Definition: That distinct, high-pitched creaking sound signaling a friend just logged onto AOL Instant Messenger, triggering a Pavlovian response to abandon homework. It was the dial-up era’s doorbell to digital socializing, promising pixelated flirtations or chaotic chatroom debates. The squeak meant your crush was online and your productivity was doomed—a sound more anticipated than the ice cream truck’s jingle. Hearing it today would cause millennials to instinctively reach for a beige keyboard.
Example: “My brother played the AIM Squeakdoor sound as a prank, and I reflexively typed ‘a/s/l?’ before realizing it was 2023. Dude, I haven’t felt that rush since my 56k modem days.”