waves roll high.
  • Sharp or keen to the senses.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make a shrill noise.
  • * Spenser
    • Break we our pipes, that shrill'd loud as lark.
  • * Goldsmith
    • No sounds were heard but of the shrilling cock.
  • * L. Wallace
    • His voice shrilled with passion.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A shrill sound.
    • (Spenser)

    pierce

    English

    Verb

  • to puncture; to break through
    • The diver pierced the surface of the water with scarcely a splash.
    to pierce''' the enemy's line; a shot '''pierced the ship
  • * Dryden
    • I pierce her tender side.
  • to create a hole in the skin for the purpose of inserting jewelry
    • Can you believe he pierced his tongue?
  • to break or interrupt abruptly
    • A scream pierced the darkness.
  • (figurative) To penetrate; to affect deeply.
    • to pierce a mystery
  • * Alexander Pope
    • pierced with grief
  • * Shakespeare
    • Can no prayers pierce thee?

    Derived terms

    * piercing

    Descendants

    * Japanese:

    Anagrams

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