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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary com·plain ETYMOLOGY Middle English compleynen, from Anglo-French compleindre, from Vulgar Latin *complangere, from Latin com- + plangere to lament — more at plaint DATE 14th century 1. to express grief, pain, or discontent complaining about the weather 2. to make a formal accusation or charge • com·plain·er noun English Etymology complain c.1370, from stem of O.Fr . complaindre "to lament," from V.L.*complangere, orig. "to beat the breast," from L. com- intensive prefix + plangere "to strike, beat the breast," from PIE base *plag-"to strike." Older sense of "lament" died out 17c.http://O.Fr Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 ☞ complain com·plain / kEm5plein / verb ~ (to sb) (about / of sth) to say that you are annoyed, unhappy or not satisfied about sb / sth 抱怨；埋怨；发牢骚: ▪ [V] I'm going to complain to the manager about this. 我要就这件事向经理投诉。 She never complains, but she's obviously exhausted. 她虽然从不抱怨,但显然已疲惫不堪。 The defendant complained of intimidation during the investigation. 被告申诉在调查期间受到了恐吓。 (informal) 'How are you?' 'Oh, I can't complain (= I'm all right).' "你好吗？" "啊,没得抱怨的。" ▪ [V (that)] He complained bitterly that he had been unfairly treated. 他愤懑地诉说他所受到的不公平待遇。 ▪ [V speech] 'It's not fair,' she complained. "这不公平。"她抱怨道。 PHRASAL VERBS ▪ com'plain of sth to say that you feel ill / sick or are suffering from a pain 诉说(病情或痛苦): She left early, complaining of a headache. 她说自己头疼,很早就离开了。 Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English complain verb ADV. bitterly She complained bitterly about the lack of help she received. | loudly | constantly, repeatedly VERB + COMPLAIN can't/couldn't, can/could hardly It was entirely my own idea, so I can hardly complain. | have cause to, have reason to, have a right to He really has no right to complain. | begin to, start to PREP. about All the guests complained about the noise. | at She complained at the unfairness of it all. | to I'm going to complain to the council about this! OLT complain noun ⇨ complain Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged com·plain I. \kəmˈplān\ verb (-ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: Middle English compleynen, from Middle French compleindre, complaindre (3d person plural present indicative complaignent), from (assumed) Vulgar Latin complangere, from Latin com- + plangere to beat, beat the breast, lament — more at plaint intransitive verb 1. obsolete : to express sorrow with weeping and outcry : lament 2. a. : to express discontent, dissatisfaction, protest, resentment, or regret usually without recalcitrance or threat and as though expecting sympathy < began to complain of it and lament her being ill-used — Jane Austen > < his troubles were really little ones. He had nothing to complainabout — Lenard Kaufman > b. (1) archaic : to be ailing (2) : to speak of one's illness or symptoms 3. : to make a formal accusation, charge, or complaint < the French consulate and the English consulate had complained of him … charging him with being high-handed — Louis Bromfield > 4. : to groan, creak, or make an otherwise mournful sound as though protesting or lamenting < the overloaded wagon complaining at each turn > transitive verb 1. obsolete : lament : weep at : bewail 2. : to say or relate with dissatisfaction, protest, or regret as though expecting sympathy or redress < Cotton Mather complained, “'Tis dreadful cold, my ink glass … is froze” — American Guide Series: Massachusetts > < if we complain that so vague a term fails to do justice — Edward Sapir > Synonyms: repine , grumble , grouse , beef , gripe , croak , squawk , bellyache : complain , which originally meant lamenting or bewailing, is now a general term for uttering unhappiness or discontent; it may indicate that a sympathetic reaction is expected or feasible < a voice complaining … a venomous and senile whimper — Jean Stafford > < he had heard Ed complaining of his lot in life and crying out for new times — Sherwood Anderson > < when the people complain, said Mirabeau, the people are always right — J.A.Froude > repine , now always bookish or literary, may suggest querulous plaintiveness < his old age may have been monotonous, but there was no repining about it — Brand Blanshard > In contrast, the following words range from the echoic suggestion of grumble to the slang form bellyache. grumble suggests discontented muttering, often from a personality hard to satisfy and given to ill-natured complaint < the way people grumble about their rates and taxes — G.B.Shaw > < reluctant laughter and grumbling thanks — Kenneth Roberts > grouse may be applied to sustained forceful grumbling at annoyances < soldiers grousing about their food > < never once have I heard him grouse about how tough things are — Saturday Review > beef may suggest angry or emphatic complaint < the beefing and clamoring by certain groups for a change — New Republic > < a few who have drilled … beef about being kept in uniform — Dixon Wecter > gripe may suggest continued strong grumbling or criticizing, as though motivated by being griped < after two or three days in the Army, he gripes like a veteran at the brass, the shavetails, the chow — Christian Science Monitor > croak , squawk , and bellyache may imply lack of sympathy with the complainer. croak may suggest pessimistic, doleful, dismal complaining, squawk a loud raucous outcry, as of a fowl, perhaps ineffective, and bellyache a peevish or disgruntled whining < the little old lady in black … tells you how just last fall her husband died in Ohio, and damp mists her glasses; she blinks and croaks — R.P.Warren > < the first industries to be hit by the credit curbs have squawked— Atlantic > < bellyaching about rationing, curtailment of civilian goods, administrative confusion, and various other annoyances — Harper's > II. noun (-s) Etymology: Middle English compleyn, from compleynen, v. archaic : complaint |
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