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Gruff vs Complain - What's the difference?

gruff | complain |

As verbs the difference between gruff and complain

is that gruff is to speak gruffly while complain is to express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment.

As an adjective gruff

is having a rough, surly, and harsh demeanor and nature.

gruff

English

Adjective

(er)
  • having a rough, surly, and harsh demeanor and nature.
  • hoarse-voiced.

    • Quotations

    * 1727' "The manner of it was more after the pleasing Transports of those ancient Poets you are often charm'd with, than after the fierce unsociable way of modern Zealots; those starch'd '''gruff Gentlemen, who guard Religion as Bullys to a Mistress, and give us the while a very indifferent Opinion of their Lady's Merit, and their own Wit, by adoring what they neither allow to be inspected by others, nor care themselves to examine in a fair light." — Anthony Ashley Cooper Shaftesbury. ''Characteristicks of men, manners, opinions, times . Vol II. p218 * 1729' "They had no Titles of Honour among them, but such as denoted some Bodily Strength or Perfection, as such an one ''the Tall'', such an one ''the Stocky'', such an one the '''Gruff ." — Joseph Addison, Richard Steele. ''The Spectator. Vol VI, No 433. p146 * 1825' "Mr. Suberville, as well as she, surprised and pleased at this proof of politeness so unsuited to his gouty appearance and '''gruff manners, looked at him in astonishment, but were sorry to perceive him stoop down as if he had strained his leg in the exertion, while the pain it caused seemed to have driven every drop of his blood into his sallow face." — Thomas Colley Grattan. ''High-ways and by-ways. Vol III. p209-10

    Derived terms

    * gruffly * gruffness

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To speak gruffly.
  • * 2001 , Benny Hinn, He Touched Me: An Autobiography
    • “Who gave you that?” replied my father angrily. “Did you bribe someone?” “No,” I told him. “It was a gift, from some people who really want me to be on this trip.” “Fine,” he gruffed .
    ----

    complain

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment.
    • Joe was always complaining about the noise made by his neighbours.
  • * Milton
    • O loss of sight, of thee I most complain !
  • To make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge.
    • They've complained about me to the police again.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Now, Master Shallow, you'll complain of me to the king?
  • To creak or squeak, as a timber or wheel.
    • the complaining bed-springs

    Synonyms

    * grumble * grouse * grump * bitch * beef * gripe * whine * kvetch * moan * whinge * See also

    External links

    * *

    Anagrams

    * English reporting verbs