carp¹ (kärp)
intr.v., carped, carp·ing, carps.
To find fault in a disagreeable way; complain fretfully. See synonyms at quibble.

n.
A fretful complaint.

[Middle English carpen, from Old Norse karpa, to boast.]

carper carp'er n.

carp² (kärp)
n., pl., carp, or carps.

1. An edible freshwater fish (Cyprinus carpio) of Europe and Asia that is frequently bred in ponds and lakes.
2. Any of various fishes of the family Cyprinidae.

[Middle English carpe, from Old French carpe, from Medieval Latin carpa, of Germanic origin.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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