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. on pain of
   subject to the penalty of
4. informal.
   Also calledpain in the necktaboopain in the arse 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 Words From

• under·pain noun
• un·paining 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. feel no pain, Informal. to be intoxicated:

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

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

   on pain of death.

3. pain in the ass, Slang: Vulgar. pain ( def 5 ).
4. pain in the neck, Informal. pain ( def 5 ).

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

Data from Cedars-Sinai show that on average, Black patients reported higher levels of postpartum pain compared with their white counterparts, the letter said.

From Los Angeles Times

The wife of a motorcyclist who could have been saved after a crash, had it not been for an ambulance delay, has spoken of her pain at being a widow aged 28.

From BBC

"Literally all I had was some stabbing pain on a Sunday night. I went to the doctor and was sent for an ultrasound on the Tuesday."

From BBC

“I was in a lot of pain and I remember hearing the air ambulance landing and I knew it was serious, but thank god they did, they saved my life,” he said.

From BBC

Other cases may be managed with pain medications or monitored.

From Science Daily

Related Words

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