groan

7 definitions • 14 examples

a deep, long sound showing great pain or unhappiness:

We could hear the groans of the wounded soldiers.

a complaining noise or phrase:

groan of He looked at the piles of dirty dishes and gave a groan of dismay.

to make a deep, long sound showing great pain or unhappiness:

He collapsed, groaning with pain.

[ + speech ] "Not again," he groaned (= said in a low unhappy voice).

to complain or speak unhappily:

moan and groan She's always moaning and groaning (= complaining a lot) about the weather.

to carry or have a very large quantity of something:

At this time of year the plum trees are groaning with fruit.

His bookshelves groan under works by Turgenev, Chekhov, and Camus.

Souvenir stalls groan under the weight of tacky merchandise.

We were greeted by the sight of groaning buffet tables.

to find it difficult to manage or continue because you have too much of something:

After little investment in infrastructure for 25 years, the transport system is groaning.

The hospitals are already groaning with urgent cases.

Households are groaning under unprecedented amounts of debt.

They groan under the weight of too many expectations.

a low, sad sound that is continued for a while and that is made by someone who is suffering from pain or unhappiness:

Nick let out a groan.