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Shrillness

   Also found in: Wikipedia 0.07 sec.
shrill  (shrl)
adj. shrill·er, shrill·est
1. High-pitched and piercing in tone or sound: the shrill wail of a siren.
2. Producing a sharp, high-pitched tone or sound: a shrill fife.
3. Sharp or keen to the senses; harshly vivid: shrill colors.
v. shrilled, shrill·ing, shrills
v.tr.
To utter in a shrill manner; scream.
v.intr.
To produce a shrill cry or sound.

[Middle English shrille.]

shrillness n.
shrilly adv.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.shrillness - the quality of being sharp or harsh to the senses; "the shrillness of her hair color"
interestingness, interest - the power of attracting or holding one's attention (because it is unusual or exciting etc.); "they said nothing of great interest"; "primary colors can add interest to a room"
2.shrillness - having the timbre of a loud high-pitched sound
timbre, tone, quality, timber - (music) the distinctive property of a complex sound (a voice or noise or musical sound); "the timbre of her soprano was rich and lovely"; "the muffled tones of the broken bell summoned them to meet"

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A second cry arose, piercing the silence with needle-like shrillness.
Just as Sophia arrived at the conclusion of her story, there arrived in the room where the two ladies were sitting a noise, not unlike, in loudness, to that of a pack of hounds just let out from their kennel; nor, in shrillness, to cats, when caterwauling; or to screech owls; or, indeed, more like (for what animal can resemble a human voice?
Again the horrid cry of the stricken beast reverberated through the rocky tunnel, shocking in its torture-laden shrillness, deafening in its terrific volume.
 
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