Making a deep, harsh, hoarse sound like a frog or raven; or speaking in a rough, harsh voice.
From Middle English 'croken,' imitative in origin—the word mimics the actual sound frogs and ravens make. It entered English around the 13th century.
Frogs croak to communicate and attract mates, and different species have distinct croaks that scientists can identify—so when you hear croaking at night, you're actually listening to thousands of frogs having conversations!
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