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scream
drag (someone) kicking and screaming
To force someone to go somewhere or do something against his or her will, especially when he or she protests against it vehemently and/or at great length. I really thought Mike would be perfect for that job, but I had to drag him kicking and screaming into an interview for it. Every summer we drag our kids kicking and screaming to their grandparents' house in the countryside. The prime minister dragged the country kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
be dragged kicking and screaming
To be forced (to go somewhere or do something) with extreme reluctance, especially despite lengthy or vehement protests. I really thought Mike would be perfect for the job, but he had to be dragged kicking and screaming into an interview for it. When we were kids, we were dragged to our grandparents' boring old house kicking and screaming every summer for two weeks.
be no screaming hell
To be rather unremarkable or unimpressive. Primarily heard in Canada. My job may be no screaming hell, but I get a steady pay cheque every week and that's good enough for me right now. It was a pretty lame club. The music was mediocre, and the women there were no screaming hell.
scream (something) from the rooftops
To share some news or information publicly and with as many people as possible. I was ready to scream from the rooftops that we'd be having a baby, but my wife wanted to wait for a while before we made the news public. I know you want to scream it from the rooftops that you came in first in your class, but you should think about how it might make the other students feel and have a bit of modesty about it.
scream (one's) head off
To scream or yell very loudly and lengthily. Suzy screamed her head off when I told her she couldn't have an ice cream cone. The stadium was packed with fans screaming their heads off for the popular band. Don't bother listening to the crazies who stand on street corners and scream their heads off at passersby.
kicking and screaming
A phrase used to describe someone who has been forced (to go somewhere or do something) with extreme reluctance, especially despite lengthy or vehement protests. Often used in the phrase "dragged kicking and screaming." I really thought Mike would be perfect for the job, but he had to be dragged kicking and screaming into an interview for it. When we were kids, we were dragged kicking and screaming to our grandparents' boring old house every summer for two weeks.
no screaming hell
Rather unremarkable or unimpressive. Primarily heard in Canada. My job may be no screaming hell, but I get a steady pay cheque every week and that's good enough for me right now. It was a pretty lame club. The music was mediocre, and the women there were no screaming hell.
scream loudest
To draw attention to a particular cause or problem, typically by overshadowing others. So we get to freeze in here while that department moves to a better office, just because they screamed loudest about the heat not working in this part of the building.
piercing scream
Fig. a very loud and shrill scream. Suddenly, there was a piercing scream from the next room. Bob heard Susan's piercing scream and ran to help her.
scream at someone or something
to yell or screech at someone or something. Why are you screaming at me? Go scream at the dog, not me!
scream bloody murder
and yell bloody murderFig. to complain bitterly; to complain unduly. When we put him in an office without a window, he screamed bloody murder. There is something wrong next door. Everyone is yelling bloody murder.
scream down (on someone or something)
Fig. [for something, such as birds or bombs] to dive down on someone or something, with a loud noise or very swiftly. The bombs screamed down on the helpless peasants. As the bombs screamed down, some people ran and some prayed.
scream for something
to yell or shriek for something. The teenage audience applauded and screamed for more. The children said they were screaming for ice cream.
scream someone down
to scream loudly at someone; to outscream someone. (Compare this with shout someone down.) The angry crowd screamed down the politician. They screamed her down and drove her from the platform.
scream something out
to say something in a very loud voice. She screamed his name out for everyone to hear. Liz screamed out the winner's name.
scream with something
to scream because of something, such as pain, anger, rage, etc. Frank screamed with pain when the car door closed on his fingers. The teacher screamed with rage when the student talked back.
so mad I could scream
very mad. I am just so mad I could scream! Why is he such a jerk? she makes me so mad I could scream.
scream bloody murder
to shout or to complain very loudly
Sometimes the baby screams bloody murder when we give her a bath. I'm so frustrated with the telephone company, I want to scream bloody murder. Usage notes: sometimes holler bloody murder and yell bloody murder, with the same meaning
scream blue murder
(British, American & Australian informal) also scream bloody murder (American & Australian informal) to shout or to complain very loudly Readers screamed blue murder when the price of their daily paper went up. Someone took the child's ice cream away and he started screaming bloody murder.
scream the place down
(informal) to scream very loudly You can scream the place down if you like, but no one will hear you.
scream bloody murder
Angrily protest as loudly as possible, as in When Jimmy took her teddy bear, Lauren screamed bloody murder, or Residents are screaming bloody murder about the increase in property taxes. The scream here may be either literal (as in the first example) or figurative, which is also true of invoking murder as though one were in danger of being killed. Versions of this term, such as cry murder, date from the 1400s.
scream
1. n. someone or something very funny. (Usually a scream.) The joke Tom told was really a scream.
2. n. ice cream. (Collegiate.) How about a nice big dish of scream?
scream bloody murder
tv. to scream very loudly; to complain or protest loudly. She screams bloody murder every time I get near her.
screaming fantods
and (howling) fantods n. extreme anxiety; nervous hysteria. (Old. One might call this vintage literary mock colloquial, since it survives in the works of well-known writers and occasional literary use. The origin is unknown, but the Oxford English Dictionary lists Fantad with the same meaning, and cautiously suggests that is related to fantasy and similar words containing fan.) The afternoon’s excitement has left Lady Waddington with a case of the screaming fantods. The reviewer felt that any slang dictionary that excluded “fantods” was defective.
screaming-meemie
and screamie-meemie n. a screaming child or adult. Oh, don’t be such a screaming-meemie!
screaming-meemies
and screaming-meamies n. the willies—a mental breakdown. They sent Bart away with the screaming-meemies.
screaming-meamies
verb