• IPA: /kəmˈpleɪn/

complain (complains, present participle complaining; past and past participle complained)

1. (intransitive) To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment.

   Joe was always complaining about the noise made by his neighbours.

   • 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […]”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: Printed by J. M[acock] for John Starkey […], OCLC 228732398 ↗, line 67, [https://archive.org/stream/paradiseregaindp00milt_0#page/{}/mode/1up page 12]:

     O loſs of ſight, of thee I moſt complain!

2. (intransitive) To make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge.

   They've complained about me to the police again.

   • c. 1597, William Shakespeare, “The Merry VViues of VVindsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act I, scene i]:

     Now, Master Shallow, you'll complain of me to the king?

3. To creak or squeak, as a timber or wheel.

   the complaining bed-springs

• grumble
• grouse
• grump
• bitch
• beef
• gripe
• whine
• kvetch
• moan
• whinge
• See also Thesaurus:complain

• French: se plaindre
• German: sich beschweren, klagen, sich beklagen, meckern
• Italian: lamentarsi, lagnarsi
• Portuguese: reclamar, queixar-se
• Russian: жа́ловаться
• Spanish: quejarse, alegar

• French: porter plainte
• German: sich beschweren, klagen
• Portuguese: queixar-se
• Russian: жа́ловаться
• Spanish: reclamar, protestar, quejarse