- complain
- To file a complaint; to make a formal charge or accusation of crime against a person; to make a charge.
Ballentine's law dictionary. Anderson, W.S.. 1998.
complain
Look at other dictionaries:
complain — com·plain vi: to make a complaint Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. complain I ( … Law dictionary
complain — UK US /kəmˈpleɪn/ verb [I] ► to tell someone that something is wrong or not satisfactory, and that you are annoyed about it: complain about sth »Workers complain about the conditions in which they are forced to work. complain that »The chief… … Financial and business terms
Complain — Com*plain (k[o^]m*pl[=a]n ), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Complained} (k[o^]m*pl[=a]nd ); p. pr. & vb. n. {Complaining}.] [F. complaindre, LL. complangere; com + L. plangere to strike, beat, to beat the breast or head as a sign of grief, to lament. See… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Complain — Com*plain , v. t. To lament; to bewail. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] They might the grievance inwardly complain. Daniel. [1913 Webster] By chaste Lucrece s soul that late complain d Her wrongs to us. Shak. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
complain — ► VERB 1) express dissatisfaction or annoyance. 2) (complain of) state that one is suffering from (a symptom of illness). DERIVATIVES complainer noun. ORIGIN Old French complaindre, from Latin complangere bewail … English terms dictionary
complain — (v.) late 14c., find fault, lament, from stem of O.Fr. complaindre to lament (12c.), from V.L. *complangere, originally to beat the breast, from L. com , intensive prefix (see COM (Cf. com )), + plangere to strike, beat the breast (see PLAGUE (Cf … Etymology dictionary
complain — [v] grumble about accuse, ascribe, attack, beef*, bellyache*, bemoan, bewail, bitch, carp, cavil, charge, contravene, criticize, defy, demur, denounce, deplore, deprecate, differ, disagree, disapprove, dissent, expostulate, find fault, fret, fuss … New thesaurus
complain — [kəm plān′] vi. [ME compleinen < OFr complaindre < VL * complangere, orig., to beat the breast < L com , intens. + plangere, to strike: see PLAINT] 1. to claim or express pain, displeasure, etc. 2. to find fault; declare annoyance 3. to… … English World dictionary
complain — com|plain W3S2 [kəmˈpleın] v [Date: 1300 1400; : 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… … Dictionary of contemporary English
complain — verb 1 (intransitive, transitive not in passive) to say that you are annoyed, dissatisfied, or unhappy about something or someone: They ve already been given a 10% raise so why are they complaining? | You never ask my opinion about anything, Rod… … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
complain */*/*/ — UK [kəmˈpleɪn] / US verb [intransitive/transitive] Word forms complain : present tense I/you/we/they complain he/she/it complains present participle complaining past tense complained past participle complained to say that you are not satisfied… … English dictionary
