scream
Forms
- Plural
- screams
- present (v1)
- scream
- past (v2)
- screamed
- past participle (v3)
- screamed
- present participle
- screaming
- 3rd person singular
- screams
Definitions
1.A loud, emphatic, exclamation of extreme emotion, especially horror, fear, excitement, or anger; it may comprise a word or a sustained, high-pitched vowel sound.
2.A loud vocalisation of many animals, especially in response to pain or fear.
- I am tender-hearted by nature, and have found my eyes moist many a time over the scream of a wounded hare.
3.A form of singing associated with the metal and screamo styles of music. It is a loud, rough, distorted version of the voice; rather than the normal voice of the singer.
4.Used as an intensifier.(informal)
- We had a real scream of a time at the beach.
1.To cry out with a shrill voice; to utter a sudden, sharp outcry, or shrill, loud cry, as in fright or extreme pain; to screech, to shriek.
- I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry.
- Well, I waited and I waited / For some word from down below / And then ol' Harley started screaming / "Run, my God, now, Carter, go man go!"
2.To move quickly; to race.
- He almost hit a pole, the way he came screaming down the hill.
3.To be very indicative of; clearly having the characteristics of.(informal)
- Do you know what screams "I’m obnoxious"? People who feel the need to comment on every little thing they notice.
- Nothing screams fall like corduroy! I'm loving this deep seafoam green shacket, made of the thick, ribbed material, that'll give a fab pop of color to a muted ensemble.
Frequency
Overall
Common· #1984
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Common
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Uncommon
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English scremen, borrowed from or cognate with Middle Dutch scremen (“to yell; shout”) and Old Norse skræma (“to terrify; scare”); compare West Flemish schreemen, Zealandic schreême (“to shout; yell; cry”), Swedish skrämma (“to spook; frighten”), Danish skræmme (“to scare”), West Frisian skrieme (“to weep”).