grumble

Etymology

Probably from Middle French grommeler, from Old French grumeler (“to murmur, grumble”), from Middle Dutch *grommelen ("to murmur, mutter, grunt"; > Modern Dutch grommelen (“to grumble”)), frequentative of Middle Dutch grommen (“to growl, grunt”). Cognate with Middle Low German grummelen (> Low German grummeln (“to grumble”)), German grummeln (“to grumble”), Norwegian dialectal grymja (“to growl, grunt”).

noun

1. (onomatopoeia) A low thundering, rumbling or growling sound.
2. The sound made by a hungry stomach.
3. A surly complaint.
   That whiner is never without a grumble to share.

verb

1. (intransitive) To make a low, growling or rumbling noise, like a hungry stomach or certain animals.
   The distant thunder grumbles.
   It made his stomach grumble in protest to think the mule was eating, and here he was worrying about her with an empty belly of his own. 1995, Terry C. Johnston, Dance on the Wind, page 15
2. (intransitive) To complain; to murmur or mutter with discontent; to make ill-natured complaints in a low voice and a surly manner.
   He grumbles about the food constantly, but has yet to learn to cook.
3. (transitive) To utter in a grumbling fashion.
   He grumbled that there was no grain "in the country" and that people were talking instead of working to provide it. 2001, Harry Willcox Pfanz, Gettysburg — the first day