pain

[peyn]

noun

1. physical suffering or distress, as due to injury, illness, etc.

   Synonyms: torment, misery, torture

2. a distressing sensation in a particular part of the body.

   a back pain.

   Synonyms: stitch, twinge, pang, torment, misery, torture

3. mental or emotional suffering or torment.

   I am sorry my news causes you such pain.

   Synonyms: torment, misery, torture
   Antonyms: delight, joy

4. pains,

   1. laborious or careful efforts; assiduous care.

      Great pains have been taken to repair the engine perfectly.

   2. the suffering of childbirth.

5. Informal.,  an annoying or troublesome person or thing.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause physical pain to; hurt.

2. to cause (someone) mental or emotional pain; distress.

   Your sarcasm pained me.

   Synonyms: grieve, trouble, torment, afflict
   Antonyms: please

verb (used without object)

1. to have or give pain.

pain

/ peɪn /

noun

1. the sensation of acute physical hurt or discomfort caused by injury, illness, etc

2. emotional suffering or mental distress

3. subject to the penalty of

4. Also called: pain in the neck.  pain in the arse. informal,  a person or thing that is a nuisance

verb

1. to cause (a person) distress, hurt, grief, anxiety, etc

2. informal,  to annoy; irritate

Other Word Forms

• underpain noun
• unpaining adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pain¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English peine “punishment, torture, pain,” from Old French, from Latin poena “penalty, pain,” from Greek poinḗ “penalty”

Word History and Origins

Origin of pain¹

C13: from Old French peine, from Latin poena punishment, grief, from Greek poinē penalty

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. pain in the ass, pain.

2. pain in the neck, pain.

3. feel no pain, to be intoxicated.

   After all that free beer, we were feeling no pain.

4. on / upon / under pain of, liable to the penalty of.

   on pain of death.

More idioms and phrases containing pain

• at pains
• feel no pain
• for one's pains
• growing pains
• no pain, no gain
• on pain of

Synonym Study

Pain , ache , agony , anguish are terms for sensations causing suffering or torment. Pain and ache usually refer to physical sensations (except heartache ); agony and anguish may be physical or mental. Pain suggests a sudden sharp twinge: a pain in one's ankle. Ache applies to a continuous pain, whether acute or dull: headache; muscular aches. Agony implies a continuous, excruciating, scarcely endurable pain: in agony from a wound. Anguish suggests not only extreme and long-continued pain, but also a feeling of despair. See care.

Example Sentences

It is important, he says, to provoke pain in those you love.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

But that pain is easy for politicians to ignore if they imagine they stand a chance of winning the argument.

Read more on Barron's

The disease usually means that our bodies make an uncomfortable home to live in, but sometimes the disease turns the pain thermostat up from discomfort to agony.

Read more on Salon

Republicans caution White House over inflicting shutdown pain on Americans.

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“I had some of the biggest aches and pains of my life.”

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• ache 
• agony 
• burn 
• cramp 
• discomfort 
• fever 
• illness 
• injury 
• irritation 
• misery 
• sickness 
• soreness www.thesaurus.com
• spasm 
• strain 
• tenderness www.thesaurus.com
• torment 
• trouble 
• twinge 
• wound