Complain v.

Forms: 4 compleign(e, 4–6 pleyn(e, -pleine, 5 -plane, 5–6 -playn(e, 6 -plene, 6–7 -plaine, 6– complain. [ME. compleigne, f. F. complaign- stem of complaindre (cf. pres. conj. complaigne) to manifest compassion, bewail = It. compiangere:—late L. complang-ĕre to bewail, f. L. com- intensive + plangĕre to lament, bewail, orig. to strike, beat, beat the breast or head in sign of grief.]

  I.  To give expression to sorrow or suffering.

  † 1.  trans. To bewail, lament, deplore. Obs.

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Troylus, IV. 1142. He longe hadde hire compleyned. Ibid. (c. 1386), Clerk’s T., 474. They mowe wel be biwaylit or compleynit. Ibid., Doctor’s T., 239. Ȝeue me leue, fader myn … My deþ for to compleyne a litel space.

c. 1450.  Merlin, ii. 24. They complayned here grete losse.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccxx. 283. To complayne the dethe of the kyng.

1647.  Crashaw, Music’s Duel, Poems, 91. Whose trembling murmurs … Run to and fro, complaining his sweet cares.

1700.  Dryden, Fables (1721), 183.

  † b.  To utter in complaint; to compose as a complaint. Obs.

c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., 1744, Lucrece. Hire wordis that she hath compleynyd.

1595.  Spenser, Col. Clout, 513. She to whom Daphnaida Vpon her neeces death I did complaine.

  † 2.  refl. [so OF. se complaindre.] To bewail oneself, lament, utter one’s lamentations. Obs.

c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., 1964, Ariadne. Thesyus compleynede hym be nyghte.

1483.  Caxton, G. de la Tour, F v. He … dyd complayne hymself to his wyf.

1593.  Shaks., Lucr., 598. To all the host of heaven I complain me.

1619.  W. Sclater, Expos. 1 Thess. (1630), 534. The Apostle complaines him heauily of sinne dwelling in him.

  † 3.  intr. To give expression to sorrow; to make moan, lament. Const. to, unto another, for an object. Obs.

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Compl. Mars., 136. Compleyneth eke ye lovers alle in fere For her.

1430.  Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. v. That myghtest well complayn & make dole.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, cxvii. 414. When Huon saw this shyppe arryue at the porte he greatly complaynyd for them, and sayd.

1633.  P. Fletcher, Elisa, II. xxiii. Remember measure in your griefs complaining.

1647.  Cowley, Mistr., Vain Love (1669), 18. What Lover can like me complain, Who first lov’d vainly, next in vain!

  b.  with subord. clause.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Wife’s Prol., 758. Oon Latumyus Compleigned unto his felaw Arrius, That [etc.].

1509.  Fisher, Fun. Serm. C’tess Richmond, Wks. 292. Ful often she complayned that in her youthe she had not gyuen her to the vnderstondynge of latyn.

  4.  intr. (formerly also refl.) To give sign of physical suffering or pain, to suffer, to be ailing. (Now dial.) Cf. COMPLAINT 6.

1607.  Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1673), 331. The Horse immediately had the use of his leg … and went also safe home without complaining thereof ever after.

1616.  Surfl. & Markh., Country Farme, 144. When the horse complaineth himselfe, and his flankes be swolne … by hauing eaten some bad Hay. Ibid., 721. If you see that she complaine her selfe of sicknesse, put into her water-pot some sixe chyres of Saffron.

1654.  Codrington, trans. Hist. Ivstine, 200. His body became so extreamly tender, that he complained at the touches of his friends.

1731.  Swift, On his Death.

1796.  H. MacNeill, Waes o’ War, 22.

Mod. Sc.  He’s always complaining [i.e., ailing].

  b.  with a mixture of 2, and associated with 6: To complain of: to let it be known that one is suffering from (any pain, or feeling of illness).

1792.  Burns, Song, ‘What can a young Lassie,’ ii. He’s always compleenin frae mornin to e’enin, He hosts and he hirples the weary day lang.

c. 1850.  Arab. Nts. (Rtldg.), 594. He … complained of a violent pain that had suddenly seized his head.

1890.  Wallace, Schopenhauer, 212. Complaining that something was amiss with the beating of his heart.

Mod.  What does the patient complain of? She complains frequently of headaches.

  II.  The expression of suffering passing into that of grievance and blame.

  † 5.  refl. = next. Const. of. Obs.

1393.  Gower, Conf., III. 245. Whereof nature her hath compleigned Unto the god.

c. 1450.  Merlin, v. 80. That he sholde a-mende alle the fautes whereof thei cowde hem complayne.

1532.  Elyot, Lett., 8 Dec., in Gov. (1883), p. lxxxix. The infelicitie that I complayne me of.

1631.  E. Pelham, God’s Power, in Churchill, Voy. (1704), IV. 817/1. Leisure … to complain ourselves of our … miserable conditions.

  6.  intr. To give expression to feelings of ill-usage, dissatisfaction, or discontent; to murmur, grumble. a. simply, and const. against (at).

1393.  Gower, Conf., II. 203. These olde men … ayein the king Among hem self compleignen ofte.

1570.  G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden Soc.), 1. I … have bene alwais very loth to complain.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., II. vii. 14. And having not, complaine, and having it, upbrayd.

1611.  Bible, Numb. xi. 1. When the people complained, it displeased the Lord.

1771.  Goldsm., Hist. Eng., II. 31. The people complained at those extortions they could not resist.

1856.  Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. iii. 192. To complain against the justice of the [consistory] courts being to complain against the Church.

1876.  J. H. Newman, Hist. Sk., II. II. ii. 238. He had that noble spirit which complains as little as possible.

  † b.  Const. on, upon. (Also with indirect passive.) Obs. exc. poet. In early use not very far from sense 1: cf. ‘to cry out upon.’

c. 1430.  Lydg., Hors, Shepe & G., 151. He cryethe affter peasse … compleynnythe vppon þe werres sore.

a. 1500.  Nut-Brown Maid, i. These men … On women do complayne.

1602.  Carew, Cornwall, 72 a. My deare friends, I come to complaine upon you, but to your selues.

1612.  Shelton, Quix., I. i. I do justly complain on your Beauty.

1659.  Burton’s Diary (1823), IV. 356. They took them away upon prudentials now so much complained on.

a. 1850.  Rossetti, Dante & Circ., I. (1874), 169. Ye complain on God and on my sway.

  c.  Const. of. (Also with indirect passive.) Now the leading use.

1584.  Powel, Lloyd’s Cambria, 347. All men that Complaine of any of his men.

1651.  Hobbes, Leviath., II. xviii. 90. He that complaineth of injury from his Soveraigne.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 127, ¶ 3. The Heat they complain of cannot be in the Weather.

1750.  Gray, Elegy, iii. The mopeing owl does to the moon complain Of such, as … Molest her ancient solitary reign.

1856.  Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), II. viii. 255. The government could persuade themselves that evils no longer complained of had ceased to exist.

  d.  with clause. (Also with impers. passive.)

1542.  Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 227 a. When it was complained vnto Augustus, that one Erotes [etc.].

a. 1600.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., VIII. vii. § 6. Of the people S. Jerome complaineth that their judgements … went much awry.

1667.  Milton, P. L., II. 550. Others … complain that Fate Free Vertue should enthrall to Force or Chance.

1710.  Swift, Lett. (1767), III. 43. Mr. Harley complained he could keep nothing from me.

1728.  North, Mem. Musick (1846), 51. It is complained that the Emperor spent his time … with hearing of Organs.

1875.  Jowett, Plato, (ed. 2), I. 55. Ctesippus complained that we were talking in secret.

  † 7.  trans. = Complain of, 6 c. Obs.

1509.  Barclay, Shyp of Folys (1874), I. 302. Suche oft complayne the charge of pouerte.

1533.  Bellenden, Livy, III. (1822), 243. Thre legatis … complening the injuris done be the Equis.

a. 1593.  Marlowe, Dido, I. Our ships … That do complain the wounds of thousand waves.

  8.  intr. (orig. refl.) spec. To make a formal statement of a grievance to or before a competent authority; to lodge a complaint, bring a charge. Const. as in 6.

c. 1449.  Pecock, Repr., 395. The lay peple ouȝten Compleyne hem to the Iugis of the preestes and clerkes so trespacing.

c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, iii. 89. I complayne me to you of the foure sonnes of Aymon. Ibid. (1489), Faytes of A., IV. v. 242. He dide his deuoire to complayne bifore theire iustyce.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. vii., heading. Howe the quene of Ingland went and complayned her to the kyng of Fraunce … of Syr Hewe Spencer.

1598.  Grenewey, Tacitus’ Ann., III. vi. (1622), 73. Domitius Corbulo, who had beene Pretor, complained before the Lords of the Senate on L. Sulla a noble young man, that he gave him not the place at a play of fencers.

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., s.v. Complain, One man threatening to complain of another, is saying that he will report misconduct to the officer in charge of the quarter-deck.

  III.  9. transf. and fig. To emit a mournful sound.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 511. Creaking Grashoppers on Shrubs complain.

1708.  Pope, Ode St. Cecilia, i. 6. In a sadly-pleasing strain Let the warbling lute complain.

1832.  Tennyson, Lady Shalott, IV. i. The broad stream in his banks complaining.

  b.  Naut. To groan or creak from over-straining.

1722.  Lond. Gaz., No. 6. 118/7. The Storm made the … Sloop complain so much.

1772–84.  Cook, Voy. (1790), VI. 2237. Our rudder having been for some time complaining, and … reported to be in a dangerous state.

1853.  Kane, Grinnell Exp., xxix. (1856), 253. The nipping caused our timbers to complain sadly.

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Complain, the creaking of masts, or timbers, when over-pressed.