pain

American  

[peyn] / peɪn /

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.

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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.

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.

pain British  

/ 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

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verb

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

2. informal to annoy; irritate

pain More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing pain

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

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Related Words

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.

Other Word Forms

• underpain noun
• unpaining adjective

Etymology

Origin of pain

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

Example Sentences

One of the biggest pain points in the state is housing, which is 57.8% more expensive than what the average American pays.

From Los Angeles Times

They want to better understand how pain and fatigue amplify the feeling of effort and make physical activity feel more difficult.

From Science Daily

A woman waiting for endometriosis treatment has said the pain she experiences is like having barbed wire in her body.

From BBC

Now, the pain has compounded as her family has been forced to move three times over the last year.

From Los Angeles Times

After Cunnigham's conviction, the sisters felt only "one part of their pain" had been dealt with.

From BBC

Related Words

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