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complain
[ kuhm-pleyn ]
verb (used without object)
- to express dissatisfaction, pain, uneasiness, censure, resentment, or grief; find fault:
He complained constantly about the noise in the corridor.
Antonyms:
- to tell of one's pains, ailments, etc.:
to complain of a backache.
- to make a formal accusation:
If you think you've been swindled, complain to the police.
complain
/ əˈɪ /
verb
- to express resentment, displeasure, etc, esp habitually; grumble
- foll by of to state the presence of pain, illness, etc, esp in the hope of sympathy
she complained of a headache
Derived Forms
- dzˈԾԲ, adverb
- dzˈԱ, noun
Other Word Forms
- dz·a· adjective
- dz·İ noun
- dz·iԲ· adverb
- ܲcdz·Ա adjective
- ܲcdz·iԲ adjective
- undz·iԲ· adverb
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of complain1
Idioms and Phrases
see can't complain .Synonym Study
Example Sentences
When he complained, Vigil said, he landed in solitary confinement.
To their surprise, the song was playlisted by Irish broadcaster RTÉ, only to be removed after listeners complained about drug references in the lyrics.
Will BBC employees ever feel confident that the organisation really will have their backs if they decide to complain?
She started giving evidence on Thursday, still complaining of toothache and did not give evidence on Friday.
Eventually, she requested a refund through her bank and complained to the UK's Financial Ombudsman Service.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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