complain

Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English complaynen, from Old French complaindre, from Medieval Latin complangere (“to bewail, complain”), from Latin com- (“together”) + plangere (“to strike, beat, as the breast in extreme grief, bewail”); see plain, plaint.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /kəmˈpleɪn/
  • Audio (US)
    		(file)
  • Rhymes: -eɪn

Verb[edit]

complain (third-person singular simple present complains, present participle complaining, simple past and past participle complained)

  1. (intransitive) To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment.
    Joe was always complaining about the noise made by his neighbours.
    • (Can we date this quote?) John Milton
      O loss of sight, of thee I most complain!
  2. (intransitive) To make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge.
    They've complained about me to the police again.
  3. To creak or squeak, as a timber or wheel.
    the complaining bed-springs

Synonyms[edit]

The terms below need to be checked and allocated to the definitions (senses) of the headword above. Each term should appear in the sense for which it is appropriate. Use the templates {{syn|en|...}} or {{ant|en|...}} to add them to the appropriate sense(s).

Translations[edit]

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Translations to be checked

Further reading[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=complain&oldid=50674769"