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grum·ble

(grŭmbəl)

v. grum·bled, grum·bling, grum·bles

v.intr.

1. To complain in a surly manner; mutter discontentedly: "The governed will always find something to grumble about" (Crane Brinton).

2. To rumble or growl.

v.tr.

To express in a grumbling discontented manner: grumbled a rude response.

1. A muttered complaint.

2. A rumble; a growl.

[Probably Dutch grommelen, to mutter, from Middle Dutch, frequentative of grommen.]

grumbler n.

grumbling·ly adv.

grumbly adj.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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