eek meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

eek

intj

UK /iːk/ · US /ik/

Etymology Imitative

Onomatopoeic Representing a scream or shriek (especially in comic strips and books).

Onomatopoeic Expressing (sometimes mock) fear or surprise.

Onomatopoeic Representing the shrill vocal sound of a mouse, rat, or monkey.

verb

Etymology Imitative

Onomatopoeic To produce a high-pitched squeal, as in fear or trepidation.

She was dangling the mouse by its tail, but as it tried to arch upwards and bite, she started to jig about wildly […] The anglers had watched a beautiful young woman dance naked beneath a full moon to the feverish rhythm of unworldly eeking noises!2009, Paul Gelder, Yachting Monthly's Further Confessions:
We saw a frog and she eeked in terror again from the sight of it hopping near her.2011, Isaac E. Washington, The Stars in My Dreams, page 106:

1 more example

“Sorry, love, they all look the same to me,” said Dad, desperately trying to spot one with a particularly pink nose. “Armitage? ARMITAGE!” called Zoe. All the rats eeked. Every single one of them wanted to escape. “We’ll just have to set them all free,” said Zoe.2012, David Walliams [pseudonym; David Edward Williams], Ratburger, London: HarperCollins Children’s Books, →ISBN:

Ethnic, Offensive, Onomatopoeic, Slang, Slur Of a black person, to speak nonsense or gibberish.

noun

Etymology Imitative

Onomatopoeic A high-pitched squeal, as in fear or trepidation.

He tried desperately to read into Le Chiffre's face what was happening behind him, but all he saw was blind incomprehension and terror. Le Chiffre's mouth worked, but only a high-pitched ‘eek’ came from it. His heavy cheeks trembled as he tried to collect enough saliva in his mouth to say something, ask something.1953, Ian Fleming, “A Crag-like Face”, in Casino Royale, London: Pan Books, published 1955, page 128:

noun

Etymology Clipping of ecaf (“face”), from face via backslang.

How bona to vada your eek!
You have your Elizabeth Taylor done in half-tones, reclining on this chaise longue – that’s your actual French – decollete down to her ankles, with a wanton look all over her eek.1966, Barry Took, Marty Feldman, Round the Horne, season 2, spoken by either Julian or Sandy (either Hugh Paddick or Kenneth Williams):

2 more examples

Though she's a bimbo bit of hard, / she’s royal and tart. And girl, you know / vadaing her eek is always bona.2015 October 12, Adam Lowe, “Poem of the week: Vada That”, in The Guardian:
[H]e plonked his corybungus down and turned his eek to the driver.2021, Daren Kay, “Twinkle, twinkle, little star”, in The Brightonians (ebook):

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.