groan

[grohn] /groʊn/
noun
1.
a low, mournful sound uttered in pain or grief:
the groans of dying soldiers.
2.
a deep, inarticulate sound uttered in derision, disapproval, desire, etc.
3.
a deep grating or creaking sound due to a sudden or continued overburdening, as with a great weight:
We heard the groan of the ropes as the crane lowered the heavy cargo into the ship's hold.
verb (used without object)
4.
to utter a deep, mournful sound expressive of pain or grief.
5.
to make a deep, inarticulate sound expressive of derision, disapproval, desire, etc.
6.
to make a sound resembling a groan; resound harshly:
The steps of the old house groaned under my weight.
7.
to be overburdened or overloaded.
8.
to suffer greatly or lamentably:
groaning under an intolerable burden.
verb (used with object)
9.
to utter or express with groans.
Origin
before 900; Middle English gronen, Old English grānian; cognate with German greinen to whine
Related forms
groaner, noun
groaningly, adverb
undergroan, noun
ungroaning, adjective
Can be confused
groan, grown (see synonym study at the current entry)
Synonyms
1. Groan, moan refer to sounds indicating deep suffering. A groan is a brief, strong, deep-throated sound emitted involuntarily under pressure of pain or suffering: The wounded man groaned when they lifted him. A moan is a prolonged, more or less continuous, low, inarticulate sound indicative of suffering, either physical or mental: She was moaning after the operation. She did not weep, but moaned softly.
Examples from the web for groaning
  • He stands between shelves groaning with tea pitchers and homemade pies.
  • Our conversation domination mostly takes the form of groaning.
  • groaning and clawing, neck twisted, white head scraping against the rock.
  • One of the hunters was bent over and groaning, and he started to wave me over to him, pointing to his nose.
  • It is as if the mountains themselves are groaning under the weight of their icy loads and they shift to ease their burdens.
  • The strong old tree was groaning behind such weight.
  • But what was more remarkable was the sound--a low-pitched groaning accompanying the sound of rushing water.
  • But the word itself is groaning under the weight of multiple meanings.
  • Small- and medium-sized businesses are groaning under the weight of their health care costs.
  • Small- and medium- sized businesses are groaning under the weight of their health care costs.
British Dictionary definitions for groaning

groan

/ɡrəʊn/
noun
1.
a prolonged stressed dull cry expressive of agony, pain, or disapproval
2.
a loud harsh creaking sound, as of a tree bending in the wind
3.
(informal) a grumble or complaint, esp a persistent one
verb
4.
to utter (low inarticulate sounds) expressive of pain, grief, disapproval, etc: they all groaned at Larry's puns
5.
(intransitive) to make a sound like a groan
6.
(intransitive, usually foll by beneath or under) to be weighed down (by) or suffer greatly (under): the country groaned under the dictator's rule
7.
(intransitive) (informal) to complain or grumble
Derived Forms
groaning, noun, adjective
groaningly, adverb
Word Origin
Old English grānian; related to Old Norse grīna, Old High German grīnan; see grin
Word Origin and History for groaning
n.

Old English granung, verbal noun from groan (v.). From 16c.-19c., and in dialect, also "a woman's lying in."

groan

v.

Old English granian "to groan, murmur, lament," from Proto-Germanic *grain- (cf. Old Norse grenja "to howl"), of imitative origin, or related to grin. Meaning "complain" is from early 13c., especially in Middle English phrase grutchen and gronen. Related: Groaned; groaning.

n.

late 14c., from groan (v); earlier grane (early 14c.).