whinge
/wɪndʒ/ (bre, ipa) · /wɪndʒ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈ(h)winj/ (ame, mw)
whinge — verb
- whingepresent simple I / you / we / they
- whinges3rd person singular
- whinging-ing form
- whingedpast simple
1. to keep complaining in an irritating way, especially about small or unimportant
to keep complaining in an irritating way, especially about small or unimportant things that most people would ignore
Liam spent the whole bus ride whinging about the air conditioning being too cold.
whinge + about + noun phrase (object of complaint)
The chef grew tired of customers whinging that the soup was not hot enough.
whinge + that-clause for content of complaint
Stop whinging and finish your vegetables — they are perfectly cooked.
Femi whinged to his flatmate that the shower pressure was far too weak.
There is no point whinging about the weather when you chose Ireland in January.
- whine
American equivalent; also used for animals and mechanical sounds, while 'whinge' is specifically human and British
- grumble
less intense; a grumble is a quiet, half-spoken complaint, whereas a whinge is more noticeable and repeated
- moan
similar register, but 'moan' can also describe physical discomfort or pain, not just annoyance
文法句型
whinge + about + noun phrase
whinge + that-clause
whinge + to + person + about + noun phrase
用法筆記
Almost exclusively British and informal. In American English, 'whine' is the usual equivalent. Frequently takes the pattern 'whinge about something' or 'whinge that + clause'.
常見錯誤
whinge — noun
1. a repeated complaint about something small or unimportant, delivered in a tone t
a repeated complaint about something small or unimportant, delivered in a tone that other people find irritating to listen to
The team meeting turned into a long whinge about the broken coffee machine.
a [adjective] whinge about [something]
Ayana had a good whinge on the phone after the landlord raised the rent.
have a whinge (colloquial phrase pattern)
His weekly whinge about the trains arriving late became a running joke in the office.
I do not mind a genuine complaint, but a pointless whinge helps nobody.
- complaint
neutral and formal; 'whinge' adds a tone of triviality and irritation that plain 'complaint' lacks
- gripe
similar register; 'gripe' focuses on annoyance about a specific issue, whereas 'whinge' emphasises the repetitive nature
- moan
overlaps in register; 'moan' can be used for physical pain as well as verbal complaint
- compliment
a positive expression of appreciation
文法句型
have a whinge about [something]
a whinge about [something]
用法筆記
Often used in light-hearted or exasperated contexts, especially in phrases like 'have a whinge' or 'a bit of a whinge'. Less common in formal writing.