n. & v.
n. 1 a the range of unpleasant bodily sensations produced by illness or by harmful physical contact etc. b a particular kind or instance of this (often in pl.: suffering from stomach pains). 2 mental suffering or distress. 3 (in pl.) careful effort; trouble taken (take pains; got nothing for my pains). 4 (also pain in the neck) colloq. a troublesome person or thing; a nuisance.
v.tr. 1 cause pain to. 2 (as pained adj.) expressing pain (a pained expression). in pain suffering pain. on (or under) pain of with (death etc.) as the penalty.
[ ME f. OF peine f. L poena penalty ]