Swedish

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Etymology

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Unknown. Arguably onomatopoeic. Arguably related to Proto-Germanic *gnīdaną (to rub). Compare Danish gnælde, Icelandic gnella (to scream), Norwegian Nynorsk gnella, Old Norse gnǫllra (to howl, to bark).

Verb

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gnälla (present gnäller, preterite gnällde, supine gnällt, imperative gnäll)

  1. to whinge, to whine, to nag, to complain incessantly about minor issues
    • 1972, Philemon Arthur and the Dung (lyrics and music), “Jag vill va i fred”‎[1]:
      Varför ska alla gnälla på mig att jag ska följa med ut
      till något fånigt danspalais, där jag har varit förut?
      Why does everybody need to nag at me that I must join them out
      to some silly dance hall, where I have been before?
  2. to squeak; make a sound as from rusty hinges

Conjugation

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References

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