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Vocabulary : Sayings : Quizzes : Talking 2 : The squeaking wheel gets the grease

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The squeaking wheel gets the grease

Meaning: The person who makes the most fuss gets all the attention.

Note: squeak (verb): make a high-pitched sound | wheel (noun): a round, revolving object below a vehicle (for example, most cars have four wheels) | grease (noun): a thick, oily substance used to lubricate | This saying is also found as (and possibly originated as): "The wheel that does the squeaking is the one that gets the grease."

Quick Quiz:

On the principle that "the squeaking wheel gets the grease", who is most likely to get their money back after a bad meal in a restaurant? The customer who
  1. immediately complains loudly in front of all other customers
  2. writes a polite letter of complaint a week later
  3. leaves his meal unfinished, saying quietly that he feels sick

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