groan about (someone or something)
To complain or gripe about someone or something. I turned the thermostat up, so you all can stop groaning about how cold it is in here, thanks. Michael, as long as you have long hair, Grandma is going to groan about it—you better get used to it. Oh boy, which dead president is Grandpa groaning about today?
groan box
slang An accordion. Sorry, I gave all of my change to the guy playing the groan-box in the subway station. Most kids his age want to play the drums or electric guitar, but he has always had a fascination with the squeezebox, of all things. My granddad could liven up any room just by picking up his groan box and playing some jaunty tune.
groan out
To say something in a low, guttural tone, often with difficulty or in a labored manner. A noun or pronoun can be used between "groan" and "out." Luckily, the patient managed to groan her symptoms out before collapsing. He struggled to groan out his address to the 911 dispatcher. Before the paramedics took her away, was the victim able to groan out anything, like her name or what happened?
groan under (someone or something)
1. Literally, to be in danger of collapsing due to supporting something that is too heavy. Come on, the shelves are practically groaning under the weight of all those books—can't we remove a few of them? What are we going to do? The pallets are just about groaning under the weight of all those crates, and we don't have a forklift here! I'm not surprised this whole thing came tumbling down—the boxes on the bottom have been groaning under the boxes on top for a while now.
2. To struggle with some sort of burden or difficulty (emotional, psychological, financial, etc.). The average person will certainly groan under these strict new laws. After months of groaning under the weight of depression on my own, I finally started seeing a therapist. It's been almost a year since my husband died. How long am I going to have to groan under the pain of grief?
groan under the weight of (something)
To be in danger of collapsing due to supporting something that is too heavy. Come on, the shelves are practically groaning under the weight of all those books—can't we remove a few of them? What are we going to do? The pallets are just about groaning under the weight of all those crates, and we don't have a forklift here! I'm not surprised this whole thing came tumbling down—the boxes on the bottom have been groaning under the weight of the boxes on top for a while now.
groan with (something)
To utter a groan for a particular reason (stated after "with"). The patient groaned with discomfort as the doctor examined his injured leg. At first, I thought the victim was unconscious, but then she groaned with pain. Dad groaned with annoyance when he opened my lackluster report card.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
groan about someone or something
to complain about someone or something. What are you groaning about? She is groaning about her work.
groan something out
to say something with a groan. He groaned the name out. He groaned out the name of his assailant before he passed out.
groan under something
1. Lit. to groan while bearing a heavy burden. He groaned under the weight of the trunk. The rafters groaned under the heavy weight of the pianos.
2. Fig. to suffer under a burden. For years, the people had groaned under the cruel ruler. England groaned under the rule of Cromwell just as he had groaned under King Charles.
groan with something
to groan because of something, such as pain. She groaned with pain, but no one helped her. I think the old man was groaning with boredom more than anything else.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.