Question

... I believe no gentleman would repine to give ten shillings for the carcass of a good fat child, which, as I have said, will make four dishes of excellent nutritive meat... Based upon the context above, the meaning of the underlined word repine is _________________.

Answer 1

In this excerpt from Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal", based upon the context above, the meaning of the underlined word 'repine' is complain.  

Swift builds his argument that the wealthy will be willing to buy and consume children. He writes about how Ireland is suffering for being under British rule. How impoverished couples have trouble feeding their children. It is common to see mothers and children begging on the streets. To avoid this, Swift suggests in a satirical way that women should sell their children to rich English landowners, so they will serve them as meals.