complain
[ kuhm-pleyn ]
/ kəmˈpleɪn /
verb (used without object)
to express dissatisfaction, pain, uneasiness, censure, resentment, or grief; find fault: He complained constantly about the noise in the corridor.
to tell of one's pains, ailments, etc.: to complain of a backache.
to make a formal accusation: If you think you've been swindled, complain to the police.
Origin of complain
synonym study for complain
1.
Complain,
grumble,
growl,
whine are terms for expressing dissatisfaction or discomfort.
To complain is to protest against or lament a wrong:
to complain about high prices. To
grumble is to utter ill-natured complaints half to oneself:
to grumble about the service.
Growl may express more anger than
grumble :
to growl in reply to a question.
To whine is to complain in a meanspirited way, using a nasal tone:
to whine like a coward, like a spoiled child.
OTHER WORDS FROM complain
Words nearby complain
compiled language,
compiler,
compiègne,
complacency,
complacent,
complain,
complainant,
complaint,
complaisance,
complaisant,
complanate
Example sentences from the Web for complain
British Dictionary definitions for complain
complain
/ (kəmˈpleɪn) /
verb (intr)
to express resentment, displeasure, etc, esp habitually; grumble
(foll by of)
to state the presence of pain, illness, etc, esp in the hope of sympathy
she complained of a headache
Derived forms of complain
complainer, noun complainingly, adverbWord Origin for complain
C14: from Old French
complaindre, from Vulgar Latin
complangere (unattested), from Latin
com- (intensive) +
plangere to bewail
Idioms and Phrases with complain
complain
see can't complain.