grievance

noun

Etymology: From Old French grievance, from the verb grever (“to irritate; to bother; to annoy”) + -ance, equivalent to grieve + -ance.

1. Something which causes grief.
2. A wrong or hardship suffered, which is the grounds of a complaint.

   “[T]he King is vveary / Of daintie and ſuch picking greeuances, / For he hath found, to end one doubt by death, / Reuiues tvvo greater in the heires of life: […]”

   “November 2 2014, Daniel Taylor, "Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United," guardian.co.uk Wayne Rooney spent much of the game remonstrating with Oliver about his own grievances and, in the interest of balance, there were certainly occasions when United had legitimate complaints.”

3. Feelings of being wronged; outrage; resentment, bitterness or anger.

   “The issues of harassment and/or bullying was the top common source of grievance, followed by discipline, and then new working practices.”

   “Given the non-significance of grievance in the estimated results, I proceeded to check whether the data provide a systematic and rational explanation of personal grievance among the population.”

4. A complaint or annoyance.
5. A formal complaint, especially in the context of a unionized workplace.

   “If you want the problem fixed, you'll have to file a grievance with the city.”

6. Violation of regulations or objectionable behavior.

   “Indeed I do confess, that many times I have showed myself both less provident and less paiful for the benefit of the commonwealth, tha I should, or might, or intended to do hereafter; and have in many actions more respected the satisfying of my own particular humour, than either justice to some private persons, or the common good of all ; yet I did not at any time either omit duty or commit grievance, upon natural dulness or set malice; but partly by abuse of corrupt counsellors, partly by error of my youthful judgement.”

   “The like, 'de mot en wot,' to the barons, bailiffs, men and entire community of the port of Sanwich and its members with 'conclusion' ordering them, on their faith and loyalty, to cause the truce to be firmly observed in all its points, and forbidding them and each of them, under pain of forfeiture of life and limb and of all that they can forfeit, to commit grievance, damage, wrong or molestation by land or by sea, openly or secretly, upon any merchant or other of whatsoever estate or condition he may be of the realm of France or of the other lands of the king of France.”