Some feeble attempt to complain (5)
I believe the answer is:
bleat
'complain' is the definition.
(I know that bleat is a more specific form of the action complain)
'some feeble attempt to' is the wordplay.
'some' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue (some parts of the word are used).
'BLEAT' is hidden in the letters of 'feeble attempt to'.
(Other definitions for bleat that I've seen before include "Cry of animal" , "Table (anag.)" , "carp" , "Cry like a 16" , "Sound of sheep or goat" .)