complain

英 [kəm'pleɪn] 美[kəm'plen]
  • vi. 投诉;发牢骚;诉说
  • vt. 抱怨;控诉

CET6TEM4CET4考研TOEFL中高频词核心词汇

词态变化


第三人称单数: complains;过去式: complained;过去分词: complained;现在分词: complaining;

助记提示


1、com- "intensive prefix" + -plain-.
2、originally "beat the breast, lament (by beating the breast)". => 抱怨,诉苦,发牢骚。
3、成语“捶胸顿足”形象地诠释了词根-plain-的引申义,可以说是心有灵犀,有异曲同工之妙。

中文词源


complain 抱怨

com-, 强调。-plag, 击打,词源同plague, plangent.指捶胸顿足的,抱怨的。

英英释意


1. express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness;
"My mother complains all day"
"She has a lot to kick about"
2. make a formal accusation; bring a formal charge;
"The plaintiff's lawyer complained that he defendant had physically abused his client"

英文词源


complain
complain: [14] Complain goes back to the Latin in verb plangere, source also of English plangent. This was formed on a prehistoric base *plak- (from which we also get plankton), and it originally meant ‘hit’. Its meaning developed metaphorically through ‘beat one’s breast’ to ‘lament’, and in medieval Latin it was combined with the intensive prefix com- to produce complangere. When it entered English via Old French complaindre it still meant ‘lament’, and although this sense had died out by about 1700, traces of it remain in ‘complain of’ a particular illness. Complaint [14] came from Old French complainte.
=> plangent, plankton
complain (v.)
late 14c., "find fault, lament," from stem of Old French complaindre "to lament" (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *complangere, originally "to beat the breast," from Latin com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + plangere "to strike, beat the breast" (see plague (n.)). Older sense of "lament" died out 17c. Related: Complained; complaining.

同义词辨析


complain, grumble, murmur

这些动词均含"抱怨,埋忽"之意。

complain: 侧重因对处境不满、待遇不公或自己有痛苦等而向别人诉说、埋怨。

grumble: 指因对处境、待遇不满或其他个人因素而愤愤不平地向他人诉苦或自言自语。

murmur: 多指因不满某人或某事而背着人自言自语地发怨言。

考试真题


Loosely managed teams can become hotbeds of distraction—employees routinely complain that they can't get their work done because they are forced to spend too much time in meetings or compelled to work in noisy offices.

出自-2017年6月阅读原文

Long queues, delayed flights and over - crowding at airports have  become almost as much a topic for conversation in Britain as the traditional complaining about the weather.

出自-2016年6月听力原文

Mr Jobs had a reputation as a control freak (怪人), and his critics complained that the products and systems he designed were closed and inflexible, in the name of greater ease of use.

出自-2012年12月阅读原文

In spite of the user-friendliness of Apple products, critics complained that they were  

出自-2012年12月阅读原文

Students have been complaining more and more about stolen property.

出自-2012年6月阅读原文

One such game, called World of Warcraft, is cited on many sites by posters complaining of a "gaming addiction.

出自-2010年6月阅读原文

However, many complain that their school libraries do not have enough up-to-date interesting books and magazines.

出自-2013年6月听力原文

Swedish people always complain that when they visit England, the houses are cold even in the good winter.

出自-2011年12月听力原文

: What do Swedish people complain about when they visit England in winter

出自-2011年12月听力原文

My coworkers have been worrying about health conditions and complaining about safety hazards in the workplace.

出自-2011年6月听力原文

In another firm the workers were constantly complaining about the malfunctioning heating system, but the owners was too busy or too mean to do anything about it

出自-2011年6月听力原文

The way to complain is to act business-like and important.

出自-2010年6月听力原文

The worst way to complain is over the telephone

出自-2010年6月听力原文

If your complaint doesn't require an immediate response, it often helps to complain by letter.

出自-2010年6月听力原文

Why does the speaker say the worst way to complain is over the telephone

出自-2010年6月听力原文

Complaining in person or by letter is generally more effective.

出自-2010年6月听力原文

You don't know if you are complaining at the right time

出自-2010年6月听力原文

America's Internet is faster than ever before, but people still complain about their Internet being too slow.

2017年6月四级真题(第二套)阅读 Section A

Some of the people who work in Songdo complain about boredom in the workplace.

2019年12月四级真题(第一套)阅读 Section B

Working-class children are happier, more independent, complain less and are closer to family members, Ms.

出自-2017年6月阅读原文

There's a lot for students to complain about: the repayment threshold for paying back loans will be frozen for five years, meaning that lower-paid graduates have to start repaying their loans; and maintenance grants have been replaced by loans, meaning that students from poorer backgrounds face higher debt than those with wealthier parents.

出自-2016年12月阅读原文

But US researchers quietly complain about budget restraints and having far fewer icebreakers than Russia, limiting the reach of the United States in Antarctica.

出自-2016年12月阅读原文

American scientists complain about lack of sufficient money and equipment for their expansion in Antarctica.

出自-2016年12月阅读原文

He tells the story of a patient, a first-time mother who complained that her young son was always clinging to her, wrapping himself around her legs wherever she went.

出自-2013年12月阅读原文

A mother who is always complaining about being overweight or old sends the message that women are supposed to be thin and young.

出自-2013年6月阅读原文

I made an effort to get my supervisor to transfer me to another department, but he urged me not to complain too loudly, because the administration is more likely to replace me than the X-ray equipment.

出自-2012年12月听力原文

What does the woman complain about

出自-2012年12月听力原文

Swedish people always complain that when they visit England, the houses are cold even in the good winter.

出自-2011年12月听力原文

: What do Swedish people complain about when they visit England in winter

出自-2011年12月听力原文

What do some people who write to the man complain about?

出自-2010年12月听力原文

If we complained about not having what another kid did, we'd hear something like, "I don't care what so–and–so got for his birthday, you are not getting a TV in your room/a car for your birthday/a lavish sweet-16 party."

2016年高考英语浙江卷(6月) 阅读理解 阅读D 原文

One of their neighbors had written to complain about the sound of the piano.

2015年高考英语北京卷 完形填空 原文

Some complain of unfriendly coworkers and feel sad for eight-hour workweeks devoted to tasks they hate.

2015年高考英语浙江卷 完形填空 原文

The students began complaining about how cold it would be.

2018年高考英语天津卷 阅读理解 阅读D 原文

When we complained about the terrible smell, dad said the stronger the manure, the healthier the crops, and he was right.

2015年高考英语四川卷 阅读理解 阅读B 原文

Social scientists who complain about a lack of funding should not expect more in today’s economic climate.

出自-2013年考研阅读原文

As much as some scientists may complain about the new awards, two things seem clear.

出自-2014年考研阅读原文

Even so, employers complain they aren't given all the workers they need.

2019年考研真题(英语二)阅读理解 Section Ⅱ

Social scientists who complain about a lack of funding should not expect more in today's economic climate.

2013年考研真题(英语一)阅读理解 Section Ⅱ

Toward the end of the evening I commented that women frequently complain that their husbands don't talk to them.

2010年考研真题(英语二)阅读理解 Section Ⅱ

实用场景例句


I'm going to complain to the manager about this.
我要就这件事向经理投诉。

牛津词典

She never complains, but she's obviously exhausted.
她虽然从不抱怨,但显然已疲惫不堪。

牛津词典

The defendant complained of intimidation during the investigation.
被告申诉在调查期间受到了恐吓。

牛津词典

He complained bitterly that he had been unfairly treated.
他愤懑地诉说他所受到的不公平待遇。

牛津词典

‘It's not fair, ’ she complained.
“这不公平。”她抱怨道。

牛津词典

(informal)‘How are you? ’ ‘Oh, I can't complain (= I'm all right) . ’
“你好吗?”“啊,没的抱怨的。”

牛津词典

She left early, complaining of a headache.
她说自己头疼,很早就离开了。

牛津词典

He complained of a headache.
他说头痛。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

The American couple complained about the high cost of visiting Europe...
这对美国夫妇抱怨到欧洲旅行的花销太高。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

Miners have complained bitterly that the government did not fulfill their promises...
矿工们愤愤不平地抱怨说政府没有履行诺言。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

He didn't half complain!
他很不满意!

《简明英汉词典》

You are really an ungrateful wretch to complain instead of thanking him.
你不但不谢他,还埋怨他,真不知好歹.

《现代汉英综合大词典》

We have nothing to complain of.
我们没有什么可发牢骚的.

《现代汉英综合大词典》

She has to complain against the slight injuries.
她不得不诉说这轻微的伤害.

《简明英汉词典》

He started to complain about this wicked world.
他开始对这个邪恶的世界发牢骚了.

《用法词典》

I have to complain against him because of his rudeness.
我不得不申诉他的无礼.

《简明英汉词典》

They said that her husband used to knock her around but they had never heard her complain.
他们说她丈夫曾对她拳打脚踢,但从没听她诉过苦.

《简明英汉词典》

Don't complain of being hard up before me!
不要在我面前哭穷!

《现代汉英综合大词典》

They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.
他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉.

《简明英汉词典》

She wrote an impassioned letter to her local newspaper to complain about the new road.
她给当地的报纸写了一封措辞激烈的信,抱怨新修的马路.

《简明英汉词典》

Complain to the boy's mother, not to me.
找孩子的母亲说去, 别找我.

《简明英汉词典》

I'm going to complain to the manager about this.
我要就这件事向经理投诉。

《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》

Then they had the gall to complain!
而且他们居然还有脸抱怨!

《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》

I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't.
我极想发牢骚,但还是没开口。

《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》

Nurses complain of being overworked and underpaid .
护士抱怨工作劳累过度而报酬过低。

《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》

He came to complain about the volume of the music.
他过来抱怨音乐的音量太高了。

柯林斯例句

Residents complain about being harassed on the street, roughed up, sometimes even shaken down for their money.
居民们抱怨在街上遭到骚扰和攻击,有时甚至被抢钱的人搜身。

柯林斯例句