GROAN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does groan mean? 

• GROAN (noun)
  The noun GROAN has 1 sense:

1. an utterance expressing pain or disapproval

  Familiarity information: GROAN used as a noun is very rare.

• GROAN (verb)
  The verb GROAN has 1 sense:

1. indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure

  Familiarity information: GROAN used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GROAN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An utterance expressing pain or disapproval

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

groan; moan

Hypernyms ("groan" is a kind of...):

utterance; vocalization (the use of uttered sounds for auditory communication)

Derivation:

groan (indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure)

• GROAN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they groan    ... he / she / it groans   
Past simple: groaned   
Past participle: groaned   
-ing form: groaning   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

groan; moan

Context example:

The ancient door soughed when opened

Hypernyms (to "groan" is one way to...):

emit; let loose; let out; utter (express audibly; utter sounds (not necessarily words))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sentence examples:

You can hear animals groan in the meadows
The meadows groan with animals

Derivation:

groan (an utterance expressing pain or disapproval)

groaner (a person who groans)

 Context examples 

She was interrupted by a deep groan from her husband; taking his hand in hers, she held it over her heart, and continued: You must read it over me some day.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Martin groaned and sweated and thrust his hands through his hair.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

As I softly withdrew I could hear him groaning, “God! God! God!”

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

“You mean well, Watson,” said the sick man with something between a sob and a groan.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“I might have known it!” he groaned. “He has escaped!”

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Look at me, marked until I die with his high displeasure; and moan and groan for what you made him!

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

“It was not the wife; it was the children,” groaned the prisoner.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

She groaned and sank her face in her hands.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But there was my brother, Kamo-tah, sick and groaning and with no meat; so I could not stay and fight with the men and the boys not yet hunters.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

My foot struck something yielding—it was a sleeper's leg; and he turned and groaned, but without awaking.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)