to express dissatisfaction, pain, uneasiness, censure, resentment, or grief; find fault: He complained constantly about the noise in the corridor.
2.
to tell of one's pains, ailments, etc.: to complain of a backache.
3.
to make a formal accusation: If you think you've been swindled, complain to the police.
Origin: 1350–1400;Middle Englishcompleinen < Anglo-Frenchcompleign-, stem of compleindre,Old Frenchcomplaindre < Vulgar Latin*complangere, equivalent to Latincom-com- + plangere to lament; see plaint
Related forms
com·plain·a·ble, adjective
com·plain·er, noun
com·plain·ing·ly, adverb
un·com·plained, adjective
un·com·plain·ing, adjective
un·com·plain·ing·ly, adverb
Synonyms 1. Complain, grumble, growl, whine are terms for expressing dissatisfaction or discomfort. To complain is to protest against or lament a wrong: to complain about high prices. To grumble is to utter ill-natured complaints half to oneself: to grumble about the service.Growl may express more anger than grumble : to growl in reply to a question.To whine is to complain in a meanspirited way, using a nasal tone: to whine like a coward, like a spoiled child.
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.