Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CREAK, v.i. [W. crecian, to scream, to crash; crec, a scream, a shriek; connected with creg, cryg, rough, hoarse, harsh, from rhyg, Eng. rye, but the sense of which is rough, rugged. Indeed this is radically the same word as rough, L. raucus. The L. rugio is probably from the same root, and perhaps rugo. The Sax. cearcian, to creak, may be the same word, the letters transposed; as may the Sp. cruzir, to rustle, Gr. κρεκω, to comb, scrape, rake, and Russ. crik, a cry, krichu, to cry. On this word are formed shriek and screech.]

To make a sharp harsh grating sound, of some continuance, as by the friction of hard substances. Thus, the hinge of a door creaks in turning; a tight firm shoe creaks in walking, by the friction of the leather.