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¹pain

noun \ˈpān\

: the physical feeling caused by disease, injury, or something that hurts the body

: mental or emotional suffering : sadness caused by some emotional or mental problem

: someone or something that causes trouble or makes you feel annoyed or angry

Full Definition of PAIN

: punishment

a : usu. localized physical suffering associated with bodily disorder (as a disease or an injury); also : a basic bodily sensation induced by a noxious stimulus, received by naked nerve endings, characterized by physical discomfort (as pricking, throbbing, or aching), and typically leading to evasive action

b : acute mental or emotional distress or suffering : grief

plural : the throes of childbirth

plural : trouble, care, or effort taken to accomplish something <was at pains to reassure us>

: one that irks or annoys or is otherwise troublesome —often used in such phrases as pain in the neck

— pain·less \-ləs\ adjective

— pain·less·ly adverb

— pain·less·ness noun

— on pain of or under pain of

: subject to penalty or punishment of <made to leave the country on pain of death>

See pain defined for English-language learners

See pain defined for kids

Origin of PAIN

Middle English, from Anglo-French peine, from Latin poena, from Greek poinē payment, penalty; akin to Greek tinein to pay, tinesthai to punish, Avestan kaēnā revenge, Sanskrit cayate he revenges

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to PAIN

Synonyms: ache, pang, prick, shoot, smart, sting, stitch, throe, tingle, twinge

Antonyms: heedlessness, inattentiveness, negligence

²pain

verb

: to cause (someone) to feel emotional pain : to make (someone) upset, sad, worried, etc.

Full Definition of PAIN

transitive verb

: to make suffer or cause distress to : hurt

archaic : to put (oneself) to trouble or exertion

intransitive verb

archaic : suffer

: to give or have a sensation of pain

See pain defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of PAIN

14th century

Related to PAIN

Synonyms: ache, hurt, smart

PAIN Defined for Kids

¹pain

noun \ˈpān\

Definition of PAIN for Kids

: physical suffering that accompanies a bodily disorder (as a disease or an injury) <The medicine relieves pain.>

: a very unpleasant feeling (as a prick or an ache) that is caused especially by something harmful <I have a pain in my side.>

: suffering of the mind or emotions : grief <The humiliation brought her great pain.>

pains plural : great care or effort <My sister took pains with the garden.>

: someone or something annoying

— pain·ful \ˈpān-fəl\ adjective

— pain·ful·ly \-fə-lē\ adverb

— pain·less \-ləs\ adjective

²pain

verb

painedpain·ing

Definition of PAIN for Kids

: to cause physical or mental suffering in or to <It pains me to think of it.>

: to give or feel physical or mental suffering <The suckers, which were fastened to me and pained greatly, lessened their hold. — Scott O'Dell, Island of the Blue Dolphins>