groan

English

Etymology

From Middle English gronen, from Old English grānian (“to groan; lament; murmur”), from Proto-Germanic *grainōną (“to howl; weep”), from Proto-Germanic *grīnaną (“to whine; howl; whimper”). Cognate with Dutch grijnen, grienen (“to cry; sob; blubber”), German Low German grienen (“to whimper; mewl”), German greinen (“to whine; whimper”), Swedish grina (“to howl; weep; laugh”).

The noun is from Middle English gron, grone, from the verb.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡɹəʊn/
• enPR: ʹgrōn, IPA^(key): /ɡɹoʊn/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -əʊn
• Homophone: grown

Noun

groan (plural groans)

1. A low, mournful sound uttered in pain or grief.
2. A low, guttural sound uttered in frustration, disapproval, or ecstasy.
3. (of an object) A low creaking sound from applied pressure or weight.

Translations

low mournful uttered sound

• Bulgarian: пъшкане (bg) n (pǎškane), охкане (bg) n (ohkane), стон (bg) m (ston)
• Finnish: urina (fi)
• French: râle (fr) m, râlement (fr) m, gémissement (fr)
• Galician: laio m, alaio m
• German: Stöhnen n
• Greek:

  Ancient: στεναγμός m (stenagmós)

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Irish: ochlán m
• Japanese: 呻き (うめき, umeki), 呻き声 (うめきごえ, umekigoe)
• Maori: ngū
• Polish: jęczeć (pl) impf
• Portuguese: gemido (pt) m
• Russian: стон (ru) m (ston)
• Spanish: gemido (es)

low guttural sound uttered in frustration or disapproval

• Bulgarian: стон (bg) m (ston), тежка въздишка f (težka vǎzdiška)
• Finnish: urina (fi)
• French: grognement (fr) m, grondement (fr) m, gémissement (fr) m
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• German: Seufzen n, Ächzen (de) n
• Portuguese: suspiro (pt) m
• Spanish: gruñido (es)

low creaking sound from applied pressure or weight

• German: Knarren (de) n
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Aromanian: ^{(please verify)} dzeamit, ^{(please verify)} shcljim
• Catalan: ^{(please verify)} gemec (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: ^{(please verify)} 呻吟聲／呻吟声, ^{(please verify)} 呻吟声 (shēnyín shēng)

• Czech: ^{(please verify)} zasténání n
• Danish: ^{(please verify)} støn n
• Dutch: ^{(please verify)} zucht (nl), ^{(please verify)} kreun (nl)
• Friulian: ^{(please verify)} gemude f
• German: ^{(please verify)} Stöhnen n
• Italian: ^{(please verify)} gemito (it)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Kurdish:

  Sorani:

• Latin: ^{(please verify)} gemitus
• Norwegian: ^{(please verify)} stønn n
• Occitan: ^{(please verify)} gemec
• Persian: ^{(please verify)} ناله (fa) (nâle)
• Polish: ^{(please verify)} jęk (pl) m
• Romanian: ^{(please verify)} geamăt (ro)
• Swedish: ^{(please verify)} stön (sv) n
• Turkish: ^{(please verify)} inlemek (tr)

Verb

groan (third-person singular simple present groans, present participle groaning, simple past and past participle groaned)

1. To make a groan.

   We groaned at his awful jokes.

   The wooden table groaned under the weight of the banquet.

2. (obsolete) To strive after earnestly, as if with groans.
   • (Can we date this quote by Herbert and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     Nothing but holy, pure, and clear, / Or that which groaneth to be so.

Translations

to make a groan

• Aromanian: dzem, shcljimur
• Bau Bidayuh: bidoing
• Bulgarian: пъшкам (bg) (pǎškam), охкам (bg) (ohkam), стена (bg) (stena)
• Catalan: gemegar (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 呻吟 (zh) (shēnyín)

• Czech: sténat
• Danish: stønne
• Dutch: zuchten (nl)
• Finnish: urista
• French: râler (fr), gronder (fr), grogner (fr), gémir (fr)
• Friulian: gemi
• Galician: laiar, xemer (gl), xumiar, impar, lanxir, cuincar (gl), arquexar (gl), aruixar
• German: ächzen (de), stöhnen (de)
• Greek:

  Ancient: στενάζω (stenázō)

• Italian: gemere (it)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: 呻く (うめく, umeku)
• Kurdish:

  Sorani:

• Latin: gemō
• Maori: ngū, wheo, wheowheo, hāware, aurere
• Norman: honner
• Norwegian: stønne
• Occitan: gemegar
• Persian: نالیدن (fa) (nâlidan)
• Polish: jęczeć (pl)
• Portuguese: gemer (pt)
• Romanian: geme (ro)
• Russian: стона́ть (ru) impf (stonátʹ)
• Sardinian: tunchiare
• Spanish: gemir (es), gruñir (es)
• Swedish: stöna (sv), kvida (sv), jämra (sv)
• Vietnamese: rên (vi)

Anagrams

• Angor, Garon, Goran, Grano, Ongar, Ragon, Rogan, Ronga, angor, argon, nagor, orang, organ, rag on, rango