First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
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
1
2
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
3
plural : the throes of childbirth
4
plural : trouble, care, or effort taken to accomplish something <was at pains to reassure us>
5
: 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
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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
Related to PAIN
- 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
1
: to make suffer or cause distress to : hurt
2
archaic : to put (oneself) to trouble or exertion
intransitive verb
1
archaic : suffer
2
: to give or have a sensation of pain
See pain defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of PAIN
14th century
PAINS Defined for Kids
1pain
noun \ˈpān\
Definition of PAIN for Kids
1
: physical suffering that accompanies a bodily disorder (as a disease or an injury) <The medicine relieves pain.>
2
: a very unpleasant feeling (as a prick or an ache) that is caused especially by something harmful <I have a pain in my side.>
3
: suffering of the mind or emotions : grief <The humiliation brought her great pain.>
4
pains plural : great care or effort <My sister took pains with the garden.>
5
: 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
1
: to cause physical or mental suffering in or to <It pains me to think of it.>
2
: 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>
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