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# creaking

«creaking» in Mova's school dictionary: **the long, squeaky, groaning sound that old wood, doors…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

verb (-ing form of «creak»: creak, creaks, creaked, creaking); adjective (creaking); noun (creaking, uncountable)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Creaking is the long, squeaky, groaning sound that old wood, doors, floors or hinges make when they move or bear weight. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/creaking/#m1)

2) (adjective) A creaking thing makes this sound, like a creaking door. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/creaking/#m2)

3) (figurative) A creaking system or organisation is old and struggling to work well, as in «a creaking railway». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/creaking/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In stories, especially spooky ones, creaking doors and floorboards build suspense and tell the reader someone may be coming. In science lessons about sound, creaking comes from vibrations when things rub or bend. In news, «creaking» hospitals or schools are old and under strain. Phrases: «creaking floorboards», «creaking door», «creak open».

### examples

- The door opened with a long, creaking sound. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/creaking/#x1)
- I heard the creaking floorboards as Dad came upstairs. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/creaking/#x2)
- The old ship was creaking in the wind. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/creaking/#x3)
- The creaking stairs gave away our midnight snack trip. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/creaking/#x4)
- The tree was creaking under the weight of the snow. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/creaking/#x5)
- People say the creaking bus service needs more money. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/creaking/#x6)
- My grandad's knees make a creaking noise when he stands up. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/creaking/#x7)
- The Birch made no reply, only went on creaking. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/creaking/#x8)

### note

«Creak» (squeaky sound) is a homophone of «creek» (a small stream). Regular verb: creaked, creaking. «Creaky» is another adjective (a creaky chair).

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «creaking» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/creaking/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.