Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Complain
Com-plain′
(kŏm-plān′)
, Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Complained
(kŏm-plānd′)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Complaining
.] [F.
complaindre
, LL. complangere
; com-
+ L. plangere
to strike, beat, to beat the breast or head as a sign of grief, to lament. See Plaint
.] 1.
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.
O loss of sight, of thee I most
complain
! Milton.
2.
To make a formal accusation; to make a charge.
Syn. – To repine; grumble; deplore; bewail; grieve; mourn; regret; murmur.
Com-plain′
,Verb.
T.
To lament; to bewail.
[Obs.]
They might the grievance inwardly
complain
. Daniel.
By chaste Lucrece’s soul that late
Her wrongs to us.
complain'd
Her wrongs to us.
Shakespeare
Webster 1828 Edition
Complain
COMPLAIN
, v.i.1.
To utter expressions of grief; to lament.I will complain in the bitterness of my spirit. Job 7.
I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed. Ps. 77.
2.
To utter expressions of censure or resentment; to murmur; to find fault.And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord. Num. 11.
3.
To utter expressions of uneasiness, or pain. He complains of thirst. He complains of a head-ache.4.
To charge; to accuse of an offense; to present an accusation against a person to a proper officer.To A B, one of the justices of the peace for the county of S, complains C D.
This verb is regularly followed by of, before the cause of grief or censure; as, to complain of thirst, of ignorance, of vice, of an offender.
5.
To represent injuries, particularly in a writ of Audita Querela.COMPLAIN
,Verb.
T.
They might the grievance inwardly complain.
This use of complain is uncommon, and hardly legitimate. The phrase is properly elliptical.
Definition 2024
complain
complain
English
Verb
complain (third-person singular simple present complains, present participle complaining, simple past and past participle complained)
- (intransitive) To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment.
- Joe was always complaining about the noise made by his neighbours.
- Milton
- O loss of sight, of thee I most complain!
- (intransitive) To make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge.
- They've complained about me to the police again.
- Shakespeare
- Now, Master Shallow, you'll complain of me to the king?
- To creak or squeak, as a timber or wheel.
- the complaining bed-springs
Synonyms
Translations
to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment
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to make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge
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External links
- complain in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- complain in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911