Definition

1. Noun:

   • A stomach ache or abdominal pain: "bellyache" refers to a pain or discomfort specifically in the stomach or belly area.

2. Verb:

   • To complain, especially in a persistent, whining, or unreasonable manner: "bellyache" means to express dissatisfaction or annoyance, often about something trivial.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Eating too much candy gave him a terrible bellyache.
  • She had a bellyache after the spicy meal.

• Verb:

  • He would always bellyache about having to do his homework.
  • Stop bellyaching and help us clean up.

Advanced Usage

• "to bellyache about something": to complain persistently about a specific thing.
  • The customers continued to bellyache about the new policy.

Variants and Related Words

• Bellyacher (n): a person who complains frequently.
  • He's known as the office bellyacher.

Synonyms

• Noun: stomachache, abdominal pain, tummy ache.
• Verb: complain, whine, gripe, moan, grouse.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions

• "bellyache about": This is the standard construction for the verb form.
  • They love to bellyache about the weather.

Related Idioms

• "Give someone a bellyache": This can be used literally to mean cause stomach pain, or figuratively to mean cause great annoyance.
  • Figurative: His constant excuses are giving me a bellyache.

Noun

1. an ache localized in the stomach or abdominal region

Verb

1. complain
   • What was he hollering about?