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Whine vs Shriek - What's the difference?

whine | shriek |

As nouns the difference between whine and shriek

is that whine is a long-drawn, high-pitched complaining cry or sound 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 whine and shriek

is that whine is to utter a high-pitched 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.

whine

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • a long-drawn, high-pitched complaining cry or sound
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=June 26 , author=Genevieve Koski , title=Music: Reviews: Justin Bieber: Believe , work=The Onion AV Club citation , page= , passage=The 18-year-old Bieber can’t quite pull off the “adult” thing just yet: His voice may have dropped a bit since the days of “Baby,” but it still mostly registers as “angelic,” and veers toward a pubescent whine at times. }}
  • a complaint or criticism

    • Verb

    (whin)
  • To utter a high-pitched cry.
  • To make a sound resembling such a cry.
    • The jet engines whined at take off.
  • To complain or protest with a whine or as if with a whine.
  • To move with a whining sound.
    • The jet whined into the air.
  • To utter with the sound of a whine.
    • The child whined all his complaints.
    Kelly Queen was whining that the boss made him put on his tie.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    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

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