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to crab

to crab

1 7.3
To complain in a small, repeated way
  • verb
  • /kræb/
  • Informal
translation icon : quejarse
  • - Say, are you trying to crab our act?

Examples

Synonyms

to bitch
vsto crab
  • NSFW
311 8.1

To complain a lot in an annoying way

is similar petty grumbling but less coarse or hostile in tone
to whine
vsto crab
  • Informal
211 2.8

To complain in a high, annoying voice

is similar persistent displeasure but without the high pitched voice
to beef
vsto crab
  • Slang
59 8.4

To complain in an angry way about something

is more about petty persistent grumbling than open hostile argument
to gripe
vsto crab
  • Informal
38 5.6

To complain repeatedly about small things

is the steady petty grumbling rather than single pointed protests
to harp
vsto crab
  • Informal
30 6.6

To keep complaining about something in a way that annoys people

is persistent petty complaining but not only repetitive speech
to holler
vsto crab
  • Informal
15 8.0

To complain loudly about something you think is unfair

is focused on constant petty grumbling rather than public outcry
to grouse
vsto crab
  • UK
8 7.4

To complain about small unimportant things

is the same persistent petty complaining rather than broad criticism
to bitch and moan
vsto crab
  • NSFW
8 9.6

To complain a lot in an annoying way

is similar persistent petty grumbling but may be less bluntly rude
to squawk
vsto crab
  • Informal
7 6.0

To complain loudly in a way that annoys other people

is steady petty grumbling rather than loud or angry protest
to grumble about
vsto crab
6 4.1

To complain quietly about something you do not like

is the same persistent petty tone but not limited to quiet speech
to carp
vsto crab
5 7.9

To complain about small or unimportant things

is general petty grumbling rather than focused fault finding
to kvetch
vsto crab
  • Informal
4 9.9

To complain often about small things

is similar but focuses on petty nagging rather than general displeasure
to piss and moan
vsto crab
  • Offensive
4 9.9

To complain a lot about small things and annoy others

is persistent petty complaining but not necessarily repeatedly whining
to grump
vsto crab
1 4.9

To complain when you are in a bad mood

is the steady petty grumbling rather than general bad mood
to bellyache
vsto crab
  • Informal
1 6.8

To complain a lot in an annoying way

is persistent petty complaint but not always excessive
to grouch
vsto crab
1 6.4

To complain in a bad-tempered way

is ongoing petty complaint rather than a sulky attitude alone
to grizzle
vsto crab
  • UK
8.2

To complain in a sulky, childish way about small things

is persistent petty grumbling but without the childish tone
to gruntled
vsto crab
  • Archaic
9.9

To complain quietly because you are unhappy

is the same petty persistent mood rather than a single complaint
to grutch
vsto crab
  • Archaic
9.9

To complain in a quiet, old-fashioned way

is everyday petty persistent grumbling rather than literary wording

Antonyms

342 1.6

A polite remark that praises someone or something

161 1.0

Words or actions that show admiration for someone

Compounds

5 1.4

Legs of a crab often served as food, like king or snow crabs

4 3.6

A small sea animal with a soft body that lives in empty shells for protection

2 8.2

The remains of a star explosion that people first saw in 1054 in the constellation Taurus

horseshoe crab
  • Specialized
2 7.8

A large sea animal with a hard shell shaped like a horseshoe and a long pointed tail

A crab with a soft new shell that people often eat whole

2 3.4

A bluish crab that lives on North America's Atlantic and Gulf coasts and is eaten for its sweet meat

1 4.5

A small sour apple or the tree that grows it often used to make jam

1 2.8

Meat from the legs of a large cold water crab that people eat as a delicacy

1 4.1

A large edible crab with a hard shell found in Florida and southern US waters, often eaten for its meat

1 5.1

A large edible crab that lives along the Pacific coast of North America

Cold cooked crab meat served with a sour or spicy sauce as a starter

A very large crab that lives in cold northern seas near Alaska with a spiny shell and sweet meat

A crab that has a hard outer covering because it has not recently shed its skin

1 4.5

A small sea animal with a hard shell that lives on rocky shores

A crab that recently shed its shell so it is soft and people eat it whole

Bechtel crab
  • Specialized
9.9

A small crabapple tree grown for its large double pink flowers

A star sign shown by a crab for people born between June 21 and July 22

8.8

A small crab with bright spots on its shell found on sandy beaches

A small tree that makes red sour fruit used for jam

5.5

A cold salad of crab meat and lettuce with a creamy dressing

crab louse
  • Specialized
9.8

A small insect that lives in pubic hair and other body hair and makes the skin itch

crab mentality
  • Philippine
8.2

A habit of trying to pull others down when they succeed because you feel jealous

A South American cactus with stem sections often kept indoors for its bright red flowers

A grass with stems that spread along the ground and root, often a weed in lawns

A wild dog that eats crabs and other water animals

A wild animal like a small dog from northern South America that eats crabs and small animals

crab-eating macaque
  • Philippine
8.2

A monkey from Southeast Asia that often eats crabs and lives near rivers

A small South American mammal that lives near water and eats crabs

Small wild animal that lives near water and eats crabs and other small water animals

A silvery grey seal from Antarctica that eats mainly small sea animals with shells

cultivated crab apple
  • Specialized
6.1

A small apple tree grown for its tart fruit or pretty spring flowers

The meat from a large Pacific crab, often sweet and tender

A small crab with spots on its shell that lives on the coasts of England

2.8

The meat from the legs of large cold water crabs that people eat

3.2

A large crab you can eat that lives in cold northern seas near Alaska and Japan

A large crab that lives in cold northern Pacific waters near Alaska and Japan

Meat from the legs of a large crab that lives in cold northern waters, usually sweet and tender

The sweet meat from the legs of a very large crab that lives in cold northern seas near Alaska

A medium-sized tree with pink blossoms and small yellow fruit

A small crab with a bright, spotted shell that lives on sandy east coast beaches of the United States

A sea animal with a hard shell and a long tail spine that lives on Asian coasts

A large crab with long legs and a spiny shell that lives in European coastal waters

7.0

A small crab that lives on coasts and digs burrows, whose males have one large claw they wave

A small tree or shrub with pretty flowers planted in gardens

3.2

A large spiny crab that lives in cold northern seas

8.4

A small crab with bright purple spots on its shell that lives on sandy Atlantic beaches

A tropical sea animal like a crab that lives in burrows and uses large front claws to catch prey

9.9

A medium-sized tree from the eastern United States with pink blossoms and small yellow fruit

A very large sea crab from Japan that lives in deep water with very long legs

A small wild apple tree with fragrant pink spring flowers

9.3

A small wild apple tree that grows in the western United States and has fragrant pink flowers

Meat from crabs caught in Japan that is often sold in cans for food

8.2

A large red crab from the east coast of North America eaten as seafood

A small tree with white flowers and small yellow or red fruit

A small soft crab that lives inside the shell of an oyster

9.9

A very small soft crab that lives inside shellfish like oysters

9.5

A wild crab apple tree with fragrant pink flowers

A sea crab with back legs flat like paddles that help it swim in shallow coastal water

9.9

A small tree that makes tart red apples used to make jam

A small hardy tree that makes sour red apples used for jam

A small tree or shrub from the southeastern United States grown for its pretty pink spring flowers

A sea crab with very long legs and a small triangular body

A wild small apple tree with sweet-smelling pink flowers

7.4

A small apple tree from Europe that is a main ancestor of the apples we grow

How Complaining

to rant
  • Informal
70 4.8
to gripe
  • Informal
38 5.6
to crab
  • Informal
1 7.3
to grumble
41 3.7
to mutter
140 3.7

Surface Forms

crab infinitive
crabbed past
crabbed past participle
crabbing present participle
crabs third person singular

Etymology

Crab meaning to complain comes from calling someone a crab (a grouch), so to 'crab' is to grumble or nag like a person who is constantly unhappy.