bellyache

American  

[bel-ee-eyk] / ˈbɛl iˌeɪk /

noun

1. a pain in the abdomen or bowels.

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verb (used without object)

bellyached, bellyaching

1. to complain; grumble.

bellyache British  

/ ˈbɛlɪˌeɪk /

noun

1. an informal term for stomachache

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verb

1. slang (intr) to complain repeatedly

Other Word Forms

• bellyacher noun

Etymology

Origin of bellyache

belly + ache; bellyache def. 1 was first recorded in 1545–55, and bellyache def. 2, an Americanism, in 1885–90

Example Sentences

“Enough bellyaching. There’s work to be done,” he grumbled.

From Literature

All this yelling and bellyaching serves a pragmatic purpose: to distract from how what they're saying makes no sense.

From Salon

But Specktor is trying to do something subtler and more slippery than cataloging boldfaced names and bellyaching about how commerce has strangled art.

From Los Angeles Times

Adam Wren of Politico also wrote on Saturday about Vance's relentless bellyaching.

From Salon

He could not stop bellyaching about the military camp he attended.

From Literature