Link Centre Dictionary

complain

comp·lain

UK/kəmˈpleɪn/ US/kʌˈmpleɪn/ common

verb

1.

express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness

  • “My mother complains all day”
  • “She has a lot to kick about”
Synonyms
Antonyms
2.

make a formal accusation; bring a formal charge

  • “The plaintiff”

Origin

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.

Phrases

  • can't complain
  • complain king
  • complain queen
  • you'd complain if you were hung with a new rope

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.