complain
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++com·plain /kəmˈpleɪn/ ●●● S2 W3 verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]COMPLAIN to say that you are annoyed, not satisfied, or unhappy about something or someone 抱怨；不满；发牢骚 → complaint Residents are complaining because traffic in the area has increased. 由于这个地区的交通流量有所增加，居民都在抱怨。 ‘You never ask my opinion about anything, ’ Rod complained. “你什么事都不问问我的看法。”罗德抱怨道。complain (that) She complained that no one had been at the airport to meet her. 她抱怨说没人到机场去接她。complain about She often complains about not feeling appreciated at work. 她常抱怨工作上不受赏识。complain of Several women have complained of sexual harassment. 好几位女性投诉说受到性骚扰。complain to Neighbours complained to the police about the dogs barking. 邻居向警方投诉狗吠扰民。 Employees complained bitterly about working conditions. 雇员们对工作条件十分不满。n GrammarYou complain about something or someone: They complained about the service. ✗Don’t say: They complained against the service. | They complained for the service.2 (I/you/he etc) can’t complain spokenSATISFIED used to say that a situation is satisfactory, even though there may be a few problems （我/你/他等）还算满意，没什么可抱怨的 I make a good living. I can’t complain. 我过得还不错，没什么可抱怨的。3 complain of something phrasal verb formal MIHAVEto say that you feel ill or have a pain in a part of your body 诉说有…病痛 Dan’s been complaining of severe headaches. 丹总是说头疼得厉害。n COLLOCATIONSadverbscomplain bitterly (=in a very angry way)My grandfather’s always complaining bitterly about how expensive things are.complain loudlyThe kids were complaining loudly about the heat.constantly complainShe was constantly complaining about her job.phraseshave the right to complainYou have the right to complain if you’re not satisfied with the service you’re getting.have (good) reason to complainWe felt we had good reason to complain about the food at the hotel.have little/no reason to complainThe school is good and parents have little reason to complain.have cause to complainPatients sometimes have cause to complain about the hospital treatment they receive.be in a position to complain (=have a good reason to complain)If you feel you are bullied at work, you are certainly in a position to complain.be the first to complain (=be quick to complain)He’s the first to complain if he thinks something is unfair. THESAURUScomplain to say that you are annoyed, unhappy, or not satisfied about something or someone 抱怨，发牢骚Several customers complained about the service they received. 有几位顾客对得到的服务表示不满。n‘I wish you’d stop telling me what to do, ’ she complained.make a complaint to formally complain about something to someone in authority 提出投诉His parents made a complaint to the head teacher. 他的父母向校长提出投诉。protest to complain about something that you think is wrong, especially publicly 〔尤指公开地〕抗议Demonstrators were protesting against the war. 示威者在抗议这场战争。object to say that you oppose or disapprove of something 反对Local residents have objected to the plan. 当地居民反对这个计划。nSome teachers objected to the scheme.grumble to keep complaining in a bad-tempered way about something 〔气愤地〕抱怨Rail travellers have been grumbling about the increase in ticket prices. 铁路乘客抱怨票价上涨。nWhat’s he grumbling about now?moan/whine informal (also whinge /wɪndʒ/ British English informal) to keep complaining in an annoying way 〔生气地〕抱怨，发牢骚Everyone was moaning about the hotel food. 大家都在抱怨酒店饮食不好。Stop whingeing and get on with your work! 别发牢骚了，接着干活吧！kick up/make a fuss to complain or become angry about something, especially something that is not very important 小题大做The soup wasn’t hot enough, but he didn’t want to make a fuss. 汤不够热，但是他也不想小题大做。nHe kicked up such a fuss that they were offered another room.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
complain• Many were calling the central office to complain.• We had to remove the advertisement because so many people complained.• But you won't catch me complaining.• He constantly complains about how he's treated at work.• I should have complained about the first case, but I was inexperienced then.• Their neighbours complained about their constant loud music.• Workers who had lost their jobs complained bitterly about the way they had been treated.• Denise complained bitterly after he died.• Once at her new work place she complained bitterly of how her style had been cramped.• Jenny's always complaining that her boss gives her too much work.• The patient complained that she had to void more urine.• If the hotel isn't satisfactory, you should complain to the Tourist Office.• This was a worker who showed up every day, never complained, you know, gave the job his all.complained bitterly• The boys gasped, wheezed and giggled; the plumper ones complained bitterly.• The social worker complained bitterly about the fact that Mrs X had left the home, and told her off.• He complained bitterly after being surprised by Pat Buchanan in an early primary about a pollster whose predictions had been too optimistic.• Denise complained bitterly after he died.• Once at her new work place she complained bitterly of how her style had been cramped.• He complained bitterly of the small attention that was paid to his ideas in his own country.• Norah complained bitterly that her style had brought the company free publicity worth far more than it cost.• We all complained bitterly when it looked as though Adobe was restricting the development of PostScript and keeping the market to itself.Origin complain (1300-1400) Old French complaindre, from Vulgar Latin complangere, from Latin com- ( → COM-) + plangere (PLAINT)com·plain verb →n GRAMMAR1 →n COLLOCATIONS1
→THESAURUS1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
→THESAURUS1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
are not or that to Corpus annoyed, satisfied, you say
complain
com‧plain S2 W3 /kəmˈpleɪn/
verb
Residents are complaining because traffic in the area has increased.
‘You never ask my opinion about anything,’ Rod complained.
complain (that)
She complained that no one had been at the airport to meet her.
complain about
She often complains about not feeling appreciated at work.
complain of
Several women have complained of sexual harassment.
complain to
Neighbours complained to the police about the dogs barking.
Employees complained bitterly about working conditions.
2. (I/you/he etc) can’t complain spoken used to say that a situation is satisfactory, even though there may be a few problems:
I make a good living. I can’t complain.
■ adverbs
▪complain bitterly (=in a very angry way) My grandfather’s always complaining bitterly about how expensive things are.
▪complain loudly The kids were complaining loudly about the heat.
▪constantly complain She was constantly complaining about her job.
■ phrases
▪have the right to complain You have the right to complain if you’re not satisfied with the service you’re getting.
▪have (good) reason to complain We felt we had good reason to complain about the food at the hotel.
▪have little/no reason to complain The school is good and parents have little reason to complain.
▪have cause to complain Patients sometimes have cause to complain about the hospital treatment they receive.
▪be in a position to complain (=have a good reason to complain) If you feel you are bullied at work, you are certainly in a position to complain.
▪be the first to complain (=be quick to complain) He’s the first to complain if he thinks something is unfair.
▪ 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.
complain of something phrasal verb formal
to say that you feel ill or have a pain in a part of your body:
Dan’s been complaining of severe headaches.
com‧plain S2 W3 /kəmˈpleɪn/
verb Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: complaindre, from Vulgar Latin complangere, from Latin com- ( ⇨ COM-) + plangere (PLAINT)
1. [I, T not in passive] to say that you are annoyed, not satisfied, or unhappy about something or someone ⇨ complaint:Language: Old French
Origin: complaindre, from Vulgar Latin complangere, from Latin com- ( ⇨ COM-) + plangere (PLAINT)
complain (that)
complain about
complain of
complain to
2. (I/you/he etc) can’t complain spoken used to say that a situation is satisfactory, even though there may be a few problems:
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complain of something phrasal verb formal
to say that you feel ill or have a pain in a part of your body:
complain to say that you are annoyed, unhappy or not satisfied about sb/sth 指抱怨、埋怨、投诉、发牢骚 ：◆ I'm going to complain to the manager about this. 我要就这件事向经理投诉。 protest to say or do sth to show that you disagree with or disapprove of sth, especially publicly; to give sth as a reason for protesting 指公开反对、抗议或申辩 ：◆ Students took to the streets to protest against the decision.学生走上街头抗议这项决定。 object to say that you disagree with or disapprove of sth; to give sth as a reason for objecting 指不同意、不赞成、反对或抗辩 ：◆ If nobody objects, we'll postpone the meeting till next week. 如果没有人反对，我们就把会议推迟到下周。 ◆ He objected that the police had arrested him without sufficient evidence. 他抗辩说警察没有充分证据就逮捕了他。 grumble ( to complain about sb/sth in a bad-tempered wayrather
指咕哝、嘟囔、发牢骚 ：◆ They kept grumbling that they were cold. 他们不停地嘟囔着说冷。 moan ( to complain about sb/sth in an annoying wayBrE rather
指抱怨、埋怨 ：◆ What are you moaning on about now? 你在抱怨什么呢？ whine ( to complain in an annoying, crying voicerather
指哭哭啼啼或哭嚷着诉说 ：◆ Stop whining! 别哭哭啼啼的！ ◆ 'I want to go home,' whined Toby. “我要回家。” 托比哼哼唧唧地说。 NOTE Whine is often used to talk about the way that young children complain.* whine 通常用于小孩子抱怨。
Patterns
to complain/protest/grumble/moan/whine about sthto complain/protest/grumble/moan at sthto complain/protest/object/grumble/moan/whine to sbto complain/protest/object/grumble/moan/whine that…
