complain

com·plain

C0527900 (kəm-plān′)intr.v. com·plained, com·plain·ing, com·plains 1. To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment.2. To make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge; file a complaint.

[Middle English compleinen, from Old French complaindre, complaign-, from Vulgar Latin *complangere : Latin com-, intensive pref.; see com- + Latin plangere, to lament; see plāk- in Indo-European roots.]

com·plain′er n.

complain

(kəmˈpleɪn) vb (intr) 1. to express resentment, displeasure, etc, esp habitually; grumble2. (foll by of) to state the presence of pain, illness, etc, esp in the hope of sympathy: she complained of a headache. [C14: from Old French complaindre, from Vulgar Latin complangere (unattested), from Latin com- (intensive) + plangere to bewail] comˈplainer n comˈplainingly adv

com•plain

(kəmˈpleɪn)

v.i. 1. to express dissatisfaction, resentment, pain, grief, etc.; find fault. 2. to make a formal accusation: You must complain to the police about this vandalism. [1350–1400; Middle English compleinen < Anglo-French compleign-, s. of compleindre, Old French complaindre < Vulgar Latin *complangere= Latin com- com- + plangere to lament; see plaint] com•plain′a•ble, adj. com•plain′er, n. com•plain′ing•ly, adv. syn: complain, grumble, whine are terms for expressing dissatisfaction or discomfort. To complain is to protest against or lament a condition or wrong: to complain about high prices. To grumble is to utter surly, ill-natured complaints half to oneself: to grumble about the service. To whine is to complain in a meanspirited, objectionable way, using a nasal tone; it often suggests persistence: to whine like a spoiled child.

complain

1. 'complain about'

If you complain about something, you say that it is wrong or unsatisfactory.

Mothers complained about the lack of play space.She never complains about the weather.

Be Careful!
Don't use 'over' or 'on' after complain. Don't say, for example, 'Mothers complained over the lack of play space' or 'She never complains on the weather'.

2. 'complain of'

If you complain of a pain, you say that you have it.

He complained of a headache.Many patients complain of a lack of energy.

complain

Past participle: complained
Gerund: complaining

Imperative
complain
complain

Present
I complain
you complain
he/she/it complains
we complain
you complain
they complain

Preterite
I complained
you complained
he/she/it complained
we complained
you complained
they complained

Present Continuous
I am complaining
you are complaining
he/she/it is complaining
we are complaining
you are complaining
they are complaining

Present Perfect
I have complained
you have complained
he/she/it has complained
we have complained
you have complained
they have complained

Past Continuous
I was complaining
you were complaining
he/she/it was complaining
we were complaining
you were complaining
they were complaining

Past Perfect
I had complained
you had complained
he/she/it had complained
we had complained
you had complained
they had complained

Future
I will complain
you will complain
he/she/it will complain
we will complain
you will complain
they will complain

Future Perfect
I will have complained
you will have complained
he/she/it will have complained
we will have complained
you will have complained
they will have complained

Future Continuous
I will be complaining
you will be complaining
he/she/it will be complaining
we will be complaining
you will be complaining
they will be complaining

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been complaining
you have been complaining
he/she/it has been complaining
we have been complaining
you have been complaining
they have been complaining

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been complaining
you will have been complaining
he/she/it will have been complaining
we will have been complaining
you will have been complaining
they will have been complaining

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been complaining
you had been complaining
he/she/it had been complaining
we had been complaining
you had been complaining
they had been complaining

Conditional
I would complain
you would complain
he/she/it would complain
we would complain
you would complain
they would complain

Past Conditional
I would have complained
you would have complained
he/she/it would have complained
we would have complained
you would have complained
they would have complained

Thesaurus

Verb	1.	complain - express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness; "My mother complains all day"; "She has a lot to kick about"kvetch, plain, quetch, sound off, kickhen-peck, nag, peck - bother persistently with trivial complaints; "She nags her husband all day long"backbite, bitch - say mean thingsgrizzle, yammer, yawp, whine - complain whininglygnarl, grumble, murmur, mutter, croak - make complaining remarks or noises under one's breath; "she grumbles when she feels overworked"grouch, grumble, scold - show one's unhappiness or critical attitude; "He scolded about anything that he thought was wrong"; "We grumbled about the increased work load"protest - utter words of protestrepine - express discontentbeef, bellyache, bitch, gripe, grouse, squawk, holler, crab - complain; "What was he hollering about?"inveigh, rail - complain bitterlybemoan, bewail, deplore, lament - regret strongly; "I deplore this hostile action"; "we lamented the loss of benefits"report - complain about; make a charge against; "I reported her to the supervisor"bleat - talk whininglychirk up, cheer up, cheer - become cheerful
	2.	complain - make a formal accusation; bring a formal charge; "The plaintiff's lawyer complained that he defendant had physically abused his client"charge - make an accusatory claim; "The defense attorney charged that the jurors were biased"

complain

verb find fault, moan, grumble, whinge (informal), beef (slang), carp, fuss, bitch (slang), groan, grieve, lament, whine, growl, deplore, grouse, gripe (informal), bemoan, bleat, put the boot in (slang), bewail, kick up a fuss (informal), grouch (informal), bellyache (slang), kvetch (U.S. slang) She's always complaining about her husband's laziness.

complain

verbTo express negative feelings, especially of dissatisfaction or resentment:grouch, grump, whine.Informal: crab, gripe, grouse, kick.Slang: beef, bellyache, bitch.

Translations

抱怨说自己有病痛

complain

(kəmˈplein) verb1. to state one's displeasure, dissatisfaction etc. I'm going to complain to the police about the noise.抱怨2. (with of) to state that one has (pain, discomfort etc). He's complaining of difficulty in breathing.说自己有病痛comˈplaint noun1. (a statement of one's) dissatisfaction. The customer made a complaint about the lack of hygiene in the food shop.抱怨2. a sickness, disease, disorder etc. He's always suffering from some complaint or other.疾病

complain

→ 抱怨zhCN

I want to complain about the service → 我对你们的服务有意见
Where can I make a complaint? (US)
Who can I complain to? (UK) → 我可以向谁投诉？

complain

can't complain

Things are fine. A casual response to questions like "How are you?" or "How've you been?" A: "Hey, Pat, how are you?" B: "Ah, can't complain!"See also: complain

nothing to complain about

Things are fine. A casual response to questions like "How are you?" or "How've you been?" A: "Hey Pat, how are you?" B: "Ah, nothing to complain about."See also: complain, nothing

complain about (someone or something)

To voice one's annoyance or displeasure with someone or something. Oh boy, which dead president is grandpa complaining about today? If you hate your job so much, quit complaining about it and look for a new one!See also: complain

complain of (something)

To state the physical ailments or symptoms of illness that one is experiencing. The appendicitis patient came into the ER complaining of stomach pain.See also: complain, of

complain to (someone or something)

To voice one's annoyance or displeasure to someone or something. If you hate your job so much, quit complaining to me about it and look for a new one! If we complain to the school board, I'm sure we can get this decision overturned.See also: complain

for all (one's) (something)

In spite of the negative trait or issue the speaker is discussing. In this construction, the speaker indicates a specific person, followed by a problem or shortcoming they have experienced or exhibit. Yeah, she's not remotely punctual, and she gripes a lot, but for all her shortcomings, Elisa is a really great manager—her employees just love her. For all our difficulties buying a house, we still managed to get one that we absolutely love.See also: all

complain about someone or something

to protest someone or something; to grouch about someone or something. Oh, stop complaining about the weather. You are always complaining about me.See also: complain

complain of something

to moan and suffer from a disease; to report the symptoms of a disease or health condition. Kenneth complained of a headache and general weakness. The patient was complaining of a headache.See also: complain, of

complain to someone

to grouch or protest to someone. Don't complain to me. I will complain to the manager.See also: complain

(I) can't complain. and (I have) nothing to complain about.

Inf. a response to a greeting inquiry asking how one is or how things are going for one. Sue: How are things going? Mary: I can't complain. Mary: Hi, Fred! How are you doing? Fred: Nothing to complain about.See also: and, complain, nothing

can't complain

Used as a response meaning fairly good or well, to questions such as "How are you?" or "How is business?" For example, How've you been?-Can't complain. This term means that nothing serious is wrong. [Mid-1800s] See also: complain

can't complain

Pretty good, in response to “How are things going?” This very modern-sounding phrase, which means one has nothing genuine to complain about (or at least will not admit it), comes from mid-nineteenth-century Britain. Eric Partridge cites an early example, R. S. Surtees’s Hawbuck Grange (1847), in which one character observes that time is passing lightly over another, who replies, “Middling—can’t complain.” Today it is a frequent response to inquiries about a business. See also fair to middling.See also: complain

complain

com·plain

complain

com•plain

complain

complain

complain

complain

complain

complain

complain

can't complain

nothing to complain about

complain about (someone or something)

complain of (something)

complain to (someone or something)

for all (one's) (something)

complain about someone or something

complain of something

complain to someone

(I) can't complain. and (I have) nothing to complain about.

can't complain

can't complain

complain

Synonyms for complain

verb find fault

Synonyms

Synonyms for complain

verb to express negative feelings, especially of dissatisfaction or resentment

Synonyms

Synonyms for complain

verb express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness

Synonyms

Related Words

Antonyms

verb make a formal accusation

Related Words