moan
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to make a long, low sound because you are in pain, very sad, or experiencing pleasure.
v.to emit a low, sustained vocal sound expressive of physical pain, grief, or sexual pleasure.
Simple“The injured player began to moan as the medics moved his leg.”
In context“The wind continued to moan through the narrow mountain passes, creating an eerie atmosphere that unsettled the hikers.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to complain about something in a way that other people find annoying.
v.to grumble or complain persistently, often about trivial matters. Frequently used intransitively or with a 'that' clause.
Simple“Stop moaning about the weather; there is nothing we can do to change it.”
In context“He spent the entire dinner moaning about his commute, oblivious to the fact that everyone else had traveled much further to be there.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a low sound of pain, sadness, or pleasure.
n.a low, prolonged sound of sorrow, pain, or physical pleasure.
Simple“A low moan came from the bedroom where the patient was resting.”
In context“The heavy wooden door opened with a long, metallic moan that echoed through the empty hallway.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.an act of complaining about something.
n.an instance of grumbling or complaining, typically perceived as tedious by the listener.
Simple“She had a good moan about her boss over a cup of coffee.”
In context“After a brief moan about the rising cost of electricity, the committee moved on to the more pressing items on the agenda.”
From Middle English mone, mane, mān, (also as mene), from Old English mān, mǣn (“complaint; lamentation”), from Proto-West Germanic mainu, from Proto-Germanic mainō (“opinion; mind”). Cognate with Old Frisian mēne (“opinion”), Old High German meina (“opinion”). Old English mān, mǣn is inferred from Old English mǣnan (“to complain over; grieve; mourn”). More at mean.
From moa + -an.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.