grievance

Everyday

1. A real or imagined unfair thing that makes someone feel upset and want to complain. tree →
2. (work, law) An official complaint by a worker about unfair treatment. tree →

In the lessons

In stories and history it explains why people feel wronged and why conflicts start; in adult life workers can raise a grievance. Phrases: have a grievance against, air a grievance, a sense of grievance, a list of grievances.

Examples

• He had a grievance against his neighbour about the noisy dog. tree →
• The workers took their grievances to the manager. tree →
• Write down your grievance and we will look at it fairly. tree →
• The colonists sent a long list of grievances to the king. tree →
• She nursed a grievance for years. tree →
• The school council listened to pupils' grievances about lunch. tree →
• Men often bear little grievances with less courage than they do large misfortunes. tree →

Note

Countable: a grievance, grievances. Say GREE-vance. Related: grieve (feel very sad), but grievance is about unfairness, not grief. Spelling: -ance.