From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgroangroan1 /ɡrəʊn $ ɡroʊn/ ●○○ verb 1 SHOUT[intransitive] to make a long deep sound because you are in pain, upset, or disappointed, or because something is very enjoyable SYN moan The kids all groaned when I switched off the TV.groan with As she kissed him, Gary groaned with pleasure. Richard’s jokes make you groan rather than laugh.2 [intransitive, transitive] to complain about something SYN moan I’m tired of him moaning and groaning all the time. ‘It’s too hot!’ he groaned.3 CSHOUT[transitive] to make a low deep sound SYN moan The old tree groaned in the wind.4 DH[intransitive] if a table groans with food, there is a very large amount of food on it→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
groan• Bernard would lie awake for hours waging his nightly battle with carnality, slapping it down, groaning.• He wiped at his thighs with the sponge, the effort making him groan.• As usual, only Zack and Jane seemed in high spirits as everyone else groaned and complained.• The kids groaned and Mr Barraza grinned.• Gabriel heard Lucie groan as he sank down.• To her intense disappointment, he groaned as one in pain, and dragged himself off her.• Everyone groaned as Scott began to tell another one of his stupid jokes.• And, in spite of himself, he heard he was groaning quietly, like the men in the darkened room.• The shelves groaned under the weight of hundreds of books.• Mitchell groaned when he saw her old backpack, utilitarian relic of hippie days.moaning and groaning• Restless sleep, full of dreams of violence, nightmares, moaning and groaning.• The other people in the queue had obviously been waiting longer than I and were moaning and groaning.• There's no point in moaning and groaning.• He was moaning and groaning from the enormous weight of it.• As he lay on the floor of the Boesch's simple straw-covered house, moaning and groaning, I grew increasingly worried.groangroan2 noun [countable] 1 SHOUTa long deep sound that you make when you are in pain or do not want to do something SYN moan Casey let out a groan of protest.2 literaryC a long low deep sound The door opened with a groan.Examples from the Corpus
groan• The crowd let out a groan when the ball was dropped and the other team scored.• The headmaster went back to his chair and sank into it, with a groan.• Nor were the terrible creaks and groans so alarming now they could be identified.• The stone walls of our cottage groan and shudder as if tired of battling with the centuries of wind.• Though he, too, let out little groans now and then.• She heard muffled groans from the corner of the room by the television.• He didn't scream but she felt him tremble and he made a small, pathetic groan, like an angry puppy.• Drinks in hand, the crowd around me erupted with groans of exasperation, the kind usually reserved for terrible puns.Origin groan1 Old English granian 