moanmoan1 /məʊn $ moʊn/ ●●○ verb 
‘I feel seasick already,’ she moaned.moan about A lot of people moaned about the parking problems.moan at British English My mum never stops moaning at me.moan that He’s always moaning that we use too much electricity. He moaned and groaned all the way there.► see thesaurus at complain2[intransitive] to make a long low sound expressing pain, unhappiness, or sexual pleasure SYN groan: She moaned and cried out in pain.3[intransitive] literary if the wind moans, it makes a long low sound: They could hear the wind moaning in the trees.—moaner noun [countable] British English: Dad’s a gloomy old moaner.
VERB TABLE
moan
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | moan |
| he, she, it | moans | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | moaned |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have moaned |
| he, she, it | has moaned | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had moaned |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will moan |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have moaned |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am moaning |
| he, she, it | is moaning | |
| you, we, they | are moaning | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was moaning |
| you, we, they | were moaning | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been moaning |
| he, she, it | has been moaning | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been moaning |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be moaning |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been moaning |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- "But, Mom, there's nothing to do here," moaned Josh.
- I'm fed up with hearing you moaning the whole time!
- I lay in bed, moaning in pain.
- Why do people always moan about the weather?
- He begins to moan quietly, but it is not a distressing noise.
- He was moaning and groaning from the enormous weight of it.
- One night I moaned to Jasper about the shaved ice and about how sick to death I was of paper cups.
- She moaned and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
- Sorry to moan, but we trusted you to write the truth.
- Waziri moaned through the gag, spittle and blood running from the side of his mouth.
THESAURUS
to say that you are annoyed, unhappy, or not satisfied about something or someone: · Several customers complained about the service they received.· ‘I wish you’d stop telling me what to do,’ she complained.
to formally complain about something to someone in authority: · His parents made a complaint to the head teacher.
to complain about something that you think is wrong, especially publicly: · Demonstrators were protesting against the war.
to say that you oppose or disapprove of something: · Local residents have objected to the plan.· Some teachers objected to the scheme.
to keep complaining in a bad-tempered way about something: · Rail travellers have been grumbling about the increase in ticket prices.· What’s he grumbling about now?
informal (also whinge British English informal) to keep complaining in an annoying way: · Everyone was moaning about the hotel food.· Stop whingeing and get on with your work!
to complain or become angry about something, especially something that is not very important: · The soup wasn’t hot enough, but he didn’t want to make a fuss.· He kicked up such a fuss that they were offered another room.
Longman Language Activatorto complain a lot in an annoying way especially British, informal to keep complaining in an annoying way - use this about someone who complains all the time, even about things that are not important: · I'm fed up with hearing you moaning the whole time!moan about: · Why do people always moan about the weather?
to keep complaining in a bad-tempered way, especially when you think you have been treated unfairly: · The old man turned away, grumbling as he went.grumble about: · She was grumbling about having to work so late.· The people standing beside me were grumbling about not being able to find a place to park.
especially British also kick up a fuss British to complain angrily and noisily about something, so that everyone hears you or notices you: · I don't understand why you're making such a fuss. It's not that important.make a fuss about: · The couple sitting next to us made a big fuss about their bill.
British informal to keep complaining about something or someone's behaviour in an annoying way: · Our neighbours are always going on about the noise we make.go on and on about (=for a long time): · Look, I'm sorry I kept you waiting, but there's no need to go on and on about it.
to keep complaining to someone, especially in order to make them do something that they do not want to do: · I wish you'd stop nagging me.nag about: · My mom's always nagging me about my room.nag at: · Jane's boss nags at her all the time.
British informal to keep complaining in an annoying way - use this when someone is complaining about something that is not important or is something they could change if they really wanted to: whinge about: · He's always whinging about being underpaid.· Nick was a pain in the neck. He did nothing but whinge the whole trip.
to keep complaining about something unimportant, especially in a sad, annoying voice: · "What did you do that for?" he whined.· For heaven's sake stop whining. Nobody has touched your precious records.whine about: · He's always whining about how much everything costs.
WORD SETSablaze, adjectiveacoustic, adjectiveacoustics, nounaglow, adjectivebaa, verbbabble, verbbabble, nounbabel, nounbaby talk, nounbackfire, verbbackground, nounbang, nounbang, verbbang, interjectionbark, verbbark, nounbattle cry, nounbay, verbbeat, verbbeat, nounbellow, verbbellow, nounblare, verbblast, nounbleat, verbbleep, nounbleep, verbblip, nounbong, nounboom, nounboom, verbbowwow, interjectionbrassy, adjectivebray, verbbrazen, adjectivebreathy, adjectivebubble, verbbump, nounchatter, verbchatter, nounclink, verbclink, nouncrack, verbcrack, nouncrackle, verbcrackling, nouncrash, verbcrash, nouncreak, verbcreaky, adjectivecroak, verbcroak, nouncrow, nouncrow, verbcrunch, nouncrunch, verbding-dong, noundiscord, noundiscordant, adjectivedrone, verbdrone, noundrown, verbdrum, verbdrumbeat, noundrumming, noundull, adjectiveecho, verbecho, nounfizz, verbflat, adjectivefootfall, nounfootstep, nounfusillade, noungrinding, adjectivegroan, verbgroan, noungrunt, verbgrunt, nounguffaw, verbgunshot, nounguttural, adjectivehigh, adjectivehigh, adverbhiss, verbindistinct, adjectiveirregular, adjectivelow, verbmarbled, adjectivematching, adjectivemellow, adjectivemelodic, adjectivemelodious, adjectivemetallic, adjectivemoan, verbmoan, nounmodulate, verbmonotone, nounmoo, verbmurmur, verbmurmur, nounmusical, adjectivemusically, adverbmute, verbnasal, adjectivenoise, nounoink, interjectionoof, interjectionpatter, verbpatter, nounpeal, nounpeal, verbpenetrating, adjectivepercussion, nounpsychedelic, adjectivepulse, nounputter, verbquack, verbquack, nounquaver, nounracket, nounrasp, verbrasp, nounraspberry, nounrat-a-tat, nounrattle, nounraucous, adjectivereedy, adjectivereport, nounresonance, nounresonant, adjectiveresonate, verbresonator, nounresound, verbresounding, adjectivereverberate, verbreverberation, nounrich, adjectivering, nounring, verbringing, adjectiveripple, verbripple, nounroar, nounroaring, adjectiveroll, verbrough, adjectiverustle, verbrustle, nounscratch, verbscratch, nounscream, verbscream, nounscrunch, verbsmoky, adjectivesnarl, verbsoft, adjectivesoft-spoken, adjectivesonorous, adjectivesotto voce, adverbsplosh, verbsweet, adjectiveswoosh, verbtick-tock, nountinny, adjectivetonal, adjectivevivid, adjectivevowel, nounwail, verbweak, adjectivewhack, nounwham, interjectionwhine, verbwhinny, verbwhirr, verbwhistle, verbwhistle, nounyelp, nounyowl, verbzoom, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY He moaned and groaned all the way there.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES I’m tired of him moaning and groaning all the time.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
1[intransitive, transitive] informal to complain in an annoying way, especially in an unhappy voice and without good reason: He moaned and groaned all the way there. I’m tired of him moaning and groaning all the time.· Problem people Problem people are the ones managers moan about.· How can he be gone when there is still so much to moan about?
· Or him who said he heard the horn, moaning softly like an alarm clock under an eiderdown?· Then the red mists cleared and she sank to her knees, picking up the pieces, moaning softly.· Jinju, Jinju, Gao Ma moaned softly, how do you stand it all?· She moaned softly as he caressed her and again Martin growled.· Then Father clutched his head and moaned softly.· No other sound followed - until Gran raised her hands to her cheeks and began to moan softly.
NOUN· He stared at the ice-covered ground and half listened to the cold wind moaning gently amongst the trees.· A sudden wind moaned around the little stone building, rattling the windows.· The wind begins to moan ghoulishly between their blistered tubular legs.· Miguel sped down Westchester Avenue, the wind moaning against the windows.· He could hear the wind moaning through the house.· The wind moaned through the shattered glass in the window.· The wind was moaning more strongly now, and there was a sense of something powerful and irresistible drawing nearer.· The winds howled and moaned without letup.
VERB· The wind begins to moan ghoulishly between their blistered tubular legs.· She began to sob and moan.· She began to moan aloud with uncontrolled excitement.· He begins to moan quietly, but it is not a distressing noise.· No other sound followed - until Gran raised her hands to her cheeks and began to moan softly.· I got told off by the ref - I was a bit wild then - and Ian began moaning as though he was crying.
· Or him who said he heard the horn, moaning softly like an alarm clock under an eiderdown?· I could hear Hilda moaning, then the grunts, laughter and jeering of the soldiers.· He could hear the wind moaning through the house.· I watch myself bleed, hear myself moan.· He heard himself moan, and felt with his hands: bedclothes.· As we camped next to the ice, we could hear it creaking and moaning long into the night.· She heard him moan, low in his throat, a sound somewhere between pain and delight.· You could hear them moaning back in the rear area.
‘I feel seasick already,’ she moaned.moan about A lot of people moaned about the parking problems.moan at British English My mum never stops moaning at me.moan that He’s always moaning that we use too much electricity. He moaned and groaned all the way there.► see thesaurus at complain2[intransitive] to make a long low sound expressing pain, unhappiness, or sexual pleasure SYN groan: She moaned and cried out in pain.3[intransitive] literary if the wind moans, it makes a long low sound: They could hear the wind moaning in the trees.—moaner noun [countable] British English: Dad’s a gloomy old moaner.