[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/complain.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / complain

[← C](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/C/)

# complain

«complain» in Mova's school dictionary: **to say that you are not happy or not satisfied about…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (complain, complains, complained, complaining)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To complain is to say that you are not happy or not satisfied about something. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/complain/#m1)

2) To complain to someone in charge is to tell them formally about a problem so they fix it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/complain/#m2)

3) To complain of a pain or illness is to say you have it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/complain/#m3)

4) To complain of someone is to tell someone in charge that they did something wrong. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/complain/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In everyday life and manners lessons, complaining politely and calmly helps fix problems (returning a broken toy to a shop), but complaining all the time can make you seem negative; it's good to suggest a solution. In writing lessons, pupils sometimes write a letter of complaint. In stories, a character who always complains is often grumpy or spoiled. Phrases: «complain about», «complain to», «complain of», «nothing to complain about», «make a complaint».

### examples

- He complained about the cold dinner. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/complain/#x1)
- Stop complaining and help me carry this. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/complain/#x2)
- We complained to the shop about the broken toy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/complain/#x3)
- Grandma complained of a sore knee. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/complain/#x4)
- I can't complain; it was a great day. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/complain/#x5)
- The neighbours complained about the loud music. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/complain/#x6)
- If someone is unkind, you can complain to a teacher. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/complain/#x7)
- She never complains, even when she's tired. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/complain/#x8)
- “I complain of Nibs,” he cried promptly. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/complain/#x9)

### note

Regular verb: complained. Noun: complaint. You «complain about» a thing, «complain to» a person, «complain of» a pain. Not «complain on».

### In the corpora

- [Tenants who cannot get a repair done may complain more than once or ask the council for help.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/11-when-things-break/12/)
- [Toad: «Me complain of that beautiful, that heavenly vision ... that swan, that sunbeam, that thunderbolt! ...](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/books/32-willows-ch2-part4-the-wreck-and-the-new-craze/34/)
- [Balkis tells them calmly that a Butterfly complained about his wife, and the King taught her a lesson.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/books/97-justso-butterfly-2-the-butterfly-stamps-and-the-book-ends/9/)
- [Next day Chloe's mum came in to complain that her daughter's head had been sore for days.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/380-maddie-and-chloes-plaits/6/)
- [In 1712 Jonathan Swift called for rules to stop English changing; people have complained about young people "ruining" English for centuries.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/language/20-is-there-one-proper-english/5/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «complain» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/complain/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.