Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Mourning; lamenting.

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

  • noun Poetic Complaint.
  • adjective Poetic Complaining.

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

  • verb Present participle of plain.
  • noun A lamentation.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • Pretty much just plaining entertaining, not much else.

    Sound Off: Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland - Thoughts? « FirstShowing.net 2010

  • And she kept plaining of what had befallen her and I of what had betided me; and love of her got so firm hold of my heart that all my wealth seemed a thing of naught in comparison with her.

    The Book of The Thousand Nights And A Night 2006

  • And before our homegrown, historical terrorist group could finish explaining this inexplicable phenomenon, that terrorist group abroad figured it had some 'plaining to do as well.

    Monroe Anderson: Obama's No Joke to Al Qaida and KKK 2008

  • It is a first which they are going to have to do some 'plaining about.

    CNN Transcript Mar 2, 2006 2006

  • Tom Rochford followed frowning, a plaining hand on his claret waistcoat. —

    Ulysses 2003

  • "You've got some ex - plaining to do yourself, like where do you think you're going?"

    Flint, the King Kirchoff, Mary 2003

  • Yet his tongue did not cease from plaining and his heart from sorrow.

    The Epic of Kings Firdausi 2002

  • He put his need to the chief of the ladies, a formidable dame with silver-streaked hair, ex-plaining the effect he wanted, and why.

    Elvenborn Lackey, Mercedes 2002

  • Then Rustem set up a wailing such as the earth hath not heard the like of, and he heaped reproaches upon himself, and he could not cease from plaining the son that was fallen by his hands.

    The Epic of Kings Firdausi 2002

  • Sighing, Ezri tried not to dwell on the irony of ex-plaining the concept of food replicators to someone who lived in a society that relied on them.

    Demons Of Air And Darkness DeCandido, Keith R. A. 2001

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