griev ‧ ance /ˈɡriːv ə ns/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
a belief that you have been treated unfairly, or an unfair situation or event that affects and upsets you:
anyone who has a legitimate grievance against the company
a means of overcoming genuine grievances
There must be an opportunity for both sides to air their grievances.
The teachers’ contract established a grievance procedure.
the sense of grievance which characterized him as a young man
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ a genuine grievance (=one that is definitely true)
He felt that he had a genuine grievance and was prepared to take the company to court over the matter.
▪ a legitimate grievance (=one that is reasonable)
Many people feel that the rebels have a legitimate grievance.
▪ an old grievance (=one that you have felt unhappy about for a long time)
Years later, we became friends again and sorted out our old grievances.
▪ a personal grievance
He has no personal grievance against Frank.
■ verbs
▪ have a grievance (against somebody)
I had no grievance against him.
▪ air your grievances (=tell people you think you have been treated unfairly)
These committees act as a forum for various groups to air their grievances.
▪ nurse a grievance (=think a lot or for a long time about the fact you have been treated unfairly)
He was nursing a grievance about not being picked for the team.
▪ file a grievance American English (=officially complain)
She filed a grievance after failing to get a promotion.
▪ settle a grievance (=solve one)
The union decided to settle its grievance in the law courts.
▪ redress/remedy a grievance formal (=do something to make a problem better)
Governments which have not redressed genuine grievances often pay a heavy price later on.
■ grievance + NOUN
▪ a grievance procedure (=a system for dealing with employees' grievances)
You should pursue your complaint through the company's grievance procedure.
■ phrases
▪ a sense of grievance (=when you feel that you have been treated unfairly)
Anti-Americanism in these countries comes from a deep sense of grievance against the United States.
▪ a source of grievance (=something that causes grievance )
Salaries are a traditional source of grievance in industry.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ complaint something that you say or write when you are complaining, especially to someone in an official position:
If you have any complaints, please contact our customer relations department.
|
Our main complaint is the poor standard of service.
|
If you have a complaint, you should write to the manager.
| make a complaint :
Some employees are worried about what will happen to them if they make a complaint.
| complaint about :
Keating was dismissed after complaints about the quality of his work.
| formal complaint :
Mr Kelly has made a formal complaint against the police.
| letters of complaint :
The commission has so far received nearly 10,000 letters of complaint.
▪ protest when someone complains publicly about something that they think is wrong or unfair and should not be allowed to happen:
Despite their protests, the students’ fees were increased.
| in protest (=as a way of making a protest) :
When two members of the team were dismissed, the rest of them walked out in protest.
| protest against :
The ambassador lodged a formal protest against the proposals.
| ignore somebody’s protests :
Ignoring my protests, he took off his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders.
▪ grievance something that you feel unhappy about because you think that you have been treated unfairly – use this especially about an official complaint you make about the place where you work: file a grievance (=officially complain) :
She filed a grievance last year after her supervisor refused to promote her.
| grievance against :
Anyone who has a legitimate grievance against the company can take it to the arbitration committee.
| air a grievance (=discuss a grievance publicly) :
The meetings give employees the opportunity to express their views or air grievances.