I. moan 1 /məʊn $ moʊn/ BrE AmE verb
1 . [intransitive and transitive] informal to complain in an annoying way, especially in an unhappy voice and without good reason:
‘I feel seasick already,’ she moaned.
moan about
A lot of people moaned about the parking problems.
moan at British English :
My mum never stops moaning at me.
moan that
He’s always moaning that we use too much electricity.
He moaned and groaned all the way there.
2 . [intransitive] to make a long low sound expressing pain, unhappiness, or sexual pleasure SYN groan :
She moaned and cried out in pain.
3 . [intransitive] literary if the wind moans, it makes a long low sound:
They could hear the wind moaning in the trees.
—moaner noun [countable] British English :
Dad’s a gloomy old moaner.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ complain to say that you are annoyed, unhappy, or not satisfied about something or someone:
Several customers complained about the service they received.
|
‘I wish you’d stop telling me what to do,’ she complained.
▪ make a complaint to formally complain about something to someone in authority:
His parents made a complaint to the head teacher.
▪ protest to complain about something that you think is wrong, especially publicly:
Demonstrators were protesting against the war.
▪ object to say that you oppose or disapprove of something:
Local residents have objected to the plan.
|
Some teachers objected to the scheme.
▪ grumble to keep complaining in a bad-tempered way about something:
Rail travellers have been grumbling about the increase in ticket prices.
|
What’s he grumbling about now?
▪ moan/whine informal ( also whinge /wɪndʒ/ British English informal ) to keep complaining in an annoying way:
Everyone was moaning about the hotel food.
|
Stop whingeing and get on with your work!
▪ kick up/make a fuss to complain or become angry about something, especially something that is not very important:
The soup wasn’t hot enough, but he didn’t want to make a fuss.
|
He kicked up such a fuss that they were offered another room.
II. moan 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1100-1200 ; Origin: From an unrecorded Old English man ]
1 . a long low sound expressing pain, unhappiness, or sexual pleasure
moan of
There was a moan of pain from the injured man.
She gave a little moan of pleasure.
a low moan
2 . have a moan (about something) British English informal to complain about something:
We were just having a moan about work.
3 . literary a low sound made by the wind