moan

To moan means to make a low, sad sound when you're unhappy or uncomfortable. It can also mean to complain softly about something.

When we think of someone moaning, we often imagine them lying down on their side with their mouth open, making that deep and pitiful sound. But it's not just physical pain or discomfort that makes people moan - they might be feeling really sad or stressed out too. For example, if your friend loses their favorite pet, you might hear them moaning about how much they miss the animal. If you're feeling anxious before a big test, you might start to moan quietly to yourself, worried about doing poorly.

As for using "moan" as a verb, it's not that different from the other meanings - if something is making a low sound or causing discomfort, we can say it's moaning too. Like when a car's engine starts to moan and sputter on an empty tank. So even though there are different ways to use "moan", they all have to do with sounds, feelings of sadness or stress, or things that aren't working properly.