scream

[[t]skri͟ːm[/t]]

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screams, screaming, screamed

1) VERB When someone screams, they make a very loud, high-pitched cry, for example because they are in pain or are very frightened.

Women were screaming; some of the houses nearest the bridge were on fire...

If I hear one more joke about my hair, I shall scream...

[V in n] He staggered around the playground, screaming in agony...

[V-ing] To play in front of 40,000 screaming fans was a great experience.

Syn:

shriek

N-COUNT

Scream is also a noun.

Hilda let out a scream. ...screams of terror.

2) VERB If you scream something, you shout it in a loud, high-pitched voice.

[V with quote] `Brigid!' she screamed. `Get up!'...

[V at n to-inf] I was screaming at them to get out of my house...

[V n] They started screaming abuse at us.

Syn:

yell

3) VERB When something makes a loud, high-pitched noise, you can say that it screams. [WRITTEN]

She slammed the car into gear, the tyres screaming as her foot jammed against the accelerator...

[V prep/adv] As he talked, an airforce jet screamed over the town.

Syn:

screech

N-COUNT

Scream is also a noun.

There was a scream of brakes from the carriageway outside.

4) N-SING: a N If you say that someone is a scream, you think they are very funny. [INFORMAL]