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Hiss vs Screech - What's the difference?

hiss | screech | Related terms |

Hiss is a related term of screech.


As nouns the difference between hiss and screech

is that hiss is a high-pitched sound made by a snake, cat, escaping steam, etc while screech is a high-pitched strident or piercing sound, such as that between a moving object and any surface.

As verbs the difference between hiss and screech

is that hiss is to make a hissing sound while screech is to make such a sound.

hiss

English

Noun

(es)
  • A high-pitched sound made by a snake, cat, escaping steam, etc.
  • An expression of disapproval made to sound like the noise of a snake.

    • Verb

  • To make a hissing sound.
    • As I started to poke it, the snake hissed at me.
    The arrow hissed through the air.
  • * Wordsworth
    • Shod with steel, / We hissed along the polished ice.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=December 14 , author=John Elkington , title=John Elkington , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage=It turns out that the driver of the red Ferrari that caused the crash wasn't, as I first guessed, a youngster, but a 60-year-old. Clearly, he had energy to spare, which was more than could be said about a panel I listened to around the same time as the crash. Indeed, someone hissed in my ear during a First Magazine awards ceremony in London's imposing Marlborough House on 7 December: "What we need is more old white men on the stage."}}
  • To condemn or express contempt for by hissing.
  • * Bible, Ezekiel xxvii. 36
    • The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee.
  • * Shakespeare
    • if the tag-rag people did not clap him and hiss him, according as he pleased and displeased them
  • To utter with a hissing sound.
  • * Tennyson
    • the long-necked geese of the world that are ever hissing dispraise

    screech

    English

    Noun

  • A high-pitched strident or piercing sound, such as that between a moving object and any surface.
  • A harsh, shrill cry, as of one in acute pain or in fright; a shriek; a scream.
  • (qualifier) Newfoundland rum.
  • A form of home-made rye whiskey made from used oak rye barrels from a distillery.

    • Derived terms

    * screech bird * screecher * screech hawk * screech owl

    Verb

    (es)
  • To make such a sound.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2004 , date=April 15 , author= , title=Morning swoop in hunt for Jodi's killer , work=The Scotsman citation , page= , passage=AS THE residents of the quiet Midlothian housing estate prepared for the day ahead, the early-morning stillness was disturbed by the sound of screeching brakes and slamming doors.}}
  • (figuratively) to travel very fast, as if making the sounds of brakes being released
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=December 12 , author=Sid Lowe , title=Víctor Valdés epitomises Barcelona's bravery as Real Madrid falter , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage=You've got to admire their balls. Real Madrid screeched after them: an entire herd, powerful and co-ordinated, salivating and breathing hard, murder in their eyes. So Barcelona moved the ball on, away from them. Forced back, it was played into Víctor Valdés, the goalkeeper, who slotted it to Carles Puyol, who gave it back again. }}

    Anagrams

    * Canadian English