Definitions for complain
kəmˈpleɪncom·plain

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. complain, kick, plain, sound off, quetch, kvetchverb

   express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness

   "My mother complains all day"; "She has a lot to kick about"

2. complainverb

   make a formal accusation; bring a formal charge

   "The plaintiff's lawyer complained that he defendant had physically abused his client"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. complainverb

   To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment.

   Joe was always complaining about the noise made by his neighbours.

   Etymology: From complaynen, from complaindre, from complangere, from com- + plangere; see plain, plaint.

2. complainverb

   To make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge.

   They've complained about me to the police again.

   Etymology: From complaynen, from complaindre, from complangere, from com- + plangere; see plain, plaint.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Complainverb

   to give utterance to expression of grief, pain, censure, regret. etc.; to lament; to murmur; to find fault; -- commonly used with of. Also, to creak or squeak, as a timber or wheel

2. Complainverb

   to make a formal accusation; to make a charge

3. Complainverb

   to lament; to bewail

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Complain

   kom-plān′, v.i. to express grief, pain, censure: to murmur or express a sense of injury: to accuse: to make a mournful sound: to be ill—e.g. 'to complain of a sore throat.'—n. complaint.—ns. Complain′ant, one who complains: (law) one who raises a suit, a plaintiff; Complain′er, a murmurer: complainant; Complain′ing, the action of the verb complain: complaint.—adv. Complain′ingly.—n. Complaint′, a complaining: an expression of grief: a representation of pains or injuries: a finding fault: the thing complained of: a disease: an ailment. [Fr. complaindre—Low L. complangĕre—L. com, inten., plangĕre, bewail.]

Matched Categories

1. • Charge

British National Corpus

1. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'complain' in Written Corpus Frequency: #3729

2. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'complain' in Verbs Frequency: #443

Anagrams for complain »

1. amplicon

How to pronounce complain?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say complain in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of complain in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of complain in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of complain in a Sentence

1. Jerome Siegel:

   People like to complain that modern life is ruining sleep, but they’re just saying: Kids today! it’s a perennial complaint but you need data to know if it’s true.

2. William Shakespeare:

   A wretched soul, bruised with adversity, We bid be quiet when we hear it cry; But were we burdened with like weight of pain, As much or more we should ourselves complain.

3. Mark Harmon:

   It’s hard to walk through airports even in the most out-of-the-way places without being surrounded by people who love the show — and that’s nothing to complain about, i’ve done TV shows where I walk through airports apologizing.

4. Lindsey Carnett:

   We’ve heard the term misery loves company, people who complain or rant are made for each other. Think of observing couples who have been married for years go on outings wearing the same color sweater with khaki pants. Be prepared to see Kimye evolve as they grow closer. These impulsive Twitter behaviors are just the beginning of what’s yet to come. They are a sociologist’s dream couple.

5. William Babcock:

   We have come this far, we might as well break the record, we have a couple of storms to push us over the record. Once that is done we won't complain if we don't get any more snow.

Images & Illustrations of complain

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