grumble

Mike and John also took some time to grumble, unprompted, over the difficulty of getting consistent, reliable solar-power hookups for their Henderson homes, having heard from friends about the trials involved with getting utilities to comply with reasonable rates, especially as the need for air conditioning jacked up energy demand.

After watching “The Miracle Club,” I looked up her age — my profession cultivates the grim habit of keeping track of prewritten obituaries — and I could practically hear her saying in that wry, truth-telling grumble: “Not long now.”

“Some taxi drivers grumble throughout the journey after I have boarded,” he adds.

Drug Enforcement Administration agents grumble that their work in Mexico has been hampered by local authorities.

“Of course, that’s unrealistic. It’s about the whole family, and I can’t grumble about the quality of what was delivered. It was really choice.”