moan
pronunciation
How to pronounce moan in British English:
UK [məʊn]
How to pronounce moan in American English:
US [moʊn]
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- Noun:
- an utterance expressing pain or disapproval
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- Verb:
- indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure
Word Origin
- moan (n.)
- c. 1200, "lamentation, mourning, weeping; complaining, the expressing of complaints; a complaint; lover's complaint; accusation, charge," probably from an unrecorded Old English *man "complaint," related to Old English mænan "complain, moan," also "tell, intend, signify" (see mean (v.1)); but OED discounts this connection. Meaning "long, low inarticulate murmur from some prolonged pain" is first recorded 1670s, "with onomatopoeic suggestion" [OED].
- moan (v.)
- mid-13c., "mourn (someone); regret, bewail;" c. 1300, "to lament, grieve; utter moans;" probably from Old English *manan, related to mænan "to lament" (see moan (n.)). From 1724 as "to make a low, mournful sound." Related: Moaned; moaning.
Example
- 1. Scientists habitually moan that the public doesn 't understand them .
- 2. But even in abu salim , people moan about inflation .
- 3. They have less time to moan at you and tend to keep better company .
- 4. Businessmen moan about rigid labour laws , which there is little political will to reform .
- 5. When you are forced to cut back , you can moan , or you can find joy .