howl vs screech

howl

noun
  • A prolonged cry of distress or anguish; a wail. 

  • Any similar sound. 

  • The protracted, mournful cry of a dog, wolf or other canid; also of other animals. 

verb
  • To make a noise resembling the cry of a wild beast. 

  • To utter a loud, protracted, mournful sound or cry, as dogs and wolves often do. 

  • To utter a sound expressive of pain or distress; to cry aloud and mournfully; to lament; to wail. 

  • To utter with outcry. 

screech

noun
  • A harsh, shrill cry, as of one in acute pain or in fright; a shriek; a scream. 

  • A form of home-made rye whiskey made from used oak rye barrels from a distillery. 

  • A high-pitched strident or piercing sound, such as that between a moving object and any surface. 

  • Newfoundland rum. 

verb
  • To travel very fast, as if making the sounds of brakes being released. 

  • To make such a sound. 

How often have the words howl and screech occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )