croak Hear it!

croak Definition

croak (krōk)

intransitive verb

  1. to make a deep, hoarse sound, as that of a frog or raven
  2. to speak in deep, hoarse tones
  3. to talk dismally; foretell evil or misfortune; grumble
  4. Slang to die

Etymology: ME croken < OE *cracian < cræcettan, to make sounds like a raven < IE base *ger- (> crake, crane, crow), of echoic orig.

transitive verb

  1. to utter in deep, hoarse tones
  2. Slang to kill

noun

a croaking sound

croak Related Forms

croaky (-ē) adjective croaki·er, croaki·est

croak Synonyms

croak

v.

  1. To make a hoarse sound

    caw, quack, squawk, rasp; see sound 1.

  2. *To die

    expire, pass away, perish; see die 1.

croak Usage Examples

Object

  • frog: The boat - grounded in the shallows collects water-plants croaking frogs pale fish.
  • voice: It belongs to Godwin the smith, " said the demon, with a hissing croaking voice.
  • raven: Ware that wicked fruit of knowledge, ' croaked the raven of the Churches.
  • sound: Added to the scenario is a Chinese Pond-Heron taking off with a croaking sound from the marsh.
  • call: It lives in southern Mexico and Central and South America and can actually identify which frogs are good to eat by their croaking calls!
  • noise: The imp responded to this affection by making a soft croaking noise.

Converse of object

  • make: Whilst male frogs make a quiet, low-pitched call during the breeding season, toads make a louder, higher croak.
  • have: But it wasn't a joke that he had a high croak And walked with a bit of a mince.
  • give: The Frogman felt he had been insulted, so he gave a loud croak of indignation and turned away.
  • crow: When sheep are restless and crows croak more than usual, wet weather is probable.

Adjective modifier

  • hoarse: Worse still when they tried to bark at us nothing happened except for a tiny hoarse croak.
  • harsh: Call The Cormorant is mostly silent, but occasionally makes a harsh croak.
  • deep: A distant motorbike sounds like the deep croak of the frogs.

Modifying Another Word

  • loudly: Nothing stirred over the vast expanse save a pair of ravens, which croaked loudly from a tor behind us.
  • badly: SMITH ventures a few badly croaked and abysmal renditions of the ballads which groaned through every student bedsit in the seventies.

Noun used with modifier

frog: Frogs croak from the pond and ditches, where they breed alongside toads.

Preposition: of

  • frog: On the beach, Sawyer struggles to sleep due to the annoying croak of a tree frog.
  • raven: Once or twice I heard the less- musical croaking of a raven - there are only a few on the island.

Preposition: like

  • frog: Croaking like a glutinous frog that she was far too unwell to do her shopping.
  • raven: I would croak like a raven; I would bode, I would bode.

Browse dictionary entries near croak

  1. Cro-Magnon
  2. CRM
  3. critter
  4. critique
  5. criticize
  6. criticism
  7. criticise
  8. criticaster
  9. critical volume
  10. critical temperature
  1. croaker
  2. Croat
  3. Croatia
  4. Croatian
  5. croc
  6. Croce
  7. crochet
  8. crocidolite
  9. crock
  10. Crock-Pot