grumble

English

Etymology

Probably from Middle French grommeler, from Old French grumeler (“to murmur, grumble”), from Middle Dutch *grommelen ("to murmur, mutter, grunt"; > Modern Dutch grommelen (“to grumble”)), frequentative of Middle Dutch grommen (“to growl, grunt”). Cognate with Middle Low German grummelen (> Low German grummeln (“to grumble”)), German grummeln (“to grumble”), Norwegian dialectal grymja (“to growl, grunt”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡɹʌmbl̩/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌmbəl

Noun

grumble (plural grumbles)

1. (onomatopoeia) A low thundering, rumbling or growling sound.
2. The sound made by a hungry stomach.
3. A surly complaint.

   That whiner is never without a grumble to share.

Derived terms

• grumbly

Translations

Verb

grumble (third-person singular simple present grumbles, present participle grumbling, simple past and past participle grumbled)

1. (intransitive) To make a low, growling or rumbling noise, like a hungry stomach or certain animals.

   The distant thunder grumbles.

   • 1995, Terry C. Johnston, Dance on the Wind, page 15:

     It made his stomach grumble in protest to think the mule was eating, and here he was worrying about her with an empty belly of his own.

2. (intransitive) To complain; to murmur or mutter with discontent; to make ill-natured complaints in a low voice and a surly manner.

   He grumbles about the food constantly, but has yet to learn to cook.

3. (transitive) To utter in a grumbling fashion.
   • 2001, Harry Willcox Pfanz, Gettysburg — the first day:

     He grumbled that there was no grain "in the country" and that people were talking instead of working to provide it.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:complain

Derived terms

• begrumble
• grumbler
• mustn't grumble

Translations

See also

• rumble