pains
Britishplural noun
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care, trouble, or effort (esp in the phrases take pains, be at pains to )
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painful sensations experienced during contractions in childbirth; labour pains
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The most difficult section, “Gendered Dialogues,” delves into Kahlo’s sometimes androgynous appearance and, more poignantly, her boundary-breaking works about her body and the pains of childbirth and miscarriage.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
The question is whether these cracks signal a deeper problem — like the seeds of a widespread financial crisis — or if this is simply a period of growing pains in a maturing asset class.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026
So you can imagine there will be growing pains.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
It is a legacy of Germany's past that it must take great pains not to appear to be seeking dominance.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
Less than a minute later, Constance, accompanied by Winifred the otter, Ambrose Spike and a few others, padded carefully along the top of the wall, taking great pains not to be seen.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
