1 to make a deep, long sound showing great pain or unhappiness: --
She's always moaning and groaning (= complaining a lot) about the weather.
[ + speech ] "Not again," he groaned (= said in a low unhappy voice).
2 a low, sad sound that is continued for a while and that is made by someone who is suffering from pain or unhappiness: --
Nick let out a groan.
The judiciary are now required to preside over a system of criminal and civil justice increasingly groaning under the strain of under-resourcing and understaffing.
More than that, millions now groaning under the iron yoke of tyranny will be given new hope of life.
I am extremely glad that recruiting is good and that we have not heard moans and groans about recruiting.
They have said, first, that industry has been groaning under a burden of taxation.
There has been moaning and groaning, but people have carried on.
I am sorry to hear some groans behind me.
They, together with the teachers, civil servants and gas workers, who have all been groaning under the burden, are sent empty away.
The whole country is groaning under a burden of taxation so heavy that it is materially diminishing our chance of recovery.
