Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To complain in a surly manner; mutter discontentedly.
  • intransitive verb To rumble or growl.
  • intransitive verb To express in a grumbling discontented manner.
  • noun A muttered complaint.
  • noun A rumble; a growl.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To make a low rumbling sound; mutter; growl.
  • To complain in a low, surly voice; murmur with discontent.
  • Synonyms To complain, repine, croak.
  • To express or utter in a grumbling or complaining manner.
  • noun The act of grumbling; a grumbling speech or remark.
  • noun A surly person.
  • noun plural A grumbling, discontented mood; a fit of the spleen.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The noise of one that grumbles.
  • noun A grumbling, discontented disposition.
  • transitive verb To express or utter with grumbling.
  • intransitive verb To murmur or mutter with discontent; to make ill-natured complaints in a low voice and a surly manner.
  • intransitive verb To growl; to snarl in deep tones.
  • intransitive verb To rumble; to make a low, harsh, and heavy sound; to mutter.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun onomatopoeia A low thundering, rumbling or growling sound
  • noun The sound made by a hungry stomach
  • noun A complaint
  • verb intransitive To make a low, growling or rumbling noise, like a hungry stomach or certain animals.
  • verb intransitive To complain.
  • verb transitive To utter in a grumbling fashion.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb make complaining remarks or noises under one's breath
  • noun a complaint uttered in a low and indistinct tone
  • noun a loud low dull continuous noise
  • verb make a low noise
  • verb to utter or emit low dull rumbling sounds
  • verb show one's unhappiness or critical attitude

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Probably Dutch grommelen, to mutter, from Middle Dutch, frequentative of grommen.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Probably from Middle French grommeler, from Middle Dutch grommen (modern Dutch grommelen). Cognate with grim.

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Examples

  • Strike "is purely coincidental" * grumble grumble edit function grumble*

    Associated Press: Pet Owners Prefer McCain To "Petless" Obama 2009

  • Ai tellz again…NO DISSASEMBLE mai cheezurgerz….nao i has puts togevers…stoopy humin making me wastes cheezburger nommin tymes. grumble grumble*

    ur cheezburgers - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger? 2008

  • I didn't get my nap in. * grumble grumble* Should go get some now. just you & me

    moschikat Diary Entry moschikat 2003

  • HIMYM and House just barely make up for no Chuck * grumble grumble*.

    Pajiba Intern Rusty 2010

  • Not that this really con­cerns most of you out there because you don't have CR accounts * grumble grumble*

    Anime Nano! 2010

  • My strikethroughs looked right in preview. * grumble grumble*

    Pajiba 2010

  • Not that this really con­cerns most of you out there because you don't have CR accounts * grumble grumble*

    Anime Nano! 2010

  • Not that this really con­cerns most of you out there because you don't have CR accounts * grumble grumble*

    Anime Nano! 2010

  • This past week I had 'make-up' conferences, for the ones canceled last week (* grumble grumble*).

    Secrets of a Blue-Eyed Vixen 2009

  • September 22, 2008 at 8:51 am grumble grumble ….. stoopee bankz loaning munneez 2 peepz so dey kin buying howzez wen dey kant eben afford 2 buying gas…… grumble grumble …mebbee if deh oil kumpaneez didnt b getting awl ower munneez, peepz kud afford deh morgij paymintz…..grumble grumble …. mebbee deh oil kumpaneez shud bailing owt deh bankz……grumble grumble…… stoopee pawleetishunz letting fingz git so owtta kuntrol…. grumble grumble …poyntin finners at ee chudderz adn duin nuffin …. grumble grumble …..

    U need - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger? 2008

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