2 VERB When you screech something, you shout it in a loud, unpleasant, high-pitched voice. □ [V with quote] 'Get me some water, Jeremy!' I screeched. □ [V + at ] …a player who screeches at you on the field. [Also V , V n] ● N‑COUNT Screech is also a noun. □ The figure gave a screech.
3 VERB When a bird, animal, or thing screeches , it makes a loud, unpleasant, high-pitched noise. □ [V + at ] A macaw screeched at him from its perch. ● N‑COUNT Screech is also a noun. □ [+ of ] He heard the screech of brakes.
screen ◆◆◇ /skriː n/ (screens , screening , screened )
1 N‑COUNT A screen is a flat vertical surface on which pictures or words are shown. Television sets and computers have screens, and films are shown on a screen in cinemas.
2 → see also big screen , small screen , widescreen
3 N‑SING [oft on/off N ] You can refer to film or television as the screen . □ Many viewers have strong opinions about violence on the screen. □ She was the ideal American teenager, both on and off screen.
4 VERB When a film or a television programme is screened , it is shown in the cinema or broadcast on television. □ [be V -ed] The series is likely to be screened in January. □ [V n] TV firms were later banned from screening any pictures of the demo. ● screen|ing (screenings ) N‑COUNT □ The film-makers will be present at the screenings to introduce their works.
5 N‑COUNT A screen is a vertical panel which can be moved around. It is used to keep cold air away from part of a room, or to create a smaller area within a room. □ They put a screen in front of me so I couldn't see what was going on.
6 VERB [usu passive] If something is screened by another thing, it is behind it and hidden by it. □ [be V -ed + by ] Most of the road behind the hotel was screened by a block of flats.
7 VERB To screen for a disease means to examine people to make sure that they do not have it. □ [V + for ] …a quick saliva test that would screen for people at risk of tooth decay. [Also V n] ● screen|ing N‑VAR □ [+ for ] Britain has an enviable record on breast screening for cancer.
8 VERB When an organization screens people who apply to join it, it investigates them to make sure that they are not likely to cause problems. □ [V n] They will screen all their candidates. □ [V -ing] …screening procedures for the regiment.
9 VERB To screen people or luggage means to check them using special equipment to make sure they are not carrying a weapon or a bomb. □ [V n] The airline had been screening baggage on X-ray machines.
10 VERB If you screen your phone calls, calls made to you are connected to an answering machine or are answered by someone else, so that you can choose whether or not to speak to the people phoning you. □ [V n] I employ a secretary to screen my calls.
▸ screen out PHRASAL VERB If an organization or country screens out certain people, it keeps them out because it thinks they may cause problems. □ [V P n] The company screened out applicants motivated only by money. SYNONYMS screen VERB 4
broadcast: The concert will be broadcast live on television and radio.
show: The BBC World Service Television news showed the same film clip.
air: Tonight PBS will air a documentary called 'Democracy In Action'.
televise: The Grand Prix will be televised by the BBC.
scree n door (screen doors ) N‑COUNT A screen door is a door made of fine netting which is on the outside of the main door of a house. It is used to keep insects out when the main door is open.
scree n grab (screen grabs ) N‑COUNT A screen grab is an image that you create by capturing and copying part or all of a television or computer display at a particular moment. □ Her manager had taken screen grabs of the tweets before they were deleted.
scree n name (screen names ) N‑COUNT Someone's screen name is a name that they use when communicating with other people on the internet. [COMPUTING ] □ …someone with the screen name of nirvanakcf. [of ]
screen|play /skriː nple I / (screenplays ) N‑COUNT A screenplay is the words to be spoken in a film, and instructions about what will be seen in it.
screen|saver /skriː nse I və r / (screensavers ) also screen saver N‑COUNT A screensaver is a picture which appears or is put on a computer or phone screen when the computer or phone is not used for a while. [COMPUTING ]
screen|shot /skriː nʃɒt/ (screenshots ) N‑COUNT A screenshot is an image that you create by copying part or all of the display on a computer or phone screen at a particular moment. [COMPUTING ]
scree n test (screen tests ) N‑COUNT When a film studio gives an actor a screen test , they film a short scene in order to test how good he or she would be in films.
screen|writer /skriː nra I tə r / (screenwriters ) N‑COUNT A screenwriter is a person who writes screenplays.
screen|writing /skriː nra I t I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Screenwriting is the process of writing screenplays.
screw /skruː / (screws , screwing , screwed )
1 N‑COUNT A screw is a metal object similar to a nail, with a raised spiral line around it. You turn a screw using a screwdriver so that it goes through two things, for example two pieces of wood, and fastens them together. □ Each bracket is fixed to the wall with just three screws.
2 VERB If you screw something somewhere or if it screws somewhere, you fix it in place by means of a screw or screws. □ [V n prep] I had screwed the shelf on the wall myself. □ [V n with adv] Screw down any loose floorboards. □ [V prep/adv] I particularly like the type of shelving that screws to the wall.