groanern.
/ˈɡrəʊnə/, U.S. /ˈɡroʊnər/ a. One who groans; also slang, a thief who attends funerals or religious gatherings.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > thief > [noun] > who attends funerals or religious gatherings
groaner1795
the mind > emotion > suffering > displeasure > discontent or dissatisfaction > state of complaining > [noun] > one who complains
grucchildc1230
grutchera1250
groinera1382
musera1382
plainerc1400
plaintiff?a1439
fretter?1504
complainant1525
complainer1526
repiner1551
grudger1552
moaner1628
grumbler1633
querulist1647
maunderer1653
growler1753
grumbletonian1773
smellfungus1807
crib-biter1809
expostulatora1834
squinny1849
groaner1876
grouser1885
squealer1889
gruntler1893
grump1900
grouch1901
screamer1902
Moaning Minnie1934
narker1937
binder1944
1795 H. T. Potter New Dict. Cant & Flash Groaner and Sigher, wretches hired by methodists and others to attend their meetings for the purposes of fraud.
1848 Sinks of London laid Open 109 Groaners, a sort of wretches who attend meetings, sighing and looking demure; in the meantime their pals pick the pockets of those persons who may be in the same pew with them.
1876 F. K. Robinson Gloss. Words Whitby A desperate greeaner, a great complainer.
1884 A. Forbes Chinese Gordon ii. 66 The gunner non-coms. replied with groans. The most vehement groaner, a corporal, Gordon dragged out of the rank and had him shot on the spot.
b. A whistling buoy. U.S. regional.
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1903 G. S. Wasson in Cent. Mag. Aug. 538/1 ‘These here plaguy bell-b'ys an' groaners is a ter'ble old nuisance, you!’ exclaimed Cap'n Roundturn.
1941 T. S. Eliot Dry Salvages 5 Groaner: a whistling buoy.
1941 T. S. Eliot Dry Salvages i. 8 The heaving groaner Rounded homewards..Measures time not our time.
1947 C. D. White Handbk. Sailing xxii. 236 Effective at night in fog or low visibility, whistling buoys do not sound like a whistle but like a groan, and are called ‘groaners’ by seafaring men.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1900; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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