Croak

Pronunciation

• enPR: krōk, IPA: /krəʊk/
• Rhymes: -əʊk

Origin

Middle English croken, back-formation from Old English cracettan, cræccettan, from Proto-Germanic *krāk- (compare Swedish kråka, German krächzen), from Proto-Indo-European *greh₂-k- (compare Latin grāculus ‘jackdaw’, Serbo-Croatian grákati).

Full definition of croak

Noun

1. A faint, harsh sound made in the throat.
2. The cry of a frog or toad. (see also ribbit)

Verb

1. (intransitive) To make a croak.
2. (transitive) To utter in a low, hoarse voice.
• ShakespeareThe raven himself is hoarse,
  That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan.
3. (intransitive, of a frog) To make its cry.
4. (intransitive, of a raven) To make its cry.
5. (slang) To die.
6. (transitive, slang) To kill someone or something.He'd seen my face, so I had to croak him.
7. To complain; especially, to grumble; to forebode evil; to utter complaints or forebodings habitually.
• CarlyleMarat ... croaks with reasonableness.