Squawks

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /skwɔːks/

Definitions

1. A disruptive and loud noise often emitted by birds in moments of distress or as a signal to others in their vicinity
2. An abrasive vocalization delivered by specific avian species that can indicate fear, alarm, or territorial claims
3. A harsh and loud sound made by birds to alert others or express discomfort

Etymology: "Squawks" is simply the third-person singular present form of the verb "squawk," so the word's history is that of "squawk" itself. The verb is first recorded in English in 1821, and its origin is unknown. Its likely source is imitation of the sound itself, in the same way that words like "quack" and "cuckoo" are built from the noise they describe. Dictionaries point to a few possible relatives that share that sound-based character. One is the dialectal Italian "squacco," the name for a small-crested heron, which suggests a similar harsh cry was being captured in more than one language. English "quack," the sound a duck makes, shows the same pattern of a short, sharp, consonant-heavy noise.

Synonyms: screeches, squalls, shrieks, caws, yells

Antonyms: whispers, murmurs, hushed tones