creak

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
creak/kriːk/

▶verb

• 1 make a harsh sound when being moved or when pressure is applied.

• 2 show weakness or frailty under strain.

▶noun a creaking sound.

– derivatives
creaking adjective,
creakingly adverb,
creaky adjective (creakier, creakiest).

– origin ME (in the sense ‘croak’): imitative.