groan

CEFRC1

/ˈɡɹəʊ̯n/

verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To make a low sound because of pain, tiredness, or annoyance.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    A low creaking sound from applied pressure or weight.

Examples

  • I am tired of hearing you moan and groan.

  • The wooden table groaned under the weight of the banquet.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5

Also pronounced

  • /ˈɡɹoʊ̯n/
  • /ɡɾon/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. A low, guttural sound uttered in frustration, disapproval, or ecstasy.

  2. To make a groan.

noun

Extra meaning

  1. A low, mournful sound uttered in pain or grief.

More examples

In context

  • Tom stifled a groan.

  • We groaned at his awful jokes.

  • let out a groan

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

When he lifted the very heavy box, he let out a loud blank.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle English gronen, granen, from Old English grānian (“to groan; lament; murmur”), from Proto-West Germanic *grainōn, from Proto-Germanic *grainōną (“to howl; weep”), from Proto-Germanic *grīnaną (“to whine; howl; whimper”). Cognate with Scots grain (“to cry, scream”), Dutch grijnen, grienen (“to cry; sob; blubber”), German Low German grienen (“to whimper; mewl”), German greinen (“to whine; whimper”), Swedish grina (“to howl; weep; laugh”). The noun is from Middle English gron, grone, from the verb.