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verbverb

quietschen

squeak

Ein hohes und schrilles Geräusch, das oft entsteht, wenn Metall auf Metall reibt oder eine alte Tür geöffnet wird.

Definition & meaning

The verb "quietschen" refers to the production of a high-pitched, shrill, and often grating sound. It is most commonly used to describe the noise made by friction between two surfaces. For instance, a rusty door hinge, old car brakes, or rubber soles on a polished gym floor are said to quietschen.

In a figurative or behavioral sense, it can describe a person's voice, especially when someone screams or speaks in a very high register due to excitement, fear, or joy. It is also the word used for the sound a rubber duck makes when squeezed.

Grammar & Word origin

"quietschen" is a regular (weak) verb in German. Its principal parts are:

  • Präsens: ich quietsche, du quietschst, er/sie/es quietscht
  • Präteritum: ich quietschte
  • Perfekt: hat gequietscht

The word is onomatopoeic, meaning its sound mimics the action it describes. It originates from the Middle High German word "quidizen" or "quiezen", which was used to describe shrill or whimpering sounds.

Synonyms & antonyms

The following words share similar meanings or describe related sounds:

  • knarren: used for a lower-pitched creaking sound, like wooden floorboards.
  • kreischen: a louder, more aggressive screeching or screaming sound.
  • piepsen: a much softer, high-pitched "beep" or "cheep," like a small bird or an electronic device.
  • quieken: specifically used for the short, high-pitched squeak of a pig or a mouse.

There are no direct antonyms for "quietschen" in terms of sound, but words representing silence or low-frequency sounds offer a contrast:

  • schweigen: to be silent.
  • brummen: to hum or rumble in a low frequency.
  • ölen: to oil (the action taken to stop something from squeaking).

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Examples

Die Tür fing an, laut zu quietschen.verb

The door started to squeak loudly.

Die Bremsen quietschten plötzlich, als das Auto anhielt.verb

The brakes suddenly squeaked when the car stopped.

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