Complaint I Police Kəmˈpleɪnt Formal Make Noun Immediately

• a formal complaint
• she said the police had immediately investigated the complaint.
• i'd like to make a complaint about the noise.
• to file/lodge (= make) a complaint

complaint

1. a reason for not being satisfied; a statement that somebody makes saying that they are not satisfied
• a formal complaint
• She said the police had immediately investigated the complaint.
• I'd like to make a complaint about the noise.
• to file/lodge (= make) a complaint
• The most common complaint is about poor service.
• The Tribunal upheld his complaint of racial discrimination
• I believe you have a complaint against one of our nurses.
• They said their complaints to the police were often not acted on.
• Council bosses said they would respond to complaints from residents.
• We received a number of complaints from customers about the lack of parking facilities.
• ‘Complaints by patients are now at their lowest level,’ she said.
• a complaint that he had been unfairly treated
• My only complaint is that the website is a little difficult to use.
• We have a clear and effective complaints procedure.

Extra Examples

• I have a complaint about the food.
• I haven't heard any complaints about the approach we're taking.
• One of the chief complaints is the cost.
• The tribunal heard complaints against the director.
• They filed a complaint with the Commission.
• We have had some serious complaints from parents.
• a complaint about working conditions
• a complaint against the police
• a complaint from a customer
• a complaint from the neighbours
• a complaint of unfair dismissal
• complaints arising from late payment
• to make a complaint to the authorities
• I believe you have a serious complaint against one of our nurses.
• The couple have lodged an official complaint against the hospital.
• The police have an independent complaints procedure to deal with such issues.
2. the act of complaining
• I can see no grounds for complaint.
• The way I was treated gave me no cause for complaint.
• I'm planning to write a formal letter of complaint.
• Workers were expected to accept pay cuts without complaint.
3. an illness, especially one that is not serious, and often one that affects a particular part of the body
• He has a minor skin complaint.

Extra Examples

• Not being able to sleep at night is a very common complaint.
• He suffers from a skin complaint called ‘rosacea’.

Word Origin

• late Middle English: from Old French complainte, feminine past participle of complaindre ‘to lament’, from medieval Latin complangere ‘bewail’, from Latin com- (expressing intensive force) + plangere ‘to lament’.