different between complain vs wambulance

English

Etymology

From Middle English complaynen, from Old French complaindre, from Medieval Latin complangere (“to bewail, complain”), from Latin com- (“together”) + plangere (“to strike, beat, as the breast in extreme grief, bewail”); see plain, plaint.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?m?ple?n/
• Rhymes: -e?n

Verb

complain (third-person singular simple present complains, present participle complaining, simple past and past participle complained)

1. (intransitive) To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment.
2. (intransitive) To make a formal accusation or bring a formal charge.
3. To creak or squeak, as a timber or wheel.

Synonyms

• grumble
• grouse
• grump
• bitch
• beef
• gripe
• whine
• kvetch
• moan
• whinge
• See also Thesaurus:complain

Translations

Further reading

• complain in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• complain in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• amplicon

English

Alternative forms

• waaambulance
• waambulance
• wahmbulance
• whambulance

Etymology

Blend of wah +? ambulance. The earliest known usage was in the 2000 Disney film The Kid, and it may have been first used in this film.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?wæm.bj?.l?ns/
• Hyphenation: wam?bu?lance

Noun

wambulance (plural wambulances)

1. (slang) A notional ambulance called to the scene when somebody is upset; used in dismissive responses to oversensitive complaining.
   • 2000, Disney's The Kid

     Russ Duritz (Bruce Willis): Waaaaaah. Waaaaaaah. Somebody call the wambulance.

   • 2001, "jim", Outrageous!!! (on newsgroup rec.aviation.piloting)

     Someone call the Wambulance. Dudley I am so sick of hearing you bitch about how everybody is not suffering enough.

   • 2007, "Rodney Parker", What a game! (on newsgroup alt.sports.football.pro.dallas-cowboys)

     Funny how we didn't see a single post in this NG from "Ron" or Holder during the game. Not surprising, but funny anyway. I'm sure they'll surface sometime. As a precaution, I've already called the wambulance for them.

See also

• world's smallest violin